economic crisis

Funds to Boost Economy, Create Jobs and Protect Public Health

10/20/2009 -- (PHILADELPHIA - October 20, 2009) In a move that stands to create jobs, boost the local economy, and protect human health and the environment for the people in the District of Columbia, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today it has awarded more than $38.9 million to improve aging water infrastructure in the District.

This new infusion of money provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 will help the District Department of the Environment, and DC Water and Sewer Authority finance water projects that are essential to protecting public health and the environment.    » read more »

October 26, 2009 -- NEWARK, DE – Senators Tom Carper and Ted Kaufman (both D-Del.) and Governor Jack Markell, among others, announced today that the State of Delaware has reached the $1 billion mark for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA, a.k.a. ‘stimulus’) funds committed to the State of Delaware. Gov. Markell also announced that nearly 1,000 jobs had been created over the last 8 months thanks to the Recovery Act funding.

“What an exciting announcement,” Sen. Carper said. “When I voted for the bill I hoped it would improve lives, create jobs, and help rebuild our economy. Stimulus funding has done all of those things and made a big difference in Delaware and I am excited about all of the opportunities.”    » read more »

October 27, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Honolulu will receive $5,347,598 to upgrade its electrical grid as part of an effort to reduce outage times, expand the energy efficient skill sets of employees, and retain jobs Senators Daniel K. Inouye and Daniel K. Akaka announced today.

"We've all experienced the chaos created by power outages, both big and small, and these funds will help modernize Oahu's aging electrical grid," said Senator Inouye. "These improvements should move us closer to a time when we aren't sitting in the dark very long when the grid goes down."

"This Recovery Act funding will allow Hawaiian Electric to invest in modern electrical grid improvements that will reduce power outages on Oahu while preserving jobs," said Senator Akaka.    » read more »

State Governments Expected to Credit Recovery Act with Creating, Saving At Least 250,000 Education Jobs Nationwide

October 19, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – The Obama Administration today announced that preliminary indications are that state governments will credit the Recovery Act with creating and saving at least 250,000 education jobs across the country when reports filed on Recovery Act education spending to-date are posted online later this month.

"This is one more indication of how the Recovery Act is helping soften the blow of tough times, by keeping educators on the job and teachers in the classroom," said Vice President Joe Biden.    » read more »

Governor Rendell Announces Application for $5 Million Federal Recovery Act Grant to Train, Place Health Care Workers

Oct. 19, 2009 -- Harrisburg – Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell today said the commonwealth’s application for a $5 million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant will help provide training and placement services for approximately 1,430 Pennsylvanians seeking careers in health care.

“To help ensure that Pennsylvanians have access to the high-quality care they deserve, our workforce must have a greater number of highly skilled health care workers,” Governor Rendell said. “Health care is among our most important industries and it is adding jobs – even during this recession.”    » read more »

ARRA Funds Support Plans To Improve Drinking Water Quality in Evanston, Aurora, and McLean, Kendall, and Sangamon Counties

October 19, 2009 -- Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Director Doug Scott announced grants and loans for environmental projects to improve wastewater quality in Illinois, using funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The Recovery program was authorized earlier this year by the United States Congress and President Barack Obama.    » read more »

Introduces Forty New Hybrid Buses to the Area

October 19, 2009 -- Philadelphia, PA – Today, Congressman Joe Sestak (PA-07) took part in announcing the procurement of 40 new hybrid buses by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA).    » read more »

$400 Million Benefitting County; 55 Officer Positions Among Jobs Created

October 19, 2009 -- LARGO, MD - Senator Barbara Mikulski and Benjamin L. Cardin, and Representatives Steny H. Hoyer, Chris Van Hollen and Donna Edwards held a press conference today in Prince George's County to talk about how the federal Recovery Act is working to create jobs and invest in critical priorities.

Preliminary reporting information shows that, to date, county jurisdictions, businesses and federal facilities have been awarded at least $400 million in Recovery funds, which have gone to projects investing in transportation, clean water, education, workforce development, public safety and housing, among others.    » read more »

Hinchey, USDA Rural Development Announce $371,481 for Ten Local Farms to Install Solar Energy Systems,
Make Renewable Energy Upgrades

October 19, 2009 -- Milton, NY -- Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director Jill Harvey today visited Sunshine Orchards in Milton, New York to announce more than $371,481 in federal loans and grants for ten local farms to install solar energy systems and make other renewable upgrades that will enable them to dramatically cut their energy consumption.    » read more »

October 19, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today announced that a total of $1,128,500 in funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the Recovery Act) will be coming to Iowa to help communities reduce their energy use, cut back on emissions and create jobs.

Specifically, the City of Council Bluffs will receive $571,500 and the City of West Des Moines will receive 557,000 for projects such as residential and commercial building energy efficiency retrofits.    » read more »

October 14, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C.- Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced today that the Bureau of Reclamation has awarded American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding to additional tribes to help improve infrastructure and water supplies while bringing jobs to Indian country.

Today’s announcements apply to five tribes that will receive a total of $47 million-the Three Affiliated Tribes of North Dakota; the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe in South Dakota; and the Navajo Nation in New Mexico. Reclamation previously has awarded $97 million and will award a total of $157 million in recovery funding to tribes for their water systems.    » read more »

Oct. 15, 2009 -- Colorado Governor Bill Ritter Jr. today announced the release of new reports that outline how funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act are being used in every county across Colorado. The 64 reports can be found here and are the first of several new sources of data that will be released in the next few weeks to help Coloradans track Recovery Act dollars.    » read more »

State Report on Recovery Contracting Shows Significant Investment, Job Creation

Washington, Oct 15, 2009 -- Members of Maryland’s Congressional Delegation issued the following statement today after the Obama Administration released preliminary Recovery Act reporting on federal contracting for each state.

The data reports that Maryland contractors have been awarded a total of $590 million and have directly saved or created approximately 965 private sector jobs. Today’s numbers are the first to be issued by the independent Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board, and are a preview of the comprehensive Recovery Act report to be released on October 30th.    » read more »

Oct. 15, 2009 -- CHARLESTON -- West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin, along with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the West Virginia Division of Highways, this week announced the awarding of 26 projects as part of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act totaling approximately $6.3 million.

These grants will provide West Virginia communities with funding assistance for the design and development of non-traditional projects such as improving safety for pedestrians and bicyclists through the construction of sidewalks and trails.

Listed by county, grant recipients for 2009 ARRA funding include:

BERKELEY
$329,000 to the City of Martinsburg for the Martinsburg Town Square Pedestrian Plaza

BROOKE
$200,000 to the City of Wellsburg for the Wellsburg Sidewalks 2009    » read more »

Rhode Island Governor Donald L. Carcieri and the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources (OER) today issued contracts to the state’s seven regional Community Action Program Agencies (CAP agencies) to distribute $12.2 million for the statewide Weatherization Program, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Under the Recovery Act, Rhode Island will received $20 million in weatherization funds.    » read more »