---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 3141"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "3141"
heading: "Grants for public works and economic development"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/3141"
units:
  - "Chapter 38 — Public Works and Economic Development"
  - "Subchapter II — Grants for Public Works and Economic Development"
---

# §3141. Grants for public works and economic development

- (a) **In general—** On the application of an [eligible recipient](/usc/42/3122.md?p=6-A), the [Secretary](/usc/42/3122.md?p=13) may make [grants](/usc/42/3122.md?p=8) for—
  - (1) acquisition or development of land and improvements for use for a public works, public service, or development facility or for the improvement of waste management and recycling systems; and
  - (2) acquisition, design and engineering, [construction](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=7), rehabilitation, alteration, expansion, increasing the resilience[^1] or improvement of such a facility, including related machinery and equipment.
- (b) **Criteria for grant—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/3122.md?p=13) may make a [grant](/usc/42/3122.md?p=8) under this section only if the [Secretary](/usc/42/3122.md?p=13) determines that—
  - (1) the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) for which the [grant](/usc/42/3122.md?p=8) is applied for will, directly or indirectly—
    - (A) improve the opportunities, in the area where the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) is or will be located, for the successful establishment, expansion, or retention,[^2] of industrial or commercial plants or facilities;
    - (B) assist in the creation of additional long-term employment opportunities in the area; or
    - (C) primarily benefit the long-term unemployed and underemployed and members of low-income families;
  - (2) the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) for which the [grant](/usc/42/3122.md?p=8) is applied for will fulfill a pressing need of the area, or a part of the area, in which the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) is or will be located; and
  - (3) the area for which the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) is to be carried out has a [comprehensive economic development strategy](/usc/42/3122.md?p=3) and the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) is consistent with the strategy.
- (c) **Additional considerations—** In awarding [grants](/usc/42/3122.md?p=8) under [subsection (a)](#a) and subject to the criteria in [subsection (b)](#b), the [Secretary](/usc/42/3122.md?p=13) may also consider the extent to which a [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) would—
  - (1) lead to economic diversification in the area, or a part of the area, in which the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) is or will be located;
  - (2) address and mitigate economic impacts from extreme weather events, including development of resilient infrastructure, products, and processes;
  - (3) benefit highly rural communities without adequate tax revenues to invest in long-term or costly infrastructure;
  - (4) increase access to high-speed broadband;
  - (5) support [outdoor recreation](/usc/42/3122.md?p=10) to spur economic development, with a focus on rural communities;
  - (6) promote job creation or retention relative to the population of the impacted region with outsized significance;
  - (7) promote [travel and tourism](/usc/42/3122.md?p=15); or
  - (8) promote [blue economy](/usc/42/3122.md?p=1) activities.
- (d) **Maximum assistance for each State—** Not more than 15 percent of the amounts made available to carry out this section may be expended in any 1 [State](/usc/42/3122.md?p=14).

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. Probably should be followed by a comma.
[^2]: So in original. The comma probably should not appear.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–136, title II, § 201, as added Pub. L. 105–393, title I, § 102(a), Nov. 13, 1998, 112 Stat. 3601; amended Pub. L. 118–272, div. B, title II, § 2213(a), Jan. 4, 2025, 138 Stat. 3179.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 3141, Pub. L. 89–136, title II, § 201, Aug. 26, 1965, 79 Stat. 554; Pub. L. 91–304, § 1(b), July 6, 1970, 84 Stat. 375; Pub. L. 92–65, title I, § 104, Aug. 5, 1971, 85 Stat. 167; Pub. L. 93–46, § 2, June 18, 1973, 87 Stat. 96; Pub. L. 93–423, § 4(a), Sept. 27, 1974, 88 Stat. 1158; Pub. L. 94–487, title I, § 107(a), (b), Oct. 12, 1976, 90 Stat. 2332; Pub. L. 96–506, § 1(3), Dec. 8, 1980, 94 Stat. 2745; Pub. L. 97–35, title XVIII, § 1821(a)(2), Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 766, authorized public works and development facility loans, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 105–393, § 102(a).

### Amendments

2025—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 118–272, § 2213(a)(1)(A), inserted “or for the improvement of waste management and recycling systems” after “development facility”.

Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 118–272, § 2213(a)(1)(B), inserted “increasing the resilience” after “expansion,”.

Subsec. (b)(1)(A). Pub. L. 118–272, § 2213(a)(2)(A), substituted “successful establishment, expansion, or retention,” for “successful establishment or expansion”.

Subsec. (b)(1)(C). Pub. L. 118–272, § 2213(a)(2)(B), inserted “and underemployed” after “unemployed”.

Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 118–272, § 2213(a)(3), (4), added subsec. (c) and redesignated former subsec. (c) as (d).

### 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.