CONCORD - Gov. John Lynch today announced that the state has applied for a federal regional innovation grant to help develop a comprehensive workforce and economic development plan for Coos County.

The grant is part of the State of New Hampshire’s continuing efforts to diversify the North Country economy and assist the 303 workers who will be laid off from the Wausau Paper mill in Groveton at the end of the year.

“The State of New Hampshire is committed to doing all we can to address the changing economic conditions in the North Country. This grant will support our efforts to attract to the North Country new businesses that will employ the skilled, hard-working, dependable workforce in Coos County,” Gov. Lynch said.

The Workforce Opportunity Council submitted an application for the $250,000 Regional Innovation Grant to the U.S. Department of Labor. If approved, grant funds will be used to develop a regional economic development plan for Coos County that addresses the declining paper industry in northern New Hampshire. The grant will provide staffing to support and further the work by state, local and community leaders to develop a county-wide strategy for job recruitment and retention.

Gov. Lynch last week sent a letter to 5,400 North Country businesses as part of the state’s continuing efforts to assist the workers and the town of Groveton. The letter asks the businesses to work with the state’s Rapid Response Team to fill any job openings they may have.

The letter also ask businesses to notify the Rapid Response Team if they need assistance because their companies are suffering as a result of the mill’s impending closure.

The State of New Hampshire was awarded a National Emergency Grant from the U.S. Department of Labor on Friday. The grant makes available $660,000 in federal funds that can be used for assistance including counseling, job search and job training services for the workers at the mill.

The NEG grant is in addition to an application for Trade Act certification, which, if approved, will provide additional training resources to the Groveton workers including career counseling, training, income support during training, job search assistance, access to a health coverage tax credits and relocation allowances.

In addition, the state has opened a Worker Assistance Center at the mill, which is offering counseling, workshops, training classes and job search assistance to workers.

The state Division of Economic Development’s Business Recruitment Team is in the process of implementing a plan to attract a new company to the Wausau site. The division has also been actively engaged in trying to recruit new businesses to the North Country.