Should hear back in December, director says
After much discussion in last month’s meeting, the Ark-Tex Council of Governments submitted its application for the Build Back Better Regional Challenge grant earlier this month, and ATCOG Executive Director Chris Brown said in the Thursday meeting he expects “tough competition.”
“I was at our national association [convention], and I know there’s five or six other applications just from Texas,” Brown said. “All across the nation, they’re coming in from New York City and some others.”
Brown was optimistic about AT-COG’s application for the grant, which could result in upwards of $100 million for infrastructure and industrial development in the region if the final award, decided in February, is given. Currently, ATCOG has applied for an initial $500,000 for an in-depth study of their region and to create another application for the larger grant.
At the September meeting, emphasis was placed on the Sulphur Springs development of the former Luminant property east of the city, the industrial park TexAmericas Center in Bowie, and the coal mine properties in Titus, Harrison, Morris and Camp Counties.