NEW HOPE, Tenn. - Marion County has been awarded a $500,000 Appalachian Regional Commission grant to assist with the construction of a rail spur which, in turn, will help one local company with its expansion plans.
The proposed spur will provide rail service into Nickajack Port Industrial Park and enable Colonial Chemical Inc. to move forward with its planned expansion.
Officials said that will add 39 high-paying jobs through an almost $7 million capital investment.
The rail spur project, expected to cost an estimated $2.1 million, will include site infrastructure improvements such as clearing, grading and storm water control facilities to accommodate the new railroad track.
County Mayor David Jackson called the grant "great news" for Marion.
Not only will the rail spur help Colonial Chemical grow, officials said, it will provide the potential for rail service into the nearby industrial park.
That will give the site a decided competitive economic development edge over other locations.
Multiple partners, including Colonial Chemical, Marion County, the Nickajack Port Authority, the Marion County Economic Development Partnership and Marion County Natural Gas, will provide local matching funds for the grant.
"Truly, this award represents strategic partnerships working together for the betterment of our county," Jackson said. "I am appreciative of the commitment being made by all partners to build critical infrastructure that will allow our county to grow."
New Hope Mayor Mark Meyers said the town is happy to partner with the county and others to improve the site and "facilitate the creation of new jobs in our community."
David Anderson, president and CEO of Colonial Chemical, said he is "delighted" with the news and excited about the prospect it has for his company and its neighbors.
"Our ability to continue to grow and prosper in Marion County has been based on a partnership with state and local governments that continue to work with existing industry to help meet needs that keep us competitive in the global economy," he said.
The Nickajack Port Industrial Park is a "prime industrial site in the Southeast Tennessee region," Nickajack Port Authority Chairman David Abbott said.
"We are thrilled to be working in a public-private partnership to build infrastructure that will provide us with a distinct advantage when recruiting new industry," he said.
Jackson said he is confident the county will get a $1.5 million Power Plus grant soon that would go toward additional construction at the Marion County Regional Institute of Higher Education in Kimball, Tenn.
"It would be great for our county," he said. "This other $1.5 [million] will help educate our students and get them prepared for the workforce that our existing companies need, and hopefully, we'll be able to land another company here in the near future."
Ryan Lewis is based in Marion County. Contact him at ryanlewis34@gmail.com.