The Quad Cities Chamber and local members of Congress are celebrating President Biden’s inking of a game-changing ONSHORE Act that will boost infrastructure investment and site preparation to leverage regional growth.
ONSHORE establishes the Critical Supply Chain Site Development program. When it’s funded, it will provide competitive grants to communities, including the Quad Cities, that will allow them to invest in new shovel-ready sites. That funding could significantly enhance the region’s economic development opportunities.
Among those working to authorize the ONSHORE Act was Quad Cities Chamber. The measure was included in the Water Resources Development Act of 2024 by the U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, D-Moline, and U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-LeClaire. Congress passed the reauthorization on Dec. 18. Mr. Biden signed it into law last weekend.
The complete text of ONSHORE (Opportunities for Non-developed Sites to Have Opportunities to be Rehabilitated for Economic Development) is here.
“The Quad Cities Chamber advocated for this legislation and is pleased to see it move on to the next step – funding,” Ryan Sempf, the chamber’s executive director of government affairs, said in a news release.
“The Quad Cities is a highly competitive location for advanced manufacturing, biosciences and defense,” added Chamber President and CEO Peter Tokar III. “This new funding brings needed investment in the next generation of sites to continue our regional growth and investment in these key industries.”
Strengthen QC backbone
Mr. Sorensen called manufacturing “the backbone of our region.” And he said the ONSHORE Act is “a game-changer for communities in the Quad Cities area and beyond.”
The new law will focus on attracting new manufacturing jobs and businesses to the Quad Cities. It will do that by addressing the issue of unused sites that aren’t ready for development, Mr. Sorensen said.
In fact, leaders and businesses say that preparing sites is one of the biggest obstacles to attracting manufacturing businesses to the area. Consider that, from 2021 to 2023, the Illinois Quad Cities could not reply to companies looking to bring in jobs 75 times. That’s according to an April 2024 Quad Cities Chamber blog post. Out of those inquiries, the post said, 60 were about manufacturing projects that could have created thousands of jobs.
“By preparing unused sites for development, we’re unlocking opportunities to bring good-paying jobs to the region and keep Illinois competitive in manufacturing,” Mr. Sorensen said of the ONSHORE Act. “This bipartisan win shows what’s possible when we work together to deliver for the hardworking people who call this place home.”
‘Big win’ for QC region
Ms. Miller-Meeks called the new law “a big win for the Quad Cities region. We’re investing in the revitalization of communities, fostering economic growth and fortifying our domestic supply chains.”
She added in the release: “This program not only empowers regions to attract investment and create jobs in Iowa, but also ensures our nation’s strategic interests and economic security are safeguarded.”
The program will be managed by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Grants will help communities and others invest in new industrial site preparation for manufacturing projects in strategically important industries. The Secretary of Commerce will decide which industries are strategically important and eligible for these grants.
To make that happen, however, Congress will have to authorize $20 million a year in funding.
Then, once approved, awarded funds can be used to cover a variety of expenses, including:
- Connecting the site to public utilities like water mains.
- Completing environmental reviews.
- Investing in training programs for the local workforce.
- Other necessary preparations for manufacturing projects.
