Secretary Locke announced three grants to accelerate the manufacturing and deployment of the next generation of U.S. batteries and electric vehicles in America. The grants are part of 48 new advanced battery and electric drive projects President Obama announced that will receive $2.4 billion under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and create tens of thousands of new jobs.
Commerce has launched an interactive map indicating the project locations of communities and recipients funded by the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Five agencies of the Department of Commerce (NTIA, EDA, NIST, NOAA and the U.S. Census Bureau) received a total of $7.9 billion for U.S. job creation and economic growth as part of the historic economic stimulus bill signed by President Obama in February, 2009. The map also includes data from the USDA and HUD Recovery Web sites.
EDA invested $1.6 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds to the Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government in Houma, Louisiana to extend and improve wastewater infrastructure with backup power for continued operation when storms create power outages to the Port of Terrebonne, the Woodlawn Industrial Park, and the Louisiana Petroleum Institute. The area has been repeatedly damaged by the Hurricanes of 2005 and Gustav and Ike in 2008. The improved utility structure will protect industry and shipping.
Commerce Secretary Gary Locke announced today 50 habitat restoration projects that will restore damaged wetlands, shellfish beds, coral reefs and reopen fish passages that boost the health and resiliency of our nation’s coastal and Great Lakes communities. "These Recovery Act projects will put Americans to work while restoring our coasts and combating climate change,” Locke said.
NOAA, working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, has selected Alcan Builders Inc. of Fairbanks, Alaska, to construct a new NOAA satellite operations facility in Fairbanks. The 20,000-square foot facility will replace the existing Command and Data Acquisition Station building, which opened in 1961. The contract is valued at $11.7 million.
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The U.S. Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced today that it is awarding grants totaling more than $55.5 million to four universities to provide cost-shared support for the construction of new scientific research facilities.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke announced significant efforts by the department to support access for minority-owned businesses to Recovery Act opportunities. Locke, along with Commerce senior advisor Rick Wade, held a conference call with reporters to discuss the department’s commitment to improving outreach and education.
Wattsburg, Pa. (July 1)—Commerce Secretary Gary Locke joined Vice President Joe Biden to announce the availability of $4 billion in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act loans and grants to help bring broadband service to unserved and underserved communities across America. This is the first round of Recovery Act funding aimed at expanding broadband access to help bridge the technological divide and create jobs building out Internet infrastructure. Locke and Biden were joined today by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski and Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper. (
