HARRISBURG - The Commonwealth Financing Authority has approved $11.85 million in funding for a project to provide flood protection in Bloomsburg, according to Sen. John R. Gordner (R-Berwick) and Rep. David R. Millard (R-Millville).
The $30 million project is designed to provide flood protection to two industries that employ nearly 1,000 area residents. The remainder of the project will be funded by federal Economic Development Administration dollars as well as contributions by the two industries, Windsor Foods and Autoneum North America.
"Both of these firms were devastated by flooding five times in the last eight years, including last year's flood which resulted in tens of millions of dollars in damages to Autoneum and to Windsor Foods," said Gordner. "Without flood protection, the facilities and the good-paying jobs at the plants are in jeopardy."
Following the decision earlier this year by the Army Corps of Engineers to not proceed with flood protection for the Town of Bloomsburg, Gordner and Millard immediately engaged with local officials, representatives of the two industries and the state to work on the current flood protection project.
"We made a strong and compelling case to the Commonwealth Financing Authority about the need for this project," said Millard. "We are pleased that the authority recognized how important these industries with over 900 jobs and $37 million in payroll are to the area and the state's economy."
The Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) was established as an independent agency of the commonwealth to administer Pennsylvania's economic stimulus packages. The CFA holds fiduciary responsibility over the funding of programs and investments in Pennsylvania's economic growth.
The funding for the award is a result of proceeds from gaming in Pennsylvania that are targeted for economic development projects.