The U.S. Department of Commerce has awarded the Virgin Islands government $1.4 million in economic development funds to assist economic recovery in the wake of the closing of the Hovensa refinery, according to the office of Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen.

Christensen said in a statement Wednesday that Gov. John DeJongh Jr.’s administration’s requests for $1 million to the Economic Development Authority has been approved, noting that the funds are geared to assist “small and emerging entrepreneurs in food and agri-business, tourism, e-commerce and information technology.”

The administration has also received “another grant of $440,000 to the Bureau of Economic Research to conduct an assessment of the Virgin Islands economic, social and financial strengths to attract and grow new industries and to become more economically resilient,” she said.

Christensen said that she encouraged the territorial government to take advantage of the open disaster declaration from Hurricane Otto and Tropical Storm Tomas to obtain new monies provided by a special congressional appropriation to address the economic adversity caused by the closing of Hovensa

“The Department of Commerce sent top officials to the territory several times in 2012, the last being at my request at the October Revive St. Croix mini-conference where local officials had the opportunity for face-to-face meetings with Department of Commerce decision makers,” she said, adding that she provided written support for the grant requests.

Christensen congratulated deJongh, his chief economist Wharton Berger, V.I. Economic Development Authority Director Percival Clouden, among others, "for their diligence in pursuing this funding."

“This is an important grant because it looks towards the future development of the territory, particularly St. Croix,” she said.