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Cape Cod Commission Is Part of $1.2 Million Blue Economy Project

Media Contacts:
Kristy Senatori, Acting Executive Director
ksenatori@capecodcommission.org | 508-362-3828
Leslie Richardson, Chief Economic Development Officer
lrichardson@capecodcommission.org | 508-362-3828

Commission part of $1.2 Million Blue Economy Project U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $600,000 to Boost the Growth of the Marine Science and Technology Sector in Southeastern Massachusetts

The Cape Cod Commission is partnering with the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, and the Southeastern Regional Planning & Economic Development District (SRPEDD), to strengthen the Marine Science and Technology cluster on the Cape and the South Coast.

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) awarded a $600,000 grant to the UMass Dartmouth to support development of a formal Massachusetts Science and Technology Cluster Alliance.

Among other things, the project will fund a comprehensive study and analysis of the marine science and technology sectors to further job creation, business and industrial expansion, as well as exporting of goods.

The Commission will receive $75,000 over three years to provide data and technical support for the grant. All matching funds for the $1.2 million total project cost will be covered by UMass Dartmouth.

“The Commission has supported development of the Blue Economy for the past several years and is pleased to build upon that work in support of the broader region,” Cape Cod Commission Acting Executive Director Kristy Senatori said.

Senatori and Commission Chief Economic Development Officer Leslie Richardson attended the award ceremony at the UMass Dartmouth Campus Sept. 11. Congressmen William Keating and Joseph Kennedy III joined Chancellor Robert Johnson for the announcement.

The project will bring together relevant regional institutions, businesses and academia to strengthen workforce training, facilitate technology innovation, and expand export opportunities for Marine Science & Technology businesses. Expanding this business cluster is seen as an opportunity to ensure a balanced, sustainable economy with year-round, livable wage employment.

EDA grants are awarded to designated Economic Development Districts through a competitive process based upon applications merit, eligibility, and availability of funds.

Through the work of the Commission, Barnstable County was designated an Economic Development District by the U.S. EDA in 2013. EDA funds the Cape Cod Commission and the Southeast Regional Planning District to bring together the public and private sectors to create an economic development roadmap to strengthen the regional economy, support private capital investment, and create jobs.

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ABOUT THE CAPE COD COMMISSION:

Cape Cod Commission is the regional land use planning, economic development, and regulatory agency created in 1990 to serve the citizens and 15 towns that comprise Barnstable County, Massachusetts, better known as Cape Cod. The Commission works toward maintaining a healthy balance between economic progress and environmental vitality. “Keeping a special place special” describes the agency’s mission to protect the region’s unique qualities. The 19-member volunteer Cape Cod Commission board represents a wide spectrum of the community and provides oversight for a staff of 40 professionals. The Commission is responsible for regional planning, policy, and regulations to help manage growth, and the agency supports the Cape’s 15 towns with cost-effective planning and technical services. For more information, visit: www.capecodcommission.org.

ABOUT THE U.S. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION
The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation’s regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA makes investments in economically distressed communities in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth. (www.eda.gov)