News Room

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 29, 2007

Columbus, OH -- Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher today announced that the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners has been awarded $50,000 from the Governor's Office of Appalachia (GOA) to support the Jefferson County Regional Airport Authority (JCRAA) terminal construction project. GOA Assistant Director Lou Gentile was joined by state and local officials to present the award today.

"Strong infrastructure and transportation systems are the backbone for prosperity across the state and within each community, supporting a climate that is favorable to business growth and to Ohio's workers pursuing new job, business, entrepreneurship, and education opportunities," said Lt. Governor Fisher, who also serves as Director of the Ohio Department of Development. "Quality airport services can play an important role in a community's ability to support the needs of businesses weighing expansion opportunities and, could greatly increase opportunities for business growth in Jefferson County."

The JCRAA facility has experienced increased usage, particularly by corporate clients, over the last 12 years and is unable to adequately accommodate the needs of pilots, passengers, administration, and staff. The Board of Commissioners led the project to construct a new 3,600 square-foot terminal building and a parking area to improve amenity offerings requested by pilots and corporations requesting use of the facility. The airport is located in close proximity to 5,000 acres of developable land and the project is expected to benefit travelers as well as economic development opportunities for Jefferson County and portions of Belmont, Columbiana, and Harrison counties in Ohio and portions of Brooke and Hancock counties in West Virginia. The expansion project is expected to be complete by the end of the year.

"The Governor's Office of Appalachia works in a variety of ways to strengthen the capacity of Ohio's Appalachian communities to develop and improve the infrastructure that is so critical to increasing the region's economic competitiveness," said GOA Director Fred Deel. "We are pleased to support Jefferson County in its pursuit of growth opportunities at the airport that could help to boost economic development in the region."

The Governor's Office of Appalachia is a division of the Department of Development and represents the interests of the 29 counties comprising East Central, Southeast and Southern Ohio. The GOA works on behalf of the Appalachian Regional Commission in Washington, D.C. to support local, regional, state and federal initiatives that allow the people of Ohio's Appalachian region to obtain economic, educational and community prosperity.

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Media contacts: Melissa Ament at (614) 466-6619 or Kelly Hassett at (614) 466-4133