FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 13, 2008

Columbus, OH -- Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher today announced that Lawrence County has been awarded a $500,000 grant to provide infrastructure improvements to assist Chatham Steel with a planned expansion project. The funds will be awarded through the Ohio Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Economic Development Program, which is administered by the Ohio Department of Development. The $7.9 million project will create 50 jobs.

"Infrastructure can be a deal-breaker in many of our economic development projects, and assistance for these improvements is an important tool for companies and our communities," said Fisher, who also serves as Director of the Ohio Department of Development. "The Small Cities Block Grants empower communities to achieve economic success through partnerships and collaborations with local businesses."

Chatham, a wholesale distributor of carbon and stainless steel, will purchase 12.26 acres of land to construct a 65,000 square-foot warehouse and 7,650 square-foot office building adjacent to Rumpke in Hamilton Township, Lawrence County. Community Development Block Grant funds will be used to improve approximately 2,200 linear feet of public railroad lines.

In April, Chatham was granted a $303,394 Job Creation Tax Credit by the Ohio Department of Development for the creation of 50 new full-time jobs as a result of the company’s opening a new facility. The tax credit will begin January 2009 and will end December 2014.

The Community Development Block Grant Economic Development Program provides funding for economic development projects that create and/or retain permanent, private-sector job opportunities. The grants enable local governments to make public improvements directly related to business development and provide financial assistance to private entities for economic development projects. Jobs created through this program must benefit primarily low- and moderate-income Ohioans.

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Media contacts: Kelly Schlissberg at (614) 466-4133 or Melissa Vince at (614) 466-6619