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More Growth At Zanesville Industrial Park

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The Zanesville-Muskingum County Port Authority is getting a state grant to help with further development of the EastPointe Business Park.

Port Authority Executive Director Mike Jacoby says the $137,000 grant – announced today – is for building a  third rail spur for the Business Park's Rail Transfer Station.

"Rail is becoming more and more important," he says. "Number one because of fuel prices – it's just more cost efficient to move a lot product on rail.  And with some of the things we're seeing in the development of the Utica shale we just think there's gonna be a lot more market demand for rail."

The construction of the rail spur is a result of increased interest in the industrial park and the expansion of Ohio's oil and gas industry.

Jacoby says, "We think it's going to be a competitive advantage for our community for companies that are already here that may want to load or unlad from rail and we also think it could be an asset to bring in additional companies."

The Zanesville-Muskingum County Port Authority project is not the only one getting a State Appalachian Development Program grant.

The Corporation for Ohio Appalachian Development in Athens will receive $15,000 for a leadership development program and the Green Township Fire Department in Ross County will receive $15,000 "to upgrade and improve the fire station annex."