U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse recently announced that Rhode Island will receive $15,063,164 in federal funding from the U.S. Economic Development Administration to help the state recover from the historic floods of 2010. The federal grants will help fund key roadway, sewer, and water infrastructure improvements that are designed to save jobs and help alleviate future flooding.

Reed and Whitehouse secured this emergency economic recovery funding in the Fiscal Year 2010 Supplemental Appropriations disaster relief bill. The $15 million figure represents an increase of more than $4 million from the initial allocation announced by EDA earlier this year and reflects the need for assistance and the quality of the applications that have been put forward.

“These needed infrastructure improvements will put Rhode Islanders to work and help ensure businesses stay open,” said Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee who helped create this pool of funding for Rhode Island. “This is about disaster recovery and economic recovery. These EDA grants will save and create jobs while providing much needed support to help Rhode Island rebuild and prevent future flooding. While this funding will not address every need or fund every project, EDA deserves great credit for increasing the allocation to the state.”

“Our state has worked hard to rebuild in the wake of last year’s floods and has made tremendous progress, but for many cities and towns, work still remains,” said Whitehouse.