WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and U.S. Rep. Charlie Melancon (LA-03) today announced that St. James Parish would receive a $1.6 million federal Recovery Act investment to expand the capacity of the East Bank Water Treatment Plant. The planned expansion will enable new industries to locate in the parish, creating many new jobs in the region.

"This $1.6 million investment will ensure that St. James Parish is a viable candidate for companies such as Nucor Steel, which could create more than a thousand high-paying jobs in the region," Sen. Landrieu said. "This investment will also help bolster St. James' recovery from Hurricane Gustav, which caused significant damage in the region last year."

"Improving our public infrastructure will help attract new businesses to south Louisiana, growing our economy and creating new jobs for our workers," said Rep. Melancon. "This $1.6 million grant is a significant investment in the future of St. James Parish, and I am pleased to see federal stimulus funding making an impact in south Louisiana."

The Economic Development Administration (EDA), which is funding the grant, and the St. James Parish government estimate the expansion project will create more than 1,200 new jobs and leverage $3 billion in private investment for the region. The St. James project is part of EDA initiatives nationwide receiving $150 million in federal funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The projects are selected based on their capacity to create jobs and boost development in parts of the country hit hard by the economic slowdown. St. James Parish suffered damage from Hurricane Gustav in 2008, and its population has grown since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita due to evacuees from more coastal parts of the state.

St. James Parish President Dale Hymel, Jr., said, "This grant is important for both the residents of east bank and the business development of the entire parish. We are very excited about the major improvements we will be able to make to our public infrastructure with this federal funding."

Senator Landrieu and Rep. Melancon have also supported other federal grants for upgrades to the St. James water treatment facilities, which are needed to accommodate the parish's growing economy and attract new industries. In 2007, Landrieu and Melancon supported a $150,000 grant from the Delta Regional Authority, a federal agency created by Congress in 2000 to work with Louisiana and seven other states to enhance economic development in the Mississippi River delta region.