FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Michael Shore

May 16, 2005 (517) 335-4590

Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today announced more than $1.3 million in Community Development Block Grant funding for Saginaw County. The grant, made available through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), will help finance the silt relocation portion of the Saginaw River dredging project. Low water levels combined with silt accumulation threaten to severely limit the capacity of the river to accommodate commercial freighter traffic.

"The Saginaw River is part of Michigan’s vital transportation infrastructure," Granholm said. "We cannot sit by and allow it to become unusable. Jobs are at stake and more stand to be created."

The Saginaw River is the state’s eighth largest port by cargo volume, according to the Michigan Department of Transportation.

Saginaw County’s Vision 2020 spearheaded this effort in making the Upper Saginaw River Dredging one of the county’s top priorities. "As a call to action this administration worked very closely with Vision 2020 to bring this project to fruition", Lt. Governor John Cherry said. "The project’s success serves as an example of the kind of good work that can come from state and local partnerships".

The Federal Army Corps of Engineers has committed funds to the dredging portion of the project and part of the costs of relocating silt removed from the river bed. The total federal contribution is more than $2.5 million. Saginaw County is expected to contribute $333,000 in addition to $334,000 from the Saginaw County River Alliance

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"This project has involved the hard work of many individuals and organizations," said JoAnn Crary, president of Saginaw Future, Inc. "Ports are among our best economic development assets. Keeping Saginaw’s viable helps to make all of Michigan’s ports stronger."

James Koski, Public Works Commissioner of Saginaw County and Vision 2020 member, added, "We are pleased with the leadership shown by the Governor’s office and the MEDC on this complex project. It will keep an important shipping channel open for major agricultural and construction industries for years to come."

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation administers the state’s block grant program with funds received from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. These funds are used to provide grants to eligible counties, cities, villages and townships—typically those with populations less than 50,000—for economic development, community development and housing projects.

Each year, Michigan receives approximately $40 million in federal block grant funds. There are 1,655 local governments within the state eligible to apply for these funds.

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation, a partnership between the state and local communities, promotes smart economic growth by developing strategies and providing services to create and retain good jobs and a high quality of life. For more information on MEDC initiatives and programs, visit the Web site at www.michigan.org.

Source: www.michigan.org

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