Congresswoman Miller Announces $200K in ARC POWER Grants

Washington D.C. – Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV) announced today three POWER grants from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) that total over $200,000. The following grants have been awarded:

• $80,691 to the Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement for Benefit U: An Entrepreneur's Guide to Financial, Health Insurance & Retirement Solutions. It will be used to provide benefits for entrepreneurs, self-employed workers, and independent contractors that would not have already have access.

• $79,270 to the Marshall University Research Corporation for the Craft Beer and Spirit Trail project. The grant money will be used to fund a study of the economic impact of the emerging craft beer and spirits industry in the area. The Robert C. Byrd Institute at Marshall University will serve as the main investigator.

• $59,500 to the New River Gorge Trail Alliance (NRGTA) for the Linking Trails and Communities to Spawn Economic Growth and Wellness: Expanding the Southern West Virginia Bike Trail Network project. The grant will extend the trails footprint to include five more counties: Kanawha, Monroe, Raleigh, Summers, and Webster.

Miller said, "Bringing taxpayer dollars back home is a top priority of mine. These are the right investments made for southern West Virginia that will continue to diversify our economy, strengthen our infrastructure, and allow us to think outside the box to ensure a prosperous future for our state."

"The vision of the New River Gorge Trail Alliance is to build healthier communities and more robust economies in southern West Virginia by creating a regional trail network," said Bill Wells, President of NRGTA. "This new grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission will enable us to study how to expand our current multi-county trail into our additional surrounding counties."

"We are very excited about this project as it is another example of Marshall University's expertise in utilizing University resources to leverage, support, and expand WV industries," said Jerry Gilbert, President of Marshall University. "Specifically, Marshall University's RCBI will utilize its expertise in advanced manufacturing, supply chain development, and agricultural innovations to help support and grow the craft beverage industry."

ARC POWER (Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization) Grants are congressionally funded initiatives that target federal resources to help communities and regions that have been affected by job losses in coal mining, coal power plant operations, and coal-related supply chain industries due to the changing economics of America's energy production.