(a) in Alabama, the counties of Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Chilton, Clay, Cleburne, Colbert, Coosa, Cullman, De Kalb, Elmore, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Hale, Jackson, Jefferson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Macon, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan, Pickens, Randolph, St. Clair, Shelby, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa, Walker, and Winston;
(b) in Georgia, the counties of Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Dade, Dawson, Douglas, Elbert, Fannin, Floyd, Forsyth, Franklin, Gilmer, Gordon, Gwinnett, Habersham, Hall, Haralson, Hart, Heard, Jackson, Lumpkin, Madison, Murray, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, Walker, White, and Whitfield;
(c) in Kentucky, the counties of Adair, Bath, Bell, Boyd, Breathitt, Carter, Casey, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Cumberland, Edmonson, Elliott, Estill, Fleming, Floyd, Garrard, Green, Greenup, Harlan, Hart, Jackson, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Laurel, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Lewis, Lincoln, McCreary, Madison, Magoffin, Martin, Menifee, Metcalfe, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Nicholas, Owsley, Perry, Pike, Powell, Pulaski, Robertson, Rockcastle, Rowan, Russell, Wayne, Whitley, and Wolfe;
(d) in Maryland, the counties of Allegany, Garrett, and Washington;
(e) in Mississippi, the counties of Alcorn, Benton, Calhoun, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Clay, Itawamba, Kemper, Lee, Lowndes, Marshall, Monroe, Montgomery, Noxubee, Oktibbeha, Panola, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Tippah, Tishomingo, Union, Webster, Winston, and Yalobusha;
(f) in New York, the counties of Allegany, Broome, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Otsego, Schoharie, Schuyler, Steuben, Tioga, and Tompkins;
(g) in North Carolina, the counties of Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Cherokee, Clay, Davie, Forsyth, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, McDowell, Macon, Madison, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Stokes, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin, and Yancey;
(h) in Ohio, the counties of Adams, Ashtabula, Athens, Belmont, Brown, Carroll, Clermont, Columbiana, Coshocton, Gallia, Guernsey, Harrison, Highland, Hocking, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lawrence, Mahoning, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Pike, Ross, Scioto, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Vinton, and Washington;
(i) in Pennsylvania, the counties of Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Blair, Bradford, Butler, Cambria, Cameron, Carbon, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, Juniata, Lackawanna, Lawrence, Luzerne, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Mifflin, Monroe, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Pike, Potter, Schuylkill, Snyder, Somerset, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Union, Venango, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Westmoreland, and Wyoming;
(j) in South Carolina, the counties of Anderson, Cherokee, Greenville, Oconee, Pickens, Spartanburg, and Union;
(k) in Tennessee, the counties of Anderson, Bledsoe, Blount, Bradley, Campbell, Cannon, Carter, Claiborne, Clay, Cocke, Coffee, Cumberland, De Kalb, Fentress, Franklin, Grainger, Greene, Grundy, Hamblen, Hamilton, Hancock, Hawkins, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Lawrence, Lewis, Loudon, McMinn, Macon, Marion, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Overton, Pickett, Polk, Putnam, Rhea, Roane, Scott, Sequatchie, Sevier, Smith, Sullivan, Unicoi, Union, Van Buren, Warren, Washington, and White;
(l) in Virginia, the counties of Alleghany, Bath, Bland, Botetourt, Buchanan, Carroll, Craig, Dickenson, Floyd, Giles, Grayson, Henry, Highland, Lee, Montgomery, Patrick, Pulaski, Rockbridge, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise, and Wythe; and
(m) all the counties of West Virginia.
Section 3. Establishment
(a) In general.
There shall be created a "Appalachian Region Development Program", hereafter referred to as the ARDP.
(b) Applications.
The ARDP shall determine eligible applicants from businesses, other entities, and individuals who apply by determining which proposals for environmental and economic development plans meet
(a) the requirements of a qualified purpose; and
(b) other such aspects as necessary, including, but not limited to
(i) feasibility;
(ii) cost;
(iii) effectiveness; and
(iv) any past activities by the applicants.
Section 4. Grants
(a) In general.
Eligible applicants shall be eligible to receive grants for a reasonable amount as determined by the ARDP, which shall not be required to be paid back by eligible applicants, except where described in this Act.
(b) Terms.
The ARDP shall establish such reasonable terms and conditions as necessary to ensure participation and proper use of received funds by eligible applicants.
Section 5. Interest free loans
(a) In general.
Eligible applicants shall be eligible to receive interest-free loans for a reasonable amount as determined by the ARDP.
(b) Terms.
The ARDP shall establish such reasonable terms and conditions as necessary to ensure participation, proper use of received funds, and repayment by eligible applicants.
Section 6. Compliance
In the event of any
(1) fraud;
(2) misconduct; or
(3) other misuse of any grant or loan money received as listed in the signed agreements to receive such grant or loan
(a) any such grants or loan money received shall be payed back in full; and
(b) any failure to do so shall result in further civil and criminal penalties.
Section 7. Job training
(a) In general.
The ARDP shall establish a "Appalachian Region Job Training Program", which shall
(a) subsidize, in addition to any other applicable government financial aid programs, the cost of
(i) trade school certificate programs;
(ii) college classes; and
(iii) other employment training programs as determined by the ARDP; and
(b) provide assistance and resources for individuals looking for training for a job.
(b) Requirements.
The ARDP shall determine
(a) the requirements needed to be met by individuals applying for job training aid for approval; and
(b) the amount of aid each individuals shall receive.
Section 8. Appropriations
There is hereby authorized to carry out this Act $[placeholder] for fiscal year 2020, and for each succeeding fiscal year thereafter.
Section 9. Effective date
This Act shall take effect immediately on the date of the enactment of this Act.
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