DeWine, Husted announce plan for $500M investment in Ohio’s Appalachian region

Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted on Thursday announced a plan for a $500 million investment in the state’s Appalachian region.

The plan, called Ohio BUILDS — Small Communities, Big Impact — A Plan for Appalachia, would support initiatives to revitalize downtown districts, enhance quality of life and help rebuild the economies of Ohio’s 32 Appalachian counties, a news release states. The region includes Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties.

“We have entered an era where people can live in one place and work in another,” Husted said in the release. “This means with the right kind of technology infrastructure, educational opportunities, affordable living with a high quality of life that rural communities have more opportunities than ever — this proposal will help make this possibility a reality.”

The plan includes a $50 million planning phase to allow Appalachian communities and regional partnerships to develop plans that incorporate each of three funding priorities: restoring historic downtowns, improving community health and rebuilding the local workforce, the release states. After the planning phase, $450 million in implementation grants would be awarded to qualifying projects.

“I believe this investment will truly be the support that the Appalachian region needs to ensure long-term sustainable impacts,” Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Department of Development, said in the release. “We look forward to working with the local communities to create solutions and cultivate success in the region.”

The 29 other Appalachian counties are Adams, Ashtabula, Athens, Belmont, Brown, Carroll, Clermont, Coshocton, Gallia, Guernsey, Harrison, Highland, Hocking, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lawrence, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Pike, Ross, Scioto, Tuscarawas, Vinton and Washington.