News

Bedford secures funds for district


By Jonathan Willis,
Region Bureau

Published: Monday, August 6, 2007 at 3:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, August 5, 2007 at 11:00 p.m.

HAMILTON - Almost half of the 22 local industrial projects approved by the state's 666 Industrial Bond Commission last week are in northwest Alabama and are all in State Sen. Roger Bedford's district.

Money approved by the state's 666 Bond Commission and where it's going:

· Thyssen Krupp, $220 million, construct and equip manufacturing plant

· Hyundai, $15 million, construct and equip manufacturing plant

· National Alabama, $40 million, construct and equip manufacturing plant

· Goodyear, $20 million, assist with the purchase of manufacturing equipment

· Guntersville, $275,000, speculative building at industrial park

· Cullman, $1 million, industrial park access road and sewer

· Grant, $265,000, improvements to sewer system to support economic development

· Albertville/Marshall County, $400,000, construct Advanced Skills and Technology Center for job training

· Dallas County/Craig IDA, $250,000, support Craig Industrial Development Authority

· Livingston, $500,000, access road to new biodiesel plant at industrial park

· Montgomery County Commission, $1 million, Mobis expansion project

· Arab, $60,000, business incubator infrastructure enhancements

· Montgomery Airport Authority, $500,000, recruitment and expansion of aviation businesses

· Morgan County Industrial Development, $600,000, multi-species processing plant

· Greene County Industrial Development Board, $200,000, infrastructure work

· Andalusia-Opp Airport Authority, $2.5 million, construction of hangars for specific projects

· Vina, $400,000, industrial park development

· Franklin County, $192,736, industrial park development

· Phil Campbell, $32,000, testing on industrial site

· Hamilton, $500,000, airport hangar

· Winfield, $576,000, industrial park road and infrastructure

· Fayette, $381,900, industrial park road

· Brilliant, $125,000, extend access road into industrial park

· Haleyville/Winston County, $125,000, access road into industrial park

· Lamar County, $200,000, fire protection at industrial park

·Marion County, $202,800, industrial park road drainage

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Bedford, D-Russellville, secured more than $600,000 for work on three Franklin County industrial parks and more than $1.4 million to be used for various projects in Marion County.

"Northwest Alabama is in a real unique position because of the Toyota plant in Tupelo (Miss.), National Alabama in Colbert County and we are in the hunt for a major manufacturer of automobiles in Marion County," Bedford said.

The town of Guin is one of two finalists for an automotive maker that could potentially employ up to 2,000 to 3,000 people over time. The company, whose name has not been released, is also looking at a site in

Virginia.

Bedford said that all of northwest Alabama could gain from suppliers relocating because of new plants in the area.

"It's important that we get all of our industrial sites up to speed so we can attract manufacturers."

Money from the 666 Industrial Bond Commission comes from interest off oil and gas revenues the state makes from offshore drilling. The principle on the money generates 28 percent in royalties made available to be used for economic development projects.

Of the $400 million made available, $220 million was used to attract Thyssen Krupp to Mobile and $40 million to land National Alabama in Barton. Goodyear received $20 million and $15 million went to Hyundai.

The bond commission also approved $10.2 million in small contracts for 22 local industrial development projects, with 10 going to Bedford's district.

All of the money is to be used for industrial site enhancements.

"When you are in a rural area, 250 jobs are as important as a big city getting 2,000," Bedford said. "We have to fight to get all that we can, but thankfully everyone has been working together on industrial development in northwest Alabama."

Bedford said all the projects were approved unanimously by the bond commission.

"I told the governor, when it comes to economic development, there are no Republicans or Democrats; we are all just Alabamians trying to get jobs for our state," he said.

Jonathan Willis can be reached at 332-0140 or jonathan.willis@timesdaily.com.


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