(a) The agency is authorized and empowered to construct and/or operate and maintain any public works project within the region; provided, that no such project shall be constructed without the agency first having obtained the consent of the county or municipality within whose jurisdiction the project is located.

(b) For this purpose, “public works project” includes any one (1) or more or any combination of the following: airports, bridges, tunnels, viaducts, hospitals, sanitaria, dispensaries, nursing homes, almshouses, public buildings, plazas, schools, roads, flood control works, water mains and lines, highways, port and dock facilities, including any terminal storage and transportation facilities incident thereto, industrial parks, which are defined to be lands, and rights, easements and franchises relating thereto, and may include adequate roads and streets, water and sewer facilities, utilities and docks and terminals as required for the use of industry, in aid of the state's public policy of industrial growth and expansion, and all property, real and personal, appurtenant thereto or connected with such work, undertaking or project and the existing work, undertaking or project, if any, to which such work, undertaking or project is an extension, addition, betterment or improvement. But this enumeration does not exclude any other project for the benefit of the people in the region where any state or federal agency will match the funds of the county with grants-in-aid or gratuities to subsidize or assist the development of such project.