Announcement of Federal Funding for Pulaski County

Pulaski, Virginia

August 12, 2010

          I am pleased to return to Pulaski today to announce a major provision of federal funding to enable the construction of a water interconnection between Pulaski County’s water system and the City of Radford’s water treatment plant.  This interconnection will serve New River Valley Commerce Park and provide additional water capacity to Pulaski County’s residential customers.  Today’s announcement is a significant step toward our goal of attracting new technology based industries to Commerce Park and providing the opportunity for additional residential growth in Pulaski County.

At my request, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, through its Rural Development Agency, is today providing a federally funded low-interest loan of $3,812,000 to aid in the construction of this water interconnection. The funds that I am announcing today are being provided to the Pulaski County Public Service Authority.  I have previously announced the provision of a federal grant of $3,003,401 from the U.S. Department of Commerce through its Economic Development Administration to enable the expansion of water and wastewater services at Commerce Park. 

The Park is 900 acres in size and is located next to the New River Valley Airport. Several years ago, I worked with local officials and with the U.S. Customs Office to establish a Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) and a full-time U.S. Customs Office at New River Valley Airport.  In fact, Commerce Park is the only industrial park in Virginia with immediate access to an international airport. Additionally, the Park is easily accessible to Interstate 81. 

Currently, an impediment to the location of new businesses in this Park is the absence of a water and wastewater system large enough to support major industrial development. The federal funding announced today, when combined with the previously announced federal funding from EDA, will enable Virginia’s First Industrial Development Authority and the Pulaski County Public Service Authority to construct a water and wastewater system of sufficient size to serve the Park. Today’s announcement represents a significant step in our efforts to create new job opportunities and accommodate additional residential growth in the New River Valley.

          The total cost of expanding water and wastewater services at Commerce Park and constructing the water interconnection that will serve Commerce Park is more than $6.8 million.  The announcement of federal funding that I am making today, when combined with the previously awarded federal funding, will enable us to quickly move forward with construction of this project, and I look forward to visiting Commerce Park in the near future to participate in an event to formally break ground on the new water and wastewater system.

          As part of this project, a new pump station will be constructed and a 24 inch water line nearly three miles in length will be constructed between the water treatment plant in Radford and an existing water line on US Route 11. An additional 12 inch water line will be installed from Highland Park in Pulaski County to Commerce Park, a distance of about 1 mile. A 700,000 gallon water storage tank will be added at Commerce Park.  Additionally, 2,000 feet of water line and 3,500 feet of wastewater line will be installed at Commerce Park. The new interconnection with the City of Radford will allow the Pulaski County PSA to provide up to 1 million gallons of water to Commerce Park each day.  Additionally, the interconnection will allow the Pulaski County PSA to acquire from the City of Radford at least 500,000 gallons of water for residential and commercial use.

          In addition to expanding the water system at Commerce Park, this water interconnection will provide the Pulaski County PSA with a second source of water.  With this new source of water, the Pulaski County PSA will be able to provide improved water service to its 4,875 current customers and accommodate future residential and business growth.

          I would like to take the opportunity of these remarks to recognize a number of individuals who have been instrumental in the success we celebrate today.

          Joe Sheffey, Chair of the Pulaski County Board of Supervisors, and the remaining Board members deserve our thanks today for their leadership in this project. I would also like to express my appreciation to Peter Huber, Pulaski County Administrator, for his efforts in securing this federal funding.

          I would like to thank Travis Jackson, Area Director for the Rural Development Agency, for his outstanding work on behalf of this project.

          Doug Warren, Chair of the Pulaski County Public Service Authority, and the entire PSA deserve our appreciation today for their many years of efforts on behalf of this project. 

Mayor Bruce Brown from the City of Radford, and the entire City Council have been extremely helpful with this project and I would like to thank them.  I would also like to express my appreciation to David Ridpath, Radford City Manager, for his outstanding assistance.

          Chris McKlarney, who serves as Chair of the Virginia’s First Industrial Facility Authority, Basil Edwards, who serves as Vice-Chair of the Authority, and the entire Authority Board deserve our thanks for their work to create new job opportunities in this region.

I want to thank Kevin Byrd, Executive Director of the New River Valley Planning District Commission, and his excellent staff for the outstanding work they perform on behalf of the residents of this region.

          Finally, I want to thank Derek Lyall, my Director of Community Development, as well as my Project Manager Kim McKay for their excellent work in support of the expansion of water and wastewater facilities across the Ninth Congressional District.

The provision of water and wastewater services to Commerce Park is an excellent use of federal funds. The residents of this region will benefit from the enhanced opportunity for economic development, and I would like to congratulate everyone gathered here today on this success.