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Federal Regional Commissions and Authorities:
Overview of Structure and Activities
Federal regional commissions and authorities address
supported by the ARC and advise on local priorities and
perceived regional economic underdevelopment. These
issues. Accordingly, state and local governments,
organizations generally accommodate multileveled and
governmental entities, and nonprofit organizations are
multijurisdictional participation and implementation, which
eligible for the ARC’s funding. Uniquely, this includes
Congress could utilize to address growing interest in broad-
federal- and potentially state-designated tribal entities.
based and intensive economic development efforts. Current
The ARC statutorily designates counties according to levels
commissions and authorities represent some regions; other
of economic distress, which determine matching fund
regions could adopt similar entities. This In Focus outlines
each organization’s structure, activities, and recent funding
requirements for grants. The ARC’s multileveled and
.
multijurisdictional structure and activities make it a unique
Figure 1 summarizes key structural features of the regional
model of federal economic development, which is emulated
commissions and authorities.
in some other federal regional commissions and authorities.
Appalachian Regional Commission
Delta Regional Authority
The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) was
The Delta Regional Authority (DRA) was established in
established in 1965 to address economic distress in the
2000 (P.L. 106-554) to address economic distress in the
Appalachian region. The ARC’s jurisdiction spans 423
Mississippi River Delta region. The DRA’s jurisdiction
counties in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio, New York,
includes 252 designated parishes in Louisiana and counties
Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania,
in Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi,
South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Missouri, and Tennessee. Like the ARC, the DRA is a
The ARC is a federal-state partnership, with administrative
federal-state partnership that shares administrative expenses
costs shared equally by the federal government and member
equally, while activities are federally funded. The DRA is
states; its economic development activities are federally
governed by the eight state governors and a federal co-chair
funded. Thirteen state governors and a federal co-chair
appointed by the President with the advice and consent of
oversee the ARC. The co-chair is appointed by the
the U.S. Senate. The current federal co-chair is Corey
President with the advice and consent of the U.S. Senate.
Wiggins, whose tenure began in March 2022. The states’
The current federal co-chair is Gayle Manchin, whose
co-chair is currently Alabama Governor Kay Ivey.
tenure began in May 2021. Kentucky Governor Andy
Beshear is the states’ co-chair, which is selected by the
The DRA strategic plan illuminates economic development
governors.
priorities. Its third and current strategic plan—Regional
Development Plan III—was released in April 2016. The
According to authorizing legislation (40 U.S.C. §14101-
strategic plan lists three goals: workforce competitiveness;
14704), the ARC’s programs abide by a Regional
strengthened infrastructure; and increased community
Development Plan, which is comprised of the strategic plan,
capacity. The DRA uses a federal-state-local model similar
bylaws, state development plans, the annual strategy
to the ARC’s. State development plans are required by
statement for each participating state, the annual program
statute, and are issued every five years to coincide with the
budget, and internal implementation and performance
strategic plan. The DRA funds projects through a supported
management guidelines. The strategic plan is typically a
network of 45 LDDs. By statute, the DRA directs at least
five-year document, reviewed annually, and revised as
75% of funds to distressed counties; half those funds target
necessary. The current strategic plan, adopted in October
transportation and basic infrastructure.
2021, prioritizes five investment goals: (1) entrepreneurial
and business development; (2) workforce development; (3)
Denali Commission
infrastructure development; (4) natural and cultural assets;
The Denali Commission was established in 1998 (P.L. 105-
and (5) leadership and community capacity.
277) to provide rural economic development in Alaska. It is
The ARC’s structure enabl
unique as a single-state regional commission and relies on
es local and state-level agenda-
federal funding for its expenses and activities. By statute, it
setting and implementation tied to federal and multistate
is comprised of seven members (or a designated nominee)
regional perspectives. The ARC’s economic development
appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, including
activities include significant state and local input. Through
the federal co-chair; the Alaska Governor, who is state co-
state plans and annual work statements, state governments
chair; the University of Alaska president; the Alaska
regularly establish goals, priorities, and agendas for
Municipal League president; the Alaska Federation of
fulfilling them. State-level planning typically includes
Natives president; the Alaska State AFL-CIO president; and
consultation with a network of 74 multicounty local
the Associated General Contractors of Alaska president.
development districts (LDDs), which are financially
Garrett Boyle is the federal co-chair. The Denali
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Federal Regional Commissions and Authorities: Overview of Structure and Activities
Commission is statutorily required to create an annual work
The GLA region includes certain areas of the watershed of
plan, which solicits project proposals, guides activities, and
Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio,
informs a five-year strategic plan. The current FY2018-
Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. The GLA differs from other
FY2022 strategic plan, released in October 2017, lists four
commissions in that its service region is defined in statute
strategic goals and objectives: (1) facilities management;
based on federal definitions of the area’s watershed “as
(2) infrastructure protection from ecological change; (3)
such terms are defined in section 118(a)(3) of the Federal
energy, including storage, production, heating, and
Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1268(a)(3))” in
electricity; and (4) innovation and collaboration. The Denali
each of the eight states noted above. The other commissions
Commission’s recent activities are oriented to energy and
typically use county-based designations.
infrastructure protection. Denali does not make explicit use
of LDDs or similar entities.
Northern Great Plains Regional Authority
Northern Border Regional Commission
The Northern Great Plains Regional Authority (NGPRA)
was created in 2002 (P.L. 107-171) to address economic
The Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) was
distress in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, Nebraska, and
created in 2008 (P.L. 110-234) to alleviate economic
South Dakota. While the NGPRA was authorized $30
distress in northern Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and
million from FY2002 to FY2018, it appears to have
New York. Administrative costs are shared equally between
received appropriations once—for $1.5 million in FY2004
the states and the federal government, while activities are
(P.L. 108-199). Its authorization lapsed in 2018.
federally funded. The NBRC includes a federal co-chair,
appointed by the President by and with the advice and
Southeast Crescent Regional Commission
consent of the U.S. Senate, and the five governors, of which
The Southeast Crescent Regional Commission (SCRC) was
one is appointed state co-chair. Chris Saunders is the
established in 2008 (P.L. 110-234). SCRC’s jurisdiction
current federal co-chair since March 2022. New
includes parts of Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North
Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu is the state co-chair
Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and all of Florida. In
since January 2020.
December 2021, the Senate confirmed the first federal co-
The NBRC’s activities are
chair, Jennifer Reed, enabling the commission to convene.
guided by a five-year strategic
The SCRC hired its first chief of staff in 2022 and
plan. Its current 2017-2022 strategic plan lists three goals:
developed its bylaws.
(1) modernizing infrastructure; (2) creating and sustaining
jobs; and (3) anticipating and capitalizing on shifting
In 2022, SCRC also published its inaugural strategic plan
economic and demographic trends. The NBRC invests
for FY2023-FY2027. The plan includes the following
along four program areas: (1) economic and infrastructure
goals: (1) critical infrastructure, (2) health and support
development; (2) the regional forest economy partnership;
services access and outcomes, (3) workforce capacity, (4)
(3) local development districts; and (4) comprehensive
entrepreneurial and business development activities, (5)
planning for states. The NBRC also works with LDDs to
affordable housing stock and access, and (6) environmental
identify opportunities, conduct outreach, and administer
conservation, preservation, and access.
grant funds, from which LDDs receive fees.
Southwest Border Regional Commission
Great Lakes Authority
The Southwest Border Regional Commission (SBRC) was
established by Congress in 2008 along with SCRC and the
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (P.L. 117-328)
NBRC, and shares an identical governing structure and
amended 40 U.S.C. §15301(a) to establish the Great Lakes
legislative authorization. SBRC encompasses the southern
Authority (GLA) in December 2022. The GLA is not yet
border regions of Arizona, California, New Mexico, and
active and has not received appropriations. Similar to most
Texas. SBRC has received consistent funding
regional commissions, the authorizing legislation requires
authorizations since 2008. SBRC received appropriations
that before the GLA may convene, the President must
each fiscal year from 2021 through 2023. In December
nominate and the Senate must confirm a federal co-
2022, the Senate confirmed the first federal co-chair for the
chairperson. As of February 2023, President Biden had not
SBRC, Juan Eduardo Sanchez, enabling the commission to
nominated a federal co-chairperson for the GLA.
convene and begin other activities.
Figure 1. Structure of the Commissions and Authorities
Source: Compiled by CRS with information from the federal regional commissions and authorities.
Notes: For the commissions and authority that are not considered to be functioning, structural characteristics are tabulated according to their
statutory design. As noted, the first federal co-chair of the SBRC was confirmed in December 2022.
Julie M. Lawhorn, Analyst in Economic Development
Policy
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Federal Regional Commissions and Authorities: Overview of Structure and Activities
IF11140
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