BLOOMSBURG, Pa.—Pennsylvania's U.S. senators say the federal government has awarded a $15 million grant to Bloomsburg to build a floodwall that will shield two of the central Pennsylvania city's top employers from dangerous flooding.

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., and U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., said the grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration will pay for design and construction of a floodwall around Autoneum (formerly Rieter Automotive North America) and Windsor Foods.

They said both Columbia County manufacturers are frequently flooded when the Susquehanna River and Fishing Creek overflow their banks.

The lawmakers said in a letter supporting the county's application that flooding costs an average of more than $4.5 million in Bloomsburg, disrupting business and education, threatening basic services and endangering residents.