Lexington County Council is being asked on May 12, 2026 to approve acceptance of a South Carolina Department of Commerce LocateSC Fund grant supporting the Palmetto Sites Certification Program for the Southbound Road Greenfield Rail Site. The grant agreement dated April 20, 2026 commits up to 46937.50 for due diligence studies and other items required for Palmetto Sites certification, including environmental, geotechnical, infrastructure analysis, and related site-readiness work. The project must be completed by April 30, 2027, with the County fronting eligible costs and seeking reimbursement after completion. This creates near-term funded demand for consultants and technical vendors who perform environmental assessments, geotech investigations, rail and utility engineering, traffic and infrastructure studies, and site-readiness documentation. Vendors can position themselves to deliver the required studies, help the County meet Commerce standards, and support marketing of a rail-served industrial site once certification is achieved.

LocateSC reimburses up to 50 percent of eligible project costs, so total due-diligence spend will li...