On Friday, U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) celebrated the award of $7.7 million for nine infrastructure projects in multiple Mississippi counties in the Appalachia region.

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) approved the grants, which are designed to help the region achieve socioeconomic parity with the nation. ARC is an economic development partnership agency of the federal government and 13 state governments focusing on 423 counties across the Appalachian Region.

“ARC’s mission is to innovate, partner, and invest to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia,” their website states.

The nine grants for Mississippi include:

Senator Wicker said strong infrastructure is essential to a healthy economy, especially in places like Mississippi.

“These projects will directly support job creation and business development that will help these areas grow for years to come,” Wicker added. 

Senator Hyde-Smith stated that new or improved infrastructure is essential to rural counties across Mississippi as they work on local developments.

“These Appalachian Regional Commission investments will help spur and strengthen economic growth by leveraging local resources to better serve rural Mississippi,” Hyde-Smith continued.