JACKSON — The Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments (UCPCG) will be providing grant administration services for the Enviva Northampton Infrastructure Project.

Last week, the Northampton County Board of Commissioners approved the contract with Upper Coastal to provide administration services for the grant award for the project which will provide infrastructure improvements for the proposed Enviva Northampton wood pellet manufacturing plant.

The project recently received a more than $2 million Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant, which will help pay in part for water and wastewater improvements needed to serve the Northampton Commerce Park, located near Lebanon Church Road and NC 46 between Gaston and Garysburg, where the manufacturing plant will be located.

A portion of the funds will pay $20,000 to UCPCG for services rendered.

Commissioner Virginia Spruill moved to approve the measure. The motion was seconded by Commission Chair James Hester and passed without objection.

The Enviva project is expected to create 62 jobs with an average wage of approximately $17 per hour and generate $60 million in private investment.