FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 16, 2006

Columbus, OH -- Lieutenant Governor Bruce Johnson today announced that the Columbiana County Port Authority has been awarded $400,000 from the Industrial Site Improvement Fund (ISIF), which provides grants to improve qualified commercial and industrial areas. The funds will be used to construct the final phase of a cargo-handling component of the Wellsville Intermodal Industrial Park that will facilitate the alternative forms of cargo transport.

"The ISIF is an important tool in making it possible for Ohio communities and businesses to create new infrastructure and to upgrade existing facilities for future job creation," said Johnson, who also serves as state development director. "This funding will result in expanded options for transporting cargo to and from the Wellsville Intermodal Industrial Park, providing further opportunities for business investment and job creation."

The Columbiana County Port Authority will invest more than $4 million in the completion of the Park, including construction of an intermodal cargo handling system. The facility is designed to transload a wide range of materials including minerals, steel products and containers that move by barge, rail and truck. The Port anticipates this investment will lead to the development of more than 700 acres of adjacent land.

The site is located in the Cleveland-Pittsburgh Corridor, which is geographically located within one day's drive by truck several major U.S. population markets. Based on the research of the Port, the project will serve a critical need for alternate forms of transporting cargo in coming years.

The ISIF is a reimbursement grant program that provides up to $500,000 in assistance to eligible Ohio counties for the purpose of improving qualified commercial and industrial areas. The proposed project site must be used primarily for commercial or industrial activities, and funding can be used for commercial and/or industrial land and building acquisition; public and/or private infrastructure improvements; expansion and/or renovation of existing buildings; and environmental remediation.

ISIF applications are evaluated based on the county's distress level, the project's feasibility and implementation plan, local and private financial participation and the economic and community impact of the project.