Press Releases

Congressman Morgan Griffith issued the following statement after the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) awarded $2,188,012 in grants through its Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) Initiative for projects in Virginia’s Ninth Congressional District:

“The Appalachian Regional Commission’s POWER Initiative provides important support for coal-impacted communities. This award of $2,188,012 in total grants for the Ninth District will assist a broad array of projects related to economic development and job growth, including workforce development and infrastructure upgrades. These investments have the potential to make a huge impact in our communities.”

Ninth District projects include:

$1,500,000 to the Southwest Virginia Workforce Development Board, based in Lebanon and serving the coalfields region, for the Recovery Opportunities and Pathways to Employment Success (ROPES) project, combining substance abuse disorder recovery and workforce development;

$588,072 to Southwest Virginia Community College for the SWCC Automotive Service Excellence Center, creating a curriculum to train students for automobile technician positions;

$50,000 to LENOWISCO Planning District Commission for the Technology Innovation Ecosystem for Rural Water Systems project, developing technologies to monitor rural public water systems for leaks; and

$49,940 to Appalachian Voices for the Taking a Proven Energy Model to Scale project developing solar energy.

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