GRAHAM ON ARC EXPANSION TO UNION COUNTY

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today said he was pleased legislation that would add Union County, South Carolina to the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) had unanimously passed the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

The Graham-authored provision was contained in legislation, the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act of 2021. It will allow Union County to receive a 70 percent federal match for ARC grants.

“I’m very pleased to finally have Union County included in the ARC, which will entitle the county to a dramatic increase in federal funding,” said Graham. “The case for Union County was strong, and I’m pleased that the committee saw it our way. This is indeed good news for the residents of Union County.  They will have federal funding available to them that is very much justified and will, over time, change the quality of life for the better. Thank you to all the local officials who helped make the case.”

The ARC was established in 1965 to address economic distress in the Appalachian region. The ARC’s jurisdiction currently includes Anderson, Cherokee, Greenville, Oconee, Pickens, and Spartanburg Counties, which are home to more than 1.2 million South Carolinians. In fiscal year 2020, ARC supported 16 projects in South Carolina totaling nearly $4.1 million for economic development, education improvements, and critical infrastructure. These investments have been matched by $5.2 million and have leveraged an additional $100 million in private investments in South Carolina. This funding is supporting nearly 265 jobs, and training nearly 650 students and workers.