Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-110

§3162 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies

Title 42 › CHAPTER 38 — PUBLIC WORKS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT › SUBCHAPTER III — ELIGIBILITY; COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES › § 3162

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary can only give assistance under sections 3141 or 3149 (except planning help under 3149) if an eligible recipient includes three things in its application. First, a clear statement of the economic problems the money will address. Second, a list of past, current, and planned investments in the area and who (public or private) will pay for them. Third, a comprehensive economic development strategy that explains how the problems will be solved and that promotes job and business growth, good transportation access, strong workforce use consistent with state or local plans, use of technology (including high-speed internet), environmental protection and climate resilience, and sound resource management. The Secretary must approve any strategy that meets these rules. The Secretary may accept a good plan from another federal program, and such plans should be coordinated with any existing strategy. The rules do not apply to grants under section 3147 or section 3149(c)(2) for areas with more than one strategy.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §3162

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In general
The Secretary may provide assistance under section 3141 or 3149 of this title (except for planning assistance under section 3149 of this title) to an eligible recipient for a project only if the eligible recipient submits to the Secretary, as part of an application for the assistance—
(1)an identification of the economic development problems to be addressed using the assistance;
(2)an identification of the past, present, and projected future economic development investments in the area receiving the assistance and public and private participants and sources of funding for the investments; and
(3)(A)a comprehensive economic development strategy for addressing the economic problems identified under paragraph (1) in a manner that promotes economic development and opportunity, fosters effective transportation access, maximizes effective development and use of the workforce consistent with any applicable State or local workforce investment strategy, promotes the use of technology in economic development (including access to high-speed telecommunications), enhances and protects the environment, including to mitigate and adapt to the economic impacts of extreme weather, and balances resources through sound management of development; and
(B)a description of how the strategy will solve the problems.
(b)Approval of comprehensive economic development strategy
The Secretary shall approve a comprehensive economic development strategy that meets the requirements of subsection (a) to the satisfaction of the Secretary.
(c)Approval of other plan
(1)In general
The Secretary may accept as a comprehensive economic development strategy a satisfactory plan developed under another federally supported program.
(2)Existing strategy
To the maximum extent practicable, a plan submitted under this paragraph shall be consistent and coordinated with any existing comprehensive economic development strategy for the area.
(d)Exception
This section shall not apply to grants awarded under section 3147 of this title or grants awarded under section 3149(c)(2) of this title for areas to which more than one comprehensive economic development strategy may apply.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 3162, Pub. L. 89–136, title IV, § 402, Aug. 26, 1965, 79 Stat. 561; Pub. L. 92–65, title I, § 107, Aug. 5, 1971, 85 Stat. 167, required annual review of area eligibility, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 105–393, § 102(a). A prior section 302 of Pub. L. 89–136 was classified to section 3151a of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 105–393, § 102(a).

Amendments

2025—Subsec. (a)(3)(A). Pub. L. 118–272, § 2226(1), inserted “including to mitigate and adapt to the economic impacts of extreme weather,” after “enhances and protects the environment,”. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 118–272, § 2226(2), added subsec. (d). 2004—Subsec. (a)(3)(A). Pub. L. 108–373, § 302(a), inserted “maximizes effective development and use of the workforce consistent with any applicable State or local workforce investment strategy, promotes the use of technology in economic development (including access to high-speed telecommunications),” after “access,”. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 108–373, § 302(b), designated existing provisions as par. (1), inserted heading, and added par. (2).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective Feb. 11, 1999, see section 105 of Pub. L. 105–393, set out as a note under section 3121 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 3162

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110