Auto Recovery Blog

July 31, 2012

EPA and DOL Support for Auto Community Redevelopment

Guest blog post by Mathy Stanislaus, Assistant Administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER)

As I meet with mayors and talk with community leaders throughout the country, I witness first-hand the significant challenges communities face as they work to rebuild their economies. Taking action to support economic development and community revitalization while protecting public health and the environment is a long-standing commitment at the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Our assistance and funding to support redevelopment and economic recovery is helping communities, on the ground, to revitalize their neighborhoods.

EPA's Brownfields program provides funding and technical assistance to help communities in assessing, cleaning up, and redeveloping former manufacturing facilities. Brownfields may be contaminated properties, but, once cleaned up; they can be transformed into important community assets. Often, these properties are in key locations with existing infrastructure. With the Brownfields program, we are making investments to help leverage redevelopment at these sites. I believe that removing blight and redeveloping the industrial properties that often sit at the heart of a community's downtown can renew both the spirit and the economy of our cities.

Since the program's inception, EPA's brownfields investments have leveraged more than $18.3 billion in cleanup and redevelopment. Over the years, this relatively small investment of federal funding has leveraged more than 75,000 jobs. This year, our grants were targeted to communities that experienced auto and other major plant closures, and in the last three years alone, EPA's Brownfields Program provided more than $15 million in financial support to auto communities.

The Brownfields Program is about rebuilding communities. Today, EPA is partnering with the White House Council on Auto Communities and Workers and other Federal agencies to identify opportunities to target federal government grant resources specifically to the needs of auto communities.

Under my leadership, EPA is working closely with the Department of Labor (DOL) to help bring necessary coordination and resources to these communities. We are working with our state partners and local officials to identify opportunities for flexibility within EPA's regulatory programs to encourage the revitalization of these former auto plants. We are also working closely with The Manufacturing Alliance for Communities on a series of auto community roundtables that are structured to allow for local officials to identify their resource needs, as well as their visions for the revitalization these sites in their communities. These auto community roundtables bring together economic development leaders, elected officials and investors from the public and private sectors that are committed to redeveloping former auto properties.

Moving forward, DOL and EPA will continue to coordinate with The Manufacturing Alliance for Communities and the Mayors Manufacturing Coalition, the RACER Trust, and charitable and philanthropic organizations such as the Funders Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities, to assess needs and to deliver resources, and to develop a comprehensive toolbox of technical assistance available including the timelines and processes for applying for these competitive resources. By developing this comprehensive tool box we are working to identify potential ways for private foundation money to provide coordinated technical assistance that will leverage available federal and state resources. We also ask that communities continue to identify priority properties and work in partnership with EPA and other federal, state, local, public, private and philanthropic partners to identify their resource needs and garner their community assets.

At EPA, many of our programs and efforts focus on ways to improve the quality of life in local communities. We realize that to move projects forward it takes a variety of resources. In 2012 EPA is looking forward to continuing to make investments in communities through all aspects of our Brownfields program so that this Administration's efforts on behalf of American communities will continue to support redevelopment and economic recovery, and help rebuild and revitalize neighborhoods and communities across the country.

July 27, 2012

EDA Helps Ohio Auto Community Build a New Future

Guest blog post by Matt Erskine, Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development

Economic recovery in the wake of an economic disaster — such as the closing of a large employer — doesn't happen overnight. It requires careful planning, the coordination of human and financial resources, and a willingness to consider alternative directions that will benefit the community in the long run.

This is the story that the city of Moraine, Ohio, can tell. For nearly 90 years, Moraine — located in close proximity to Dayton, Ohio — was the location of a single, prominent manufacturing plant whose successive owners read like an honor roll of 20th century American business: Dayton-Wright Airplane (manufacturer of DeHavilland aircraft), Frigidaire (maker of an iconic line of refrigerators), and, since 1981, General Motors (GM).

When GM announced plans in June 2008 to close this plant, the development came as a blow to the local economy. Just think about the impact to suppliers and the distributors that get their business from them. According to a report published by the International Economic Development Council, the Moraine region, with more than 90 GM suppliers in 14 surrounding communities, lost more than 800 jobs at larger suppliers in addition to the 4,200 jobs that were lost when GM shut down.

Within weeks of GM's announcement, staff from the Chicago regional office of the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA) began working with state and local officials in Ohio to develop a strategy to deal with the effects of the Moraine plant closure. As a first step, an EDA investment helped the city develop a bottom-up Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) to guide the region's recovery efforts

The CEDS report provided Moraine with a comprehensive look at what the city should do to improve its economic prospects. It identified five key economic development goals for the city, providing detailed implementation strategies for each one. It also inventoried Moraine's strengths — including its physical plant, human capital, and government and regulatory structures — and recommended how the city could build on these to attract such growing industries as renewable energy, aerospace, advanced materials and manufacturing, health services and technology, logistics and distribution, and business and professional services.

EDA assistance didn't stop with the CEDS report. EDA's staff has continued to provide technical assistance and is working with Moraine officials on the redevelopment of the former GM site. Additionally, an EDA-funded revolving loan fund is providing capital to new and existing businesses in the Dayton, Ohio, region. Coupled with the long-range planning strategy for Moraine, these are initiatives that will help spur job creation and assure the future economic health of this once auto-dependent community.

Moraine's is part of a larger national story. America's big three automakers are turning profits and opening new factories because of swift action taken by President Obama. Today, workers aren't just building cars — they are building better, more fuel-efficient automobiles that help Americans save money at the pump every time they fill up.

The resurgence of the American auto industry is a key to the nation's long-term economic recovery. There have been many successes: new jobs are being created in the sector, auto companies are now turning a profit, and communities across the country, like Moraine, have been revitalized by a strengthened auto industry.

Aerial view of Moraine, Ohio. The city received help from the Economic Development Administration when a large General Motors facility in the city was shut down in 2008.

July 19, 2012

The Continued and Steady Labor Market Recovery

By Adriana Kugler, Chief Economist at the U.S. Department of Labor

The U.S. economy is working its way back from the Great Recession. One indication has been that unemployment insurance claims have steadily fallen since September and they are now at the same level as in March of 2008. Additionally, layoffs are at the same level as in 2006. We also recently learned that the ratio of job seekers to job openings fell to 3.5 in May, continuing its downward trend and reaching nearly the same level as in November 2008. This recovery, like all recoveries, has seen its ebbs and flows, but the trajectory continues to demonstrate a steady path of growth and resilience.

For example, this economic recovery far surpasses the recovery of the early 2000s in terms of private sector job growth and is at par with the recovery of the early 90s. We have seen 4.4 million private sector jobs added to the economy in the last 28 months, with an average of 159,000 jobs added a month since the start of the year.

With the exception of government, information and construction, all other sectors of the economy have experienced job growth, including large job gains in the professional and business, education and health, leisure and hospitality, retail, mining, and manufacturing industries.

The manufacturing sector has been an important contributor of jobs. Since January 2010, manufacturing has added more than 500,000 new jobs – the greatest 29 month job growth streak since 1995. In the past year alone, 224,000 jobs were added. Why is this great news? The American manufacturing industry is critical to the health of the national economy. It accounts for 70% of private sector research and development, 60% of U.S. exports and it provides essential goods and equipment directly to consumers as well as to a range of other industries.

The auto industry has also seen a complete turnaround during this recovery. President Obama's bold plan to save the American auto industry has been a key to its revival. Auto sales are up 22% from this point last year, and they are on track to surpass $14.1 million for the first time since 2007. In the first six months of the year, nearly 7.3 million vehicles were sold in the U.S., representing a 14.8% increase over the first half of 2011. The automobile sector has also experienced the largest job gains in a 3-year period since 1997. When the President took office, the U.S. auto industry was collapsing with more than 910,000 jobs lost between February 2000 and June 2009. Since June 2009, the industry has added more than 239,000 jobs, proving the Administration's investments were a tremendous success.

Now, the President is working to maintain the momentum in manufacturing. He has urged Congress to increase tax deductions for manufacturers who create jobs in the U.S. and eliminate deductions for those who ship jobs oversees. The return of manufacturing to the U.S. from China would allow manufacturing to continue to thrive. And according to recent studies, China will no longer be the default low-cost manufacturing location as changes in their labor costs reduce their cost advantage over the U.S. in some products.

We've seen first-hand the resilience of the American economy and the American worker. The economy is coming back from its deepest downturn since the Great Depression, and while we have certainly made strides, there is still work left to be done. It is important to realize, however, that despite serious headwinds and global uncertainty, the U.S. economy continues to point towards reasons for optimism.

July 6, 2012

The Road to Revitalizing Anderson, Indiana's Auto Sector

-By Thomas Guevara, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development and a native of Indiana

As auto communities across the country work to strengthen and redefine their economies, the Obama administration is making good on the President's commitment to invest in American innovation and advanced manufacturing to spur growth.

In my home state of Indiana, the city of Anderson, located about 25 miles northeast of Indianapolis, was once home to one of the greatest concentrations (after Flint, Michigan) of General Motors facilities in the United States. Today, not a single one of those plants is in operation.

While this is a significant challenge, there is also opportunity. That was the focus of the Auto Community Revitalization Roundtable at the Flagship Enterprise Center that I recently attended in Anderson: to hear from communities affected by the loss of manufacturing jobs, offer practical tools, share available resources, and explore solutions for auto communities in Indiana that are on the road to revitalization. The forum was organized by the Manufacturing Alliance of Communities, the Obama Administration's Office of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers, and the RACER Trust, which was established to clean up and redevelop closed General Motors sites.

The road to revitalization requires a change of mindset. Rather than think of the abandoned facilities and their accompanying infrastructure as a disadvantage, cities such as Anderson are finding ways to repurpose these assets for future economic growth. The built industrial environment—including manufacturing plants, warehouses, road and rail links, etc.—can be refashioned and reused to suit the needs of newer, growing industries to replace the industries that departed. These industries are not the traditional manufacturers that employed our parents, but rather are modern advanced manufacturing sites that are leading the way in global competitiveness and attracting foreign direct investment.

And the federal government is a strong partner in this important effort. After significant investment by President Obama to help restructure this sector, the economies of auto communities are showing signs of recovery. Across the administration, federal agencies are working with impacted regions to accelerate growth. At the U.S. Commerce Department, the Economic Development Administration (EDA) invested $2.7 million in the Flagship Enterprise Center in Anderson three years ago to build a business accelerator to attract businesses, help emerging companies become viable, and create new jobs. It is a public-private partnership project that includes on-site support from Anderson University and Purdue University to accelerate the commercialization of innovative technology to create the jobs of tomorrow. In 2010, under its Community Trade Adjustment Assistance program, EDA awarded $1.5 million to the City of Anderson for infrastructure improvements in order to redevelop the former General Motors site. This project is expected to create 250 new jobs.

Beyond Indiana, in Ypsilanti, Michigan, last month, EDA's Performance and National Programs Director Bryan Borlik joined Executive Director of the Office of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers Jay Williams to discuss how the private and public sectors can collaborate to boost economic development during a panel discussion organized by the RACER Trust at the Willow Run manufacturing plant formerly owned by General Motors.

And recently, EDA awarded funds to the University of Michigan to begin a pilot project that will use the power of the Internet to identify and market and match manufacturing sites across Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio, where excess capacity can be repurposed for companies looking to expand or invest in the United States.

The American auto industry has a way yet to go, but the progress that has been made over the last three years is a bright spot on the road to recovery and will help create an economy built to last.

June 22, 2012

The RACER Open House: The Role of RACER in the Recovery of Auto Communities

- Jay Williams

On Wednesday, June 20th, I had the pleasuring of giving the key note address at the RACER Trust's Open House in Ypsilanti, Michigan. For those who are unfamiliar, the RACER Trust was set up to assist communities in finding new purposes for certain former General Motors properties. This places RACER at a critical nexus between marketing firm and community liaison. Consequently, they play a critical role in helping communities recover.

This particular event was designed to showcase RACER sites from Michigan to New York and elsewhere throughout the country. Accordingly, the crowd was a mix of local leaders, state and federal officials, philanthropic groups and private stakeholders. Each RACER site was on display so that interested parties could see the opportunities, while RACER Trust staff was on hand to answer any questions. If nothing else, this open house provided a great opportunity for interested folks to network.

My remarks centered on a few main points: the importance of the RACER Trust in automotive communities (and consequently their role in accelerating recovery), the emerging bright prospects of insourcing and the need for bridging the skills gap through additional workforce training. The final point is extremely important, as recovery cannot occur until the skill set of the workforce is better aligned with the skills and experience needed by employers.

President Obama's decision to assist GM and Chrysler, along with his policies put in place to foster innovations in advance manufacturing, green technology, and other emerging industries, have successfully resulted in job growth. Since June 2009, the American automotive industry has added more than 200,000 jobs. Over the past 27 months, the American economy has added an impressive 4.3 million jobs. But many of these jobs look different than previous generations. The United States job market has undergone a shift that demands different skill sets than were required for the jobs lost over the past 25-30 years. It's not as simple as “jobs come back and we're ready to go.” If the U.S., and especially automotive and other traditional manufacturing communities, hope to attract new jobs, workers must be prepared with the skills currently in demand.

At the end of the day, the RACER Trust offered tours of the historic Willow Run complex in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Built on Henry Ford's farmland, the facility is a true marvel of the herculean American effort during World War II, originally producing military aircraft. After a short-lived role as production site of Kaiser and Frazer automobiles, Willow Run was leased, then purchased by General Motors, for whom it served a number of purposes. Today the site sits largely vacant, yet another benefit of the open house was to put this historic example of American ingenuity and productivity on display. With a strong partnership among the many stakeholders in attendance, there's strong reason to hope that history will repeat itself, and Willow Run will once again assume its rightful place in strengthening the region's economy.

June 22, 2012

Economic Recovery in Fremont, California's Auto Community

By Matt Erskine, Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development

We all know the situation a few years ago when President Obama took office: the American auto industry was shedding jobs by the hundreds of thousands and General Motors and Chrysler were in financial crisis. In the year before GM and Chrysler filed for bankruptcy, the auto industry lost more than 400,000 jobs. Had President Obama failed to act, conservative estimates suggest that it would have cost at least an additional million jobs and devastated vast parts of our nation's industrial heartland. But that did not happen because the President quickly intervened to save the U.S. auto industry from collapse. Today, GM, Ford and Chrysler have all returned to profitability.

President Obama's decision to respond so boldly was about more than the auto companies. It was about standing behind the countless workers, communities, and businesses — large and small — that depend on the automotive industry. It was also about revitalizing American manufacturing.

Across the administration, federal agencies have outlined an agenda to support growth, job creation, and competitiveness in U.S. manufacturing. The U.S. Commerce Department's Economic Development Administration (EDA) has a strong track record of working with automotive communities to develop plans for economic recovery. The agency's efforts to help revitalize the nation's auto industry have been significant in Fremont, California, where a large auto assembly facility operated by the New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc. (NUMMI) was shut down in early 2010. The plant had employed nearly 5,000 workers, with thousands more dependent on it. The blow to the local economy was severe.

Despite the eventual purchase of a portion of the plant by Tesla Motors in late 2010, officials in Fremont were acutely aware that they had an obligation to prepare their city for an economically more diverse and sustainable future. So in 2010 the city applied for and received a $333,000 grant from EDA to develop a recovery planfor both the NUMMI site and an area surrounding a future BART station.

The Fremont recovery strategy, which was completed in February 2012,focuses on the reuse and revitalization of the 850-acre industrial site, including the 212-acre Tesla plant. It outlines several comprehensive options that Fremont can implement over the coming years to realize a new vision for the area that builds on the city's strengths — such as its excellent rail and highway connections, and its long-standing role as a Bay Area leader in high-technology advanced manufacturing — while leveraging the opportunity to connect itself with the East Bay's outstanding labor force, using the new Warm Springs BART station that is scheduled to open in 2015.

By offering a guide to future land use, public investment, and economic development actions — especially the creation of new jobs — Fremont's recovery blueprint provides an overarching, long-term vision for the region that will ultimately help it to have a diverse, growing, and job-producing economy that is not dependent on a single industry or employer.

Economic development without planning can be a recipe for failure. That is why studies such as this one are a key element of EDA's programs. And for the formerly auto-dependent community of Fremont, the recovery strategy will help guide its growth in ways that will help assure prosperity for years to come.

Our work at EDA is greatly enhanced by the efforts of the Office of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers, which coordinates the Obama administration's strategy to assist automotive communities affected by the downturn in the automotive industry. We will continue to work together to strengthen the economic ecosystems of auto communities, such as Fremont, in order to create an economy built to last.

June 19, 2012

Dear Friends,

I want to let you know about an announcement which will provide assistance to dislocated auto workers in California.

Today the U.S. Department of Labor announced a $5,990,725 National Emergency Grant supplemental award to continue re-employment services for more than 4,800 workers directly affected by the closure of New United Motors Manufacturing Inc. in Fremont, California, and 39 suppliers affected by the closure of NUMMI's plant.

"In today's competitive economy, it is crucial for displaced workers to obtain in-demand job skills," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "The additional federal funding announced today ensures that workers impacted by the NUMMI closure will have access to job training and placement services to help qualify them for and connect them with jobs in growing local industries."

The grant, awarded to the California Employment Development Department, will provide training and support services to help these workers prepare for and obtain new jobs in their state. Some will receive assistance under the grant in conjunction with other services provided in the form of Trade Adjustment Assistance benefits. An initial grant award of up to $19,042,012 to assist this group of workers was approved by the Labor Department, with $11,082,639 released, in June 2010. A second increment of $7,959,373, the balance of the original award, was released a year later. Today supplemental grant brings total funding to date to $25,032,737.

National Emergency Grants are part of the secretary of labor's discretionary fund and are awarded based on a state's ability to meet specific guidelines. For more information, visit http://www.doleta.gov/NEG/.

Sincerely,

Lauren Leonard, Office of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers

June 19, 2012

Dear Friends,

I want to let you know about an announcement which will provide assistance to dislocated manufacturing workers in Tennessee.

Today the U.S. Department of Labor announced a $2,118,609 National Emergency Grant increment to provide employment-related services to more than 960 workers impacted by the closure of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. facility located in Union City, Tenn.

"When a large employer closes its doors, it impacts not just employees but the entire community," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "The additional federal funds announced today will help Union City continue to recover from the closure of the Goodyear facility by providing job training and placement services so these dislocated workers can obtain new jobs in growing local industries."

On Nov. 7, 2011, the Labor Department awarded a grant to the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development for up to $3,448,259, with $1,329,650 released initially, to serve approximately 850 workers. The increment announced today completes the total amount of funding and serves additional workers.

Sincerely,

Lauren Leonard, Office of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers

June 14, 2012

Dear Friends,

I would like to take this opportunity to share some news with you.

Today, during the Annual meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Acting Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research, Erika Poethig, and Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development, Matt Erskine, announced that the Strong Cities, Strong Communities Initiative (SC2) will be allocating $11 million in grants to assist economically challenged municipalities in creating long term economic development plans, as well as fund the establishment of the SC2 National Resource Network (the SC2 Network); which will provide a single portal for short term technical assistance on a variety of operational and programmatic issues.

In March, President Obama announced the creation of the White House Council on SC2, which is all about furthering the SC2 initiative's charge to develop creative ways to improve the way the Federal government engages locally and we are seeing results being delivered. These new features of SC2 provide local governments with flexible tools and resources to build upon their foundation for a brighter economic future.

The U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) will launch a groundbreaking $6 million SC2 Challenge to help economically challenged cities leverage innovative strategies to spur local economic and job growth. This economic development challenge, the first of its kind sponsored by a federal agency, will start with the competitive selection of six cities, one in each of EDA's regions. These winning cities will then conduct a challenge in which teams will compete to provide the city with a comprehensive innovative economic development plan. The cities will each receive investments of up to $1 million to award as prizes to the winning teams.

In addition, HUD is releasing an advance notice of funding availability (NOFA) for public input from stakeholders and municipalities on the SC2 National Resource Network (SC2 Network), which will aggregate public and private resources to provide a broader set of cities, towns and regions access to a single portal for national experts and federal resources. These experts will provide holistic policy and implementation support, particularly on fundamental issues like operational efficiency, a key element to helping communities achieve their visions for economic development and job creation. The Network will work with each government to document their needs and deliver timely assistance to qualifying communities. HUD will use the input to finalize the components included in the final NOFA, which will allocate $5 million to an intermediary organization that will be responsible for administering the services of the SC2 Network.

HUD and EDA's goal is to maximize the impact that SC2 can have in economically distressed communities, and are achieving that through the leveraging of our investments in SC2. The six economic development plans that will emerge from the EDA's challenge will create a long term vision of economic prosperity in these places, and the SC2 National Resource Network will be able to not only help cities achieve these visions, but also provide tailored assistance to other cities on demand.

About the EDA's SC2 Visioning Challenge

Winning cities will receive technical support and technology to conduct their own two-phase competitions, to identify and fund economic development plans that meet their specific needs. In the first phase, selected cities will encourage teams of experts in such fields as transportation planning, economic and community development, business incubation, engineering, and others to submit economic development proposals for their city and/or region. In the second phase the finalists from the first round will compete by developing comprehensive strategic economic development plans. The cities — using an expert panel of local and federal officials, academics and policymakers, private-sector and non-profit stakeholders, and community representatives — will award the financial prize to the team with the strongest plan.

The application deadline is July 23. Information about the competition is available at: www.eda.gov/SC2Challenge.

About HUD's SC2 Network Advance NOFA

As part of HUD's commitment to obtaining and implementing feedback from SC2 stakeholders, HUD has published the advanced NOFA for the National Resource Network and requesting public feedback and input. The Advance Notice can be viewed via the Federal Register and comments submitted until July 14, 2012. The final NOFA will be published in Fall 2012.

Sincerely,

Lauren Leonard, Office of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers

June 12, 2012

Dear friends,

I want to let you know about an exciting opportunity in which you might be interested.

Today, the Obama Administration announced the third round of the i6 Challenge to promote American innovation, foster entrepreneurship, and increase the commercialization of ideas into viable companies. The $6 million competition seeks to develop Proof of Concept Centers and create a network of experts to support innovators and researchers; spur sustainable startups, small businesses, and new ventures; expand access to capital to fuel growth; connect mentors and education to entrepreneurs; and spark job creation.

Six winning teams will be awarded up to $1 million each for innovative proposals to create and expand Proof of Concept Centers, such as the Deshpande Center for Technological Innovation at the Massachusetts Institute for Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The application deadline is July 20, 2012.

The competition is being led by the U.S. Commerce Department Economic Development Administration's Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship in partnership with Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Learn more about the opportunity

Best wishes,

Lauren Leonard, Office of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers

May 29, 2012

Obama Administration Launches $26 Million Multi-Agency Competition to Strengthen Advanced Manufacturing Clusters Across the Nation

Fourteen Federal Agencies Collaborate to Enhance Global Competitiveness of U.S. Manufacturers and Create Jobs

WASHINGTON — The Obama Administration today announced a $26 million multi-agency Advanced Manufacturing Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge to foster innovation-fueled job creation through public-private partnerships. These coordinated investments will help catalyze and leverage private capital, build an entrepreneurial ecosystem, and promote cluster-based development in regions across the United States. This is the third round of the Jobs Accelerator competition, which is being funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA) and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST); the U.S. Department of Energy; the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration; the Small Business Administration; and the National Science Foundation (NSF).

"This $26 million Accelerator Challenge is yet another example of the Obama Administration's commitment to supporting American manufacturers in building things here and selling them everywhere," said U.S. Commerce Secretary John Bryson. "We are so pleased to join with our federal agency partners to further strengthen the American manufacturing sector, which creates high quality, good paying jobs. Commerce's Economic Development Administration has a strong record of investing in regional innovation clusters that foster the job creation and business development crucial to an economy that is built to last. This Challenge further bolsters our efforts and builds on the momentum we have seen in the manufacturing sector in recent months, including the 489,000 U.S. manufacturing jobs that have been added since January 2010."

Advanced manufacturing is critical to the health of the national economy and provides essential goods and equipment directly to consumers as well as to a wide range of industries, including the energy production, agriculture, medical and computing industries, and the security and intelligence sectors.

"The Accelerator Challenge is one way the federal government is helping to support the manufacturing industry, a vital source of middle-class jobs," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "The innovative products developed as a result of this federal grant program will help our economy maintain its global competitive advantage, while also creating jobs at home."

Manufacturing accounts for 70 percent of private-sector R&D and 60 percent of U.S. exports–including a record $1.2 trillion in goods exported in 2011. Over the past 25 months, manufacturers have created nearly half a million jobs–the best streak since 1995. The Jobs Accelerator Challenge is designed to assist the development and implementation of regionally-driven economic development strategies that will support advanced manufacturing and cluster development. The goal is to create jobs, grow the economy, and enhance the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturers in the global marketplace.

"'Made in America' is making a comeback," said SBA Administrator Karen Mills. "The Advanced Manufacturing Jobs Accelerator is an opportunity to build on the momentum we're seeing in U.S. manufacturing and to support small businesses and local economies through regional innovation clusters. By working with other federal agencies, we can link, leverage, and align our resources to give small businesses the tools they need to work together, grow and create jobs in the manufacturing sector."

Approximately 12 projects are expected to be chosen through a competitive inter-agency grant process. Applicants are encouraged to submit proposals that will help grow a region's industry clusters by strengthening connections to regional economic development opportunities and advanced manufacturing assets; enhance a region's capacity to create high-quality sustainable jobs; develop a skilled and diverse advanced manufacturing workforce; increase exports; encourage the development of small businesses; and accelerate technological innovation.

"Through this partnership, the National Science Foundation will connect innovations from NSF-supported advanced manufacturing research with stakeholders who can accelerate technology commercialization and economic growth," said Thomas Peterson, NSF Assistant Director for Engineering. "NSF is making available up to $1 million for existing NSF Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II grantees that are part of winning projects.

The deadline for applications is July 9, 2012, and guidelines for submissions are accessible here. In addition to the six funding partners, the initiative is supported by eight other Federal agencies: U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Education, Housing and Urban Development; Environmental Protection Agency; Denali Commission; and the U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration (ITA), Minority Business Development Administration (MBDA), and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

"As President Obama made clear, an American economy built to last will depend on American manufacturing, American energy and skills for American workers," said U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu. "This is why the Energy Department invests in innovative, public-private initiatives like the Advanced Manufacturing Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge that support American leadership and competitiveness in manufacturing."

As part of President Obama's commitment to putting more people back to work and creating an economy built to last, the Administration has invested over $200 million promoting regional innovation clusters. The Administration also created an interagency task force, known as the Taskforce for the Advancement of Regional Innovation Clusters (TARIC), to develop and administer interagency grant competitions. More than a dozen federal agencies have participated in TARIC-led grant competitions by providing grant funding or other forms of support to the winners of the Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenges.

January 31, 2012

Dear Friends,

As you know, President Obama gave his annual State of the Union address, which outlined his blueprint for an economy built to last. The State of the Union happened to coincide with a very busy week for the Office of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers, and it struck me what an important role the activities communities are engaged in right on the ground will play in that economy built to last. I'd like to share with you a bit of what I was able to see last week.

I started off the week in Sandusky, Ohio, where I was able to receive a briefing on the importance of coastal tourism along Lake Erie to Ohio's economy, as well as tour the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center, home to the largest indoor water park in North America. While there, I got to see first hand the benefit tourism is in the region as a mechanism of boosting the economy, creating jobs, and also providing a fun place for families to enjoy, whether from Ohio, other states, or from our international community.

That same day, I traveled to Toledo, Ohio, where I was delighted to participate in a roundtable discussion with Toledo-area suppliers and The Source, a local organization providing services such as training to the Lucas County workforce. During this roundtable discussion, suppliers provided information on both soft and hard skills that will be needed for workers hoping to fill additional jobs which will be created in order for Toledo-area suppliers to meet the demands caused by increased production at GM and Chrysler plants in Toledo. This conversation will better help The Source to know what skills they will need to provide their trainees with in order for them to move into these exciting new jobs.

On Tuesday, I traveled to Lansing, Michigan where I delivered remarks at the Michigan Works! Alumni Celebration, where I had the opportunity to highlight Labor Secretary Hilda Solis' commitment to good jobs for everyone, a commitment she shares with President Obama and me.

Wednesday, I was off to Youngstown, Ohio where I participated in a roundtable discussion with the Mahoning Valley Manufacturers Coalition. This event was hosted by the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce and focused on the challenges manufacturers in the region are having finding employees with skills to fill jobs that are available due to increased demand. We also discussed the prospects of public/private partnership models with the federal government, local community college, and the manufacturers to develop and implement a program to address this issue. This meeting was an example of what we have seen time and time again --- that our communities are best able to succeed when all stakeholders from the local, state, and federal level work together.

Then I was off to Kansas City, Missouri on Thursday, where I attended and spoke at a Jobs Club event organized by the Department of Labor's Center for Faith-Based and Community Partnerships. This event focused on the important work taking place in our communities at jobs clubs to help workers network, gain much-needed skills, and connect to work opportunities in their communities.

Thursday afternoon, I had the honor of hosting a roundtable discussion with African American leaders in the Greater Kansas City area, where we discussed the opportunities and challenges facing these leaders in their efforts to enhance economic development, career training, and entrepreneurship.

I ended my week on Saturday in Pontiac, Michigan to join in the city in its sesquicentennial celebration. The City of Pontiac is undertaking the herculean effort of transforming the community once again into an economically competitive landscape. I couldn't have been more impressed with the level of energy and civic engagement that was present at the event.

At each and every event, I saw first-hand the importance of the President's blueprint for an economy built to last – an economy built on American manufacturing, American energy, skills for American workers, and a renewal of American values. President Obama's message and vision for this great country resonated with in each community and with every citizen I had the privilege and opportunity to engage during this past week's travels.

Sincerely,

Jay Williams, Executive Director
Office of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers

January 12, 2012

Moving Forward: The Future of America's Auto Communities

Some of you may know that I spent most of this week in Michigan. Last night as we flew back to D.C., I had the opportunity to speak with a member of my staff about all the innovation we saw, all of the conversations we were a part of, and all of the energy we felt over the last few days. But those blessed with the opportunity to serve within government shouldn't be the only ones who get to share in these conversations. So I wanted to share this quick recap of the trip with everyone.

My trip kicked off on Monday at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit with a tour alongside Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. I wasn't at the show back in 2010, but I kept hearing that the climate then was a little subdued. This year, there was a renewed energy and buzz, both for the show and the industry. As we visited the exhibits, the crowds were celebrating the resurgence of the American auto industry.

That afternoon, I drove up to meet with local officials in Pontiac, Michigan and learn about some of the issues they are facing. Like other communities across the Midwest, Pontiac has seen auto manufacturing jobs decline dramatically. Due to a number of plant closures over the years, the city now hosts fewer than 3,000 automotive workers — down from about 40,000. However, the city remains hopeful and optimistic. Community leaders are working together to define what kind of community Pontiac will become in the future and they are looking into every available measure and resource to survive.

In Pontiac, I also met with a local businessman who is redeveloping former auto sites into new economic drivers for the community. We visited a 420,000 square foot office building shuttered by GM which is now home to one of the most compelling movie studios in the country — Raleigh Michigan Studios. This facility is creating new jobs in a new industry that the region can build on moving forward. In fact, the feature film “Oz the Great and Powerful" just wrapped filming.

Tuesday, it was back to the auto show with Energy Secretary Steven Chu for a tour and meetings with key industry leaders and stakeholders, including the chief technology officers and vice presidents from several automakers.

On Wednesday, I had the opportunity to speak with the Suppliers Partnership for the Environment, an organization dedicated to supporting the continued growth of America's network of auto suppliers — the companies of all sizes that together make up the fabric of auto communities across the country. I also met with the Automotive Communities Partnership, a unique program that brings together community leaders, industry leaders, and other stakeholders with the goal of sustaining and growing the region's automotive endowment. My message to both: this office and this administration remain committed to seeing the American automotive industry return, and bring with it good manufacturing jobs across the country.

Throughout the trip I was able to see the strides our automotive industries and communities continue to take. To be sure, the automotive industry has experienced some good news recently — adding 11,000 jobs last month and more than 100,000 total in 2011. Since June 2009, the automotive industry has added back more than 170,000 jobs, the best period of job growth in more than a decade.

This is welcomed growth and shouldn't come as any surprise to those who were able to see innovation center stage at the Auto Show. American cars are not only utilizing more advanced, greener technologies, but they are also rolling works of art. This was clear at the Detroit Auto Show with products like the 2013 Ford Fusion — a mid-size sedan that offers better gas mileage than sub-compact cars of just a few years ago and a car that contains more consumer technology than many American households.

It is important to our economy that the auto industry continues to make progress, but it is important to our country that auto communities continue to do the same. Cities like Pontiac are bringing the important local, state and federal stakeholders together to discuss how best to meet the difficult challenges ahead. These conversations are not easy, and solutions will not happen overnight, but by coming together and working toward a vision for the future, these communities will succeed because the end product will be created by continued effort and input by the folks on the ground.

The federal government cannot and should not dictate what is best for a place like Pontiac, but as our communities continue to move forward, our dedicated federal partners like Secretary LaHood, Secretary Chu, our very own Secretary Hilda Solis, and the rest of the administration continue to believe that encouraging innovation in the auto industry and supporting the revitalization of auto communities are crucial to re-building America's middle class. That's a conversation I always like having.

Jay Williams is Director of the Office of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers.

January 10, 2012

Resurgence of the American Auto Industry

Yesterday, the North American International Auto Show kicked off in Detroit, with companies unveiling their new vehicles and folks eager to get their first peek. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood was on hand for the opening events, and Commerce Secretary John Bryson, Energy Secretary Steven Chu, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, and the Labor Department's Director Office of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers Jay Williams are all taking part in auto show activities this week.

The auto industry had a strong year in 2011. It's easy to forget, but just a few years ago many people doubted whether there would even be an American auto industry in 2011.

When President Obama took office, we faced the worst recession since the Great Depression, and the American auto industry was hit hard. Hundreds of thousands of jobs were lost in the auto industry, and entire communities that depended on a dealership or a parts manufacturer were affected.

Both GM and Chrysler faced the stark choice of seeking government support or facing almost certain uncontrolled liquidations, which would have had a ripple effect across the industry, causing at least one million more jobs to be lost. The President refused to let that happen.

In the face of stiff opposition, the President made a tough choice to help provide the auto industry the temporary support it needed to rebuild their companies and get moving again. This was a difficult decision, and came with significant risk. But the President was not willing to walk away from these workers and this great American industry.

Today, the American auto industry is coming back, creating jobs and moving cars off the line. Last month, the automotive industry added nearly 11,000 positions, bringing the total number of jobs added in the fourth quarter of 2011 to 36,000. The industry added 100,000 jobs over the course of 2011.

Since Chrysler and GM emerged from bankruptcy in June of 2009, the auto industry has added back more than 170,000 jobs, the best period of job growth in more than a decade. While there's more work to be done, it's clear the auto industry is moving in the right direction.

In December, we saw auto sales climb for the seventh consecutive month. The Big Three — Ford, GM and Chrysler — all saw sale increases for December, and the year as a whole.

In addition, because of the President's leadership, we have put in place historic higher fuel economy standards, which will save Americans $1.7 trillion in fuel costs and reduce oil consumption by 12 billion barrels. That means families will begin saving money at the pump this year.

But there's a lot more work to do to get the American people back to work. The President will continue to fight to restore the economic security for the communities that were hit just a few years back, to strengthen the middle class and rebuild an economy where hard work pays off and responsibility is rewarded.

Folks in Detroit and in auto communities across the country know what it takes to get the job done. They know a little something about hard work. They know what it takes to fight to rebuild their community and we'll continue to stand right by their side every step of the way.

— Amy Brundage

November 3, 2011

Center for American Progress Report Cites Obama Administration's Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge as Compelling Answer to Jobs Issue

Analyzing return on investment, the Center for American Progress (CAP) has just released an issue brief about the Obama Administration's $37 million Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge which notes that the competition "is providing a compelling answer to the issue of unemployment."

According to the Center for American Progress, "With unemployment stubbornly stuck at around 9 percent, and with the global economic picture threatening more difficult times ahead, the biggest question is what we can do in the public and private sectors to spur job creation. The Economic Development Administration's Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge is one federal program providing its own compelling answer. This new program is a great example of doing what works—leveraging existing resources to do more with less. The program brings together three previously unrelated programs in separate agencies to make available approximately $37 million in joint grants for coordinated economic development, small business, and workforce-training investments in 20 regions around the country."

CAP also notes, "This approach offers a uniquely American way to develop bottom-up economic growth strategies that are in sync with the business and economic realities in local communities nationwide." The competition to support the development of 20 high-growth industry regional innovation clusters leverages funding from three federal agencies and technical assistance from 13 additional agencies to support the development of 20 high-growth industry clusters across the country. Funding for workforce training and technical assistance is provided by the Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration, the Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration, and the Small Business Administration.

Download this issue brief

October 13, 2011

U.S. EDA Announces Registry to Connect Industry Clusters Across the Country

New tool by Harvard Business School will chart economic regions, facilitate collaboration, help create jobs and encourage business expansion

EDA, along with the Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness at Harvard Business School, today announced the launch of the beta version of the U.S. Cluster Mapping Web site, a new tool that can assist innovators and small business in creating jobs and spurring regional economic growth.

The site, accessible at www.clustermapping.us, provides cluster initiatives and other economic development organizations an opportunity to register in a national database. The registry allows initiatives to showcase their activities and events to a wider public, search for appropriate partners across the nation, and learn from best practice examples of their peers. The site also provides free access to a rich database on the profile and performance of clusters and regional economies.

"The registry is just the first phase of this groundbreaking project to produce an interactive and dynamic geographic map that captures regional clusters and cluster-based initiatives across the nation," said U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development John Fernandez. "Once it is complete, this tool will identify and connect the clusters that are driving 21st century job growth and enhance the capacity of policymakers, practitioners and industry leaders to promote economic growth."

Over time, the site will add a range of further functionalities, including geographic maps of cluster initiatives, data on regional business environments, and tools and case studies on the use of cluster data and concepts in economic development practice. It will provide users with multiple opportunities to upload their own data and conduct analysis based on their particular needs. The cluster registry will evolve towards a tiered-structure, with specific criteria on data availability, underlying cluster strength, and other performance indicators differentiating between the tiers. This will provide effective information for firms and cluster organizations looking for qualified partners and help federal, state, and local government agencies in their work to support cluster organizations.

Prof. Michael E. Porter, the Bishop William Lawrence University Professor at Harvard University and Director of the Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness, commented, "The U.S. cluster mapping site aims to strengthen U.S. competitiveness by informing regional leaders and stimulating innovation. It will help clusters and regions to understand their economic composition, benchmark their performance, improve institutions, and find appropriate partners across the country. My colleagues and I are looking forward to working with economic development practitioners over the coming months and years in making this site the best possible tool in this endeavor."

September 29, 2011

Obama Administration Announces $12 Million i6 Green Investment to Promote Clean Energy Innovation and Job Creation

National initiative leverages resources of five federal agencies to advance clean technology commercialization

WASHINGTON — The Obama Administration today announced the six winners of the i6 Green Challenge, an initiative to drive technology commercialization and entrepreneurship in support of a green innovation economy, increased U.S. competitiveness and new jobs.

Projects in Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, New England and Washington will each receive up to $1 million from the U.S. Commerce Department's Economic Development Administration (EDA) and up to $6 million in additional funding and technical assistance from the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Energy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the National Science Foundation, and Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology and United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Winning i6 Green applicants will support emerging technology-based businesses as they mature and demonstrate their market potential, making them more attractive to investors and helping entrepreneurs turn their ideas and innovations into businesses.

"America's economy depends on both innovation and commercialization," U.S. Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra said. "These six proof-of-concept centers will help to accelerate the commercialization of products based on exciting new research and support the development of green jobs in regions across the country."

First announced at the White House launch of Startup America in January, i6 Green follows last year's inaugural i6 Challenge, which focused on accelerating high-growth entrepreneurship in the United States. This year's competition focuses on promoting Proof of Concept Centers methodologies, which support all aspects of the entrepreneurship process, from assisting with technology feasibility and business plan development, to providing access to early-stage capital and mentors that can offer critical guidance to innovators.

As one Kauffman Foundation study pointed out, venture capitalists are more frequently investing in later-stage enterprises, so researchers sometimes find it difficult to get early-stage funding to do the necessary research and development of their ideas. Proof of concept centers, such as the Deshpande Center at MIT, help try to bridge that gap. They facilitate the transfer of research into innovative activity and products and services for the marketplace.

As Venture Capitalists move downstream toward later-stage deals, it is more important than ever to invest in efforts that validate the technical and commercial viability of early stage companies. This includes expanding early stage access to capital.

"i6 Green is an important part of President Obama's Startup America initiative to promote entrepreneurship and spur small business development," Domestic Policy Council Director Melody Barnes said. "These six projects will help to foster growth in green technologies and create jobs for America's workers."

"We congratulate the organizations and entrepreneurs who came together to form these vibrant public-private partnerships in an effort to promote new green technologies and green jobs in the United States," Acting U.S. Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank said. "These investments will help boost U.S. competitiveness and better position the nation to out-innovate, out-educate and out-build the rest of the world."

The winning projects of the i6 Green Challenge announced today include:

Ames, Iowa: Iowa Innovation Network i6 Green Project
Holland, Michigan: Proof of Concept Center for Green Chemistry Scale-up
New England: iGreen New England Partnership
Orlando, Florida: Igniting Innovation (I2) Cleantech Acceleration Network
Ruston, Louisiana: Louisiana Tech Proof of Concept Center
Washington State: Washington Clean Energy Partnership Project

For more information on i6 Green and the winners announced today, click here.

September 23, 2011

Important Deadline: Department of Transportation TIGER III pre-application due on October 3rd at 5pm EDT

Dear Friends,

I want to notify you of an important deadline right around the corner. The US Department of Transportation's Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant program is back and accepting pre-applications for TIGER III funding until October 3, 2011 at 5pm EDT. TIGER grants invest in road, rail, transit and port projects that promise to achieve critical national objectives.

The TIGER program enables DOT to use a rigorous process to select projects with exceptional benefits, explore ways to deliver projects faster and save on construction costs, and make investments in our Nation's infrastructure that make communities more livable and sustainable. Each project is multi-modal, multi-jurisdictional or otherwise challenging to fund through existing programs.

TIGER's highly competitive process, galvanized by tremendous applicant interest, allowed DOT to fund 51 innovative capital projects in TIGER I, and an additional 42 capital projects in TIGER II. TIGER II also featured a new Planning Grant category and 33 planning projects were also funded through TIGER II.

Final applications for TIGER III funding are due by October 31, 2011 at 5pm EDT. In order to submit a final application, you must have submitted a pre-application by the October 3, 2011 pre-application deadline.

For more information on TIGER III, visit http://www.dot.gov/tiger/. For application resources, including answers to Frequently Asked Questions and previous webinars, visit http://www.dot.gov/tiger/application-resources.html.

Best,

Jay Williams, Director
Office of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers

September 12, 2011

U.S. EDA Supports Economic Development Planning in Bradley County, TN

Dear Friends,

I would like to share some very exciting news for the city of Cleveland, the city of Charleston and Bradley County, Tennessee.

On Friday, the U.S. Commerce Department's Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced a $125,000 grant to the city of Cleveland, the city of Charleston and Bradley County, Tenn., to help boost comprehensive planning efforts critical to the region's future sustainable growth.

"The Bradley region is attracting dynamic companies and has tremendous potential to continue to grow and become an economic engine in Tennessee," said U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development John Fernandez. "This EDA grant will help implement the critical planning that is needed to foster sustainable development for the region."

The EDA grant will facilitate development of a comprehensive plan for sustainable growth in Bradley County, which is experiencing a transformation due to the influx of new industry. At present, Volkswagen, Wacker Chemie, and Amazon.com have plans to hire thousands of workers and invest millions in private investment in the Bradley region.

The regional plan will target three areas projected to contain the most densely populated growth, including in Cleveland's central business core, and will support and promote economic revitalization, energy efficient transportation options, and regional economic competitiveness.

Best,

Jay Williams
Executive Director, Office of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers

September 11, 2011

Graduate Automotive Technology Education: Department of Energy Awards

Dear Friends,

Last week, the US Department of Energy (DOE) announced some exciting news I'd like to share with you. DOE's Graduate Automotive Technology Education (GATE) initiative announced it will award $6.4 million over the course of five years to support seven Centers of Excellence at American colleges, universities, and university-affiliated research institutions.

The awardees will focus on three critical automotive technology areas: hybrid propulsion, energy storage, and lightweight materials. By funding curriculum development and expansion as well as laboratory work, GATE allows higher education institutions to develop multidisciplinary training. As a result, GATE promotes the development of a skilled workforce of engineering professionals who will overcome technical barriers and help commercialize the next generation of advanced automotive technologies.

The list of awardees is as follows:

The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH $907,026
This project will help prepare a new generation of engineers to lead system integration projects in the following areas related to energy-efficient vehicles: efficient energy conversion, advanced energy storage, lightweight body and chassis systems, and vehicle systems control, including vehicle-grid and vehicle-infrastructure connectivity.

Regents University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI $999,981
This project will establish a GATE Center for Electric Drive Transportation at the University of Michigan - Dearborn (UMD). The center will build upon UMD's existing PhD and Master's (MS) Degree programs in Automotive Systems Engineering (ASE), as well as faculty expertise and research achievements in the area of electric drive vehicles, including battery electric vehicles, extended-range electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

Regents University of CO, CO Springs, Colorado Springs, CO $954,238
This project will create the Innovative Drivetrains in Electric Automotive Technology Education (IDEATE) project, a partnership between The University of Colorado, Colorado Springs (UCCS) and the University of Colorado, Boulder (CU-Boulder) that will focus on graduate education in electric drivetrain vehicles. UCCS will develop two new courses on battery modeling for controls and on algorithm development for high-capacity battery pack controls. CU-Boulder will develop a new course in power electronics for electric drive vehicles, and will refresh an existing course to focus on design of adjustable speed alternating current (AC) drives. These four graduate courses will form a new graduate certificate in electric drivetrain technology.

Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN $1,000,000
This project will allow Purdue University's Hoosier Heavy Hybrid Center of Excellence to comprehensively train, educate, and equip the next generation of research scientists and engineers to address technical challenges and respond to opportunities unique to medium and heavy-duty hybrid vehicles. The project goal is to achieve a 50% reduction in commercial vehicle fuel use, resulting in fuel savings of about 6,000 gallons/year per commercial vehicle. To achieve this objective, the Center will provide eight Research Fellowships and industry-supported research projects

ClemsonUniversity, Clemson, SC $1,000,000
This project will allow Clemson University to establish a GATE Center of Excellence in Sustainable Vehicle Systems that will train the highly skilled engineering workforce of the future to understand and address challenges in advanced vehicle design and development, including life-cycle impact of vehicles, energy use and emissions, reliability, manufacturing, cost-of-ownership, customer preference and public policy.

PennsylvaniaState University, University Park, PA $944,591
This project will allow Penn State University's GATE program to coordinate laboratory and training resources among several research units including the Larson Institute, the Department of Mechanical Engineering, the Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, and the Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering. The GATE Program Faculty will develop industry relationships and support through individual energy storage centers and the Hybrid and Hydrogen Vehicle Research Laboratory.

University of Alabama-Birmingham, Birmingham, AL $600,000
This project will allow the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Engineering to expand its GATE Center of Excellence in Lightweight Materials and Manufacturing Technologies. The UAB GATE center will be a multi-disciplinary entity representing ten GATE faculty members specializing in Materials, Mechanical, Biomedical and Civil Engineering.

Best,

Jay Williams
Executive Director, Office of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers

September 8, 2011

September 15th Application Deadline — NGA Policy Academy

Dear Friends,

I want to let you know about an interesting opportunity available through the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Manufacturing Extension Partnership. Please note the application deadline of September 15, 2011. For details, see below.

Best,

Jay Williams, Executive Director, Office of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers

NGA Policy Academy to Help States Develop and Implement Strategies to Grow Advanced Manufacturing Industries

Request for Proposals Being Solicited

The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) released a Request for Proposals (RFP) to states to participate in a Policy Academy on "Making" our Future: Encouraging Growth Opportunities in Manufacturing through Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Investment. The Policy Academy is designed to assist states in developing and implementing economic development strategies aimed at spurring innovation and entrepreneurship in ways that encourage the growth of advanced manufacturing industries. As part of the application process, states are expected to identify a core team of five to eight members who represent a cross-section of policymakers from relevant state agencies and stakeholder groups (e.g., governor's economic policy advisor, commerce director, executive director of the state technology investment organization, director of the state manufacturing extension center, business leader, among others). The policy academy will begin in October 2011 and conclude in July 2012, and will link selected states to relevant information, peer states, and vital technical assistance from NGA staff and other national experts to help define and address individual challenges and opportunities to build new manufacturing strengths and encourage new growth opportunities in state economies. At least seven states will be selected for this award.

Applications must be submitted to the NGA Center through the governor's office by September 15, 2011 in order to be considered.

For information on eligibility and how to apply, please contact Erin Sparks at the NGA Center for Best Practices. Funding for the Academy is provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program and the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration.

Erin Lamos Sparks — Senior Policy Analyst
Economic, Human Services & Workforce Division
NGA Center for Best Practices
Phone: 202-624-7794
Email: esparks@nga.org

Funding for the Academy is provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program and the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration.

NIST MEP Contact: Mark Troppe
Phone: 301-975-5745
Email: mark.troppe@nist.gov

August 8, 2011

A fresh start for America's automotive communities

Dear Friends,

I know communities that have faced hard times. I grew up in one. I've lived in one, and until last week I was the mayor of one. Helping my community get back on its feet has been my passion for as long as I can remember. But I also know that Youngstown is just one city that needed help. Now as the new director of the Office of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers, I have the chance to give back to not just my own community, but many throughout the nation that continue to face challenges as the auto industry and American manufacturing emerges from the deepest recession in decades.

When President Obama took office two and a half years ago, the future of the American automotive industry was uncertain. Two of the Big 3 American automakers were on the verge of bankruptcy. Plants across the country were being closed or idled.

Just as our President recognized that the automotive companies themselves needed assistance, he also recognized that our automotive communities needed support in addressing the challenges they were facing. That's why in March 2009, President Obama named his first director of the Office of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers.

Over the past two years, we have seen the automotive industry make great strides toward recovery. Auto manufacturers are making investments in facilities and adding jobs again. Since June 2009, the automotive industry has added more than 110,000 jobs. GM, Chrysler, and Ford are all operating at a profit. Still, for communities that have lost a plant, there is still a lot of hard work ahead. That's where we come in.

My experience as mayor provided me with a unique perspective. I know firsthand the struggles that communities face when trying to work toward recovery, but I've also seen what can happen when the right people — state, local, and federal governments along with community leaders, businesses, and philanthropic organizations — come to the table with fresh ideas and the desire to get things done. I'm excited to do just that for the auto communities across the country that need a fresh start.

Best,

Jay Williams, Executive Director, Office of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers

August 8, 2011

Introducing our new Executive Director

Dear Friends,

I am pleased to announce that Jay Williams is the new executive director of the Office of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers.

Prior to joining our team, Mr. Williams served as Mayor of Youngstown, Ohio. As mayor, Mr. Williams gained unique insight to the issues communities are facing in their efforts toward recovery. This experience will allow him to bring his unique knowledge to implement different methods of assisting automotive communities.

Over the past few years, we have seen many automotive communities make great strides in their economic development efforts. Still, there is much work to be done. Many communities still have a long way to go. I look forward to Mr. Williams' leadership going forward.

Best,

Jim McMullen, Deputy Director of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers

July 12, 2011

Obama Administration Launches Strong Cities, Strong Communities to Support Local Development

Dear Friends,

I would like to share with you some exciting news.

Yesterday, the Obama Administration launched Strong Cities, Strong Communities (SC2), a new and customized pilot initiative to strengthen local capacity and spark economic growth in local communities while ensuring taxpayer dollars are used wisely and efficiently. To accomplish this, federal agencies will provide experienced staff to work directly with six cities: Chester, PA; Cleveland, OH; Detroit, MI; Fresno, CA; Memphis, TN; and New Orleans, LA. These teams will work with local governments, the private sector, and other institutions to leverage federal dollars and support the work being done at the local level to encourage economic growth and community development.

SC2 pilot cities were selected on the basis of economic need, strong local leadership and collaboration, potential for economic growth, geographic diversity, and the ability to test the SC2 model across a range of environments. Federal assessment teams spent time on the ground working directly with mayors and other local officials to determine needs, opportunities and gather input for the pilot initiative.

In addition to building the capacity of local governments, SC2 aims to encourage partnerships among local community organizations, anchor institutions, businesses, foundations and government agencies, helping to leverage federal investments and increase impact.

Through this pilot, the Obama Administration will focus on three key goals:

Improving the way federal government does business: Cutting through red tape and rationalizing the federal bureaucracy to help deal with the overlapping maze of agencies, regulations and program requirements that are sometimes confusing to local governments;
Providing assistance and support — working with local communities to find ground up, not top down solutions: Providing on the ground technical assistance and planning resources tailored to local governments' needs and helping them use the federal funds they already receive more efficiently and effectively; and
Partnering for growth: Developing critical partnerships with key local and regional stakeholders that encompass not only municipal and state governments, but also new partnerships with the business community, non-profits, anchor institutions, faith-based institutions, and other public, private, and philanthropic leaders.

Additionally, communities nationwide will be eligible to compete for comprehensive economic planning assistance through a grant competition designed to spark local innovation. By integrating government investments and partnering with local communities, SC2 channels the resources of the federal government to help empower cities as they develop and implement their vision for economic growth.

Best,

Jim McMullen, Deputy Director of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers

Making a difference for America's auto workers and their communities

When I became Labor Secretary two and a half years ago, our economy was in a free fall. The financial system was on the verge of meltdown. Entire industries were being threatened and two of the "Big 3" automotive makers were on the verge of bankruptcy. Middle class workers didn't know whether they were going to get a paycheck or a pink slip.

Read the entire blog

May 25, 2011

Continuing Signs of Strength for America's Auto Industry

After years of uncertainty, the past few weeks have held positive news for the American automotive industry. All three American automotive manufacturers are operating at a profit. Recently, GM announced it would be investing $2 billion in 17 facilities nationwide, adding jobs and increasing security in these affected communities. And just yesterday, Chrysler announced it would be repaying $5.8 billion to the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

The latest announcement from Chrysler comes six years ahead of schedule and just two years after emerging from bankruptcy. It marks a significant milestone for the turnaround of not just the company, but also the countless communities and families who rely on the American auto industry.

Supporting the American auto industry required making some tough decisions, but President Obama was not willing to walk away from the workers at Chrysler and the communities that rely on this iconic American company. The President called on Chrysler to take difficult steps necessary to become more competitive, and in return pledged that America would stand by them. They stayed true to their word, and so did the President.

While there is more work to be done, we're starting to see stronger sales, plants adding shifts to keep up with rising demand, and workers being recalled in communities across the country. These signs of strength are a testament to the work of this administration and to the resolve and determination of American workers.

As co-chair of the White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers, I am proud of the commitments this administration made to the automotive industry. American automotive manufacturers and the communities they call home are integral to the American way of life. Chrysler repaying their debt to the American taxpayers proves that our faith in this industry, these communities, and these workers was a worthwhile investment.

May 12, 2011

For Auto Communities, Investments are Paying Off

This has been a strong 2011 for the resurgent American automotive industry. For the first time in seven years, General Motors, Chrysler and Ford are all operating at a profit. The industry has added 76,000 in less than two years, which is the largest industry growth in over a decade.

Yesterday, GM announced it will invest about $2 billion in 17 facilities across eight states, creating or preserving more than 4,000 jobs.

It's important to remember that when we talk about any of America's "Big Three" carmakers, we are talking about more than just an industry.

Auto plants aren't just a workplace, they are the heart and soul of entire communities. The success of American auto companies is felt across a broad range of industries. It impacts the success or failure of local restaurants where employees get their lunch, small businesses where workers buy food and clothes, and the hospitals where they receive medical care.

According to the nonprofit Center for Automotive Research, the ripple effect of GM's planned investments will add almost $2.9 billion to the U.S. Gross Domestic Product and create or retain more than 28,000 jobs nationwide.

The President created the White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers to coordinate the administration-wide effort to assist these automotive communities. I am proud to serve as the chair. We've been able to extend a lifeline to workers who were laid off, had hours cut back, or seen their plants go idle. And we've helped them navigate the training programs and emergency services available to get these hard-working Americans back on their feet.

While the President knew it was vital to help provide some stability to these communities, he also knew that the resurgence of the auto industry would help drive these local economies once again.

In Toledo, Ohio, GM is investing $204 million to retain about 250 workers who are building an all-new, eight-speed automatic transmission, which will offer American consumers improved fuel economy and outstanding performance for future vehicles.

In Bowling Green, Kentucky, GM is adding 250 jobs and making plant improvements to continue producing its iconic Corvette.

And in Detroit, GM is continuing to add new employees to keep up with demand for the Chevy Volt. As the Volt has made its way from concept to reality, it has become an important reminder of the promise of American innovation and the potential of a green energy economy.

When he made the tough political decision to save the American auto industry, the President wasn't thinking about quarterly profits or shareholder dividends. He was thinking about these communities. He placed his faith in the skill and imagination of the American worker, and that belief is paying off.

GM has made great strides in ensuring that taxpayers recoup their investment, at a much faster rate than originally anticipated. GM's domestic sales are up 24.8 percent over 2010 and last week the carmaker reported its fifth straight profitable quarter since emerging from bankruptcy reorganization in July 2009.

As Labor Secretary, what I'm most gratified to see is the thousands of proud men and women being called back to assembly lines around the county to work on modern, dependable, energy-efficient American cars.

It's a win for workers, for their families, for the communities that depend on them, and for everyone who believed that doubling down on the American auto industry was one smart bet.

May 4, 2011

Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis announces H-1B technical skills training grant competition

Dear Friends,

I would like to notify you of an exciting funding opportunity available through the US Department of Labor.

Yesterday, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis announced the availability of approximately $240 million through the H-1B technical skills training grant competition. The U.S. Department of Labor expects to fund 75-100 grants through a single solicitation.

Individual grants will range from $1 million to $5 million and will be distributed through two rounds of funding. The projects to be funded will help workers update current skills or acquire new ones so they can enter career pathways leading to higher-paying jobs.

The Department will award grants to a partnership of private and public sector entities. This partnership must include at least two entities from among the following groups: (1) businesses or business-related nonprofit organizations, such as trade associations; (2) education and training providers, including community colleges and other community-based organizations; and (3) entities involved in administering the workforce investment system established under Title I of the Workforce Investment Act, and economic development agencies.

"This administration is committed to getting all Americans back to work and into good jobs. These grants will create important opportunities for those who may still be searching for work after many months of unemployment," said Secretary Hilda L. Solis. "As they seek out new careers in promising industries, our nation's workers need and deserve access to quality training and employment services. The H-1B technical skills grant competition will help make that possible."

The Labor Department intends to award at least $150 million to grantees that provide on-the-job training to all participants. The remaining funds will be awarded to applicants that offer other training strategies. At least $45 million of the total will be awarded to applicants providing training for occupations in the health care industry and at least $60 million will be awarded to applicants serving individuals experiencing long-term unemployment.

Prospective applicants are encouraged to view the online tutorial "Grant Applications 101: A Plain English Guide to ETA Competitive Grants," available at http://www.workforce3one.org/page/grants_toolkit. Prospective applicants can register at http://www.grants.gov to access the solicitation. The Labor Department also posts grant information at http://www.doleta.gov/grants.

Best,

Jim McMullen, Deputy Director of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers

February 15, 2011

The car is true engine of the American dream

By Hilda L. Solis
Op-Ed
Toledo Blade
Toledo, Ohio

CARS HAVE always been part of my life. I grew up in Los Angeles, where they are an essential part of the culture.

I was raised with two brothers who loved cars. My sisters and I would always hear about the latest, the coolest, and the fastest.

With all the car talk in our house, you might think I would have become an engineer. Two of my sisters did, and we joke that it's how we got our "drive."

My father played the most important role in my familiarity with cars. He taught me to drive, insisting I learn on a stick shift. He told me it would make me more independent -- it would take me farther.

I thought about him last week, during my visit to Chrysler's Toledo Jeep Assembly Complex. Jeep has been, and continues to be, a big beat to the heart of the Toledo community. And while Jeep and the entire American auto industry have come a long way in the past two years, we can go farther.

President Obama has called on us to innovate, build, and compete. Jeep is doing that.

Its work is proof of what can be achieved when the interests of business and the well-being of hard-working people combine for a common good — where workers are a valued part of the process. Jeep collaborates with its workers and their union to foster flexibility and creativity, boosting overall productivity on the assembly line.

Workers want their employers to succeed. They also want to feel that they're part of the winning team. Jeep has proven to be nothing less.

Chrysler's U.S. sales were up 17 percent last year, stemming largely from products built at the Toledo complex. Jeep Wrangler sales rose 15 percent. When workers win, businesses win.

This administration took immediate action on behalf of the U.S. auto industry. It provided necessary aid to General Motors and Chrysler, helping them eliminate debt and get back to business.

President Obama created the White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers, which I chair. The council pays direct attention to workers affected by dislocation, idled plants, and shortened work hours, and to companies moving into green technologies.

We are addressing the needs of the auto industry from all levels. One great example is the $773 million GM Environmental Response Trust, which is cleaning up former auto plants in 13 states — including one in Toledo — and returning them to use.

My department has invested nearly $170 million to help thousands of auto-affected workers and their communities. That aid provides training and education for next-generation jobs.

Since automakers have gotten back on their feet, the industry has added more than 70,000 jobs, including 20,000 last month alone. The Detroit Three recently reported that their sales rose last year, for the first time since the recession began.

That news has auto executives optimistic about the year ahead. I share that optimism. Auto brands such as Jeep mean so much to the fabric of American culture.

More than just a mode of transportation, cars represent millions of working hands. They tell stories of countless working families. Cars represent ownership and prosperity, and are true engines of the American dream.

And as my dad said, they give us independence. They will take us farther.

Hilda L. Solis is U.S. secretary of labor and White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers co-chair.

February 5, 2011

U.S. auto companies, workers get it done — together

By Hilda L. Solis
Op-Ed
Detroit Free Press
Detroit, Michigan

The complicated ballet between man and machine is fascinating to watch. But what's more fascinating is how we got there. It's an evolution marked by the curiosity of great thinkers and proud workers; generations of hopeful Americans working together toward a better future and a middle class life. It proves that when America innovates, when America builds, America wins.

We'll both be thinking about that tomorrow when we visit the Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Plant; home to America's Chevy Volt. "Detroit's Darling," as some have called it, has been named Motor Trend's 2011 car of the year -- an accolade that's been a long time coming for an American-made automobile. The Volt has re-fueled American ingenuity; it's put our creativity back on the map.

It's also proof of what can be achieved when business and the well-being of working people are combined for a common good; where workers are a valued part of the process. In building the Volt, Chevy and the UAW did just that. Union members were given the flexibility to take ownership of the assembly build process. Together they improved GM's manufacturing, they were able to provide workforce training, and they increased overall efficiency on the assembly line. The Volt launch has been a huge success.

Workers want their employers to succeed. But they also want to feel like they're part of the winning team. The UAW gets that. So does Chevrolet. The proof: lower costs, improved quality, increased productivity . . . and good jobs.

The Obama administration feels the same way. Its immediate action on behalf of the auto industry provided necessary aid to GM and Chrysler, helping these two giants eliminate debt and get back to business. President Obama also created the White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers to provide attention directly to those affected by dislocation in the auto industry. The U.S. Department of Labor has invested nearly $170 million in thousands of auto-impacted workers, as well as communities, to provide training and education for next generation jobs.

Since auto companies have gotten back on their feet, the industry has added more than 63,000 jobs. And just last month, the Detroit domestic automakers reported that auto sales rose last year for the first time since the recession — a piece of much needed good news and something that has executives optimistic about the year ahead.

We share that optimism. When a car like the Volt beats the odds, it's hard not to. Because as history has shown us, when America builds, America wins.

Hilda L. Solis is U.S. secretary of labor and White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers co-chair.

February 8, 2011

SBA Dealer Floor Plan Loan Program

Dear Friends,

I would like to take this opportunity to share some good news with you. The U.S. Small Business Administration has announced a re-launch of the SBA Dealer Floor Plan Loan Program.

The SBA Dealer Floor Plan Loan Program is a pilot loan program aimed at increasing access to inventory financing for auto, boat, RV and other dealerships which will be re-launched today and will be effective through Sept. 30, 2013, the U.S. Small Business Administration announced on February 4th.

The Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 included a provision for re-launching SBA's Dealer Floor Plan (DFP) Pilot Loan program, which first became available in July 2009. The pilot is part of the SBA's overall 7(a) loan guarantee program. The Jobs Act also increased the maximum size for 7(a) loans to $5 million, up from $2 million, which includes loans made through the DFP pilot program.

"As a result of the credit crunch in late 2008 and early 2009, dealerships saw a significant decline in the availability of this type of inventory financing," SBA Deputy Administrator Marie Johns said. "SBA's original DFP pilot program was launched as a way to expand the availability of floor plan financing and the Jobs Act added further enhancements to that program, including allowing for larger loan sizes.

"Dealerships are a cornerstone of local business communities," Johns continued. "As we continue to see our economy recover, the re-launch of this pilot provides another tool, alongside SBA's other programs, to help them succeed and create jobs in their local communities."

A procedural guide to the program will be posted on the SBA website at: http://www.sba.gov/content/dealer-floor-plan-financing-program-0.

Floor plan financing is a revolving line of credit that allows a dealership to obtain financing through SBA's 7(a) program for inventory that can be titled, such as autos, RVs, manufactured homes, boats and trailers. As each piece of collateral is sold by the dealer, the loan advance against that piece of collateral is repaid. As the loan is repaid, the dealer can borrow against the line of credit to add new inventory.

The program is available to qualifying small businesses, including new and used automobile, motorcycle, RV, manufactured homes and boat dealers. SBA has issued a new maximum alternative size standard to allow businesses with $15 million net worth and $5 million in net income measured over two years to have access to the program.

All SBA-approved lenders may make DFP loans. Lenders with more than $1 billion of floor plan lines of credit in their current portfolios may apply for delegated authority, which would expedite the lending process.

Borrowers interested in obtaining a DFP loan should contact their lender or their nearest SBA field office to get a list of SBA-approved lenders in their area who may be participating in the program. Local district offices and contact information, as well as information on this and other SBA programs and resources, can be found at www.sba.gov or by calling the SBA Answer Desk at 1-800-U-ASK-SBA or TDD 704-344-6640.

Best,

Jim McMullen, Deputy Director of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers

October 20, 2010

Environmental Liability Settlement for Old GM

Dear Friends,

I would like to take this opportunity to notify you of some exciting news for many communities affected by the GM Bankruptcy.

After months of negotiation, the United States, along with 14 states and a tribal government, have reached an agreement with Old General Motors (now known as Motors Liquidation Company or MLC) to establish a trust to cleanup and repurpose 89 properties left behind in the GM bankruptcy. Under this agreement, Old GM will commit $773 million to cleaning up property sites — two thirds of which are known to be contaminated with hazardous waste — in fourteen states.

This kind of environmental trust is unprecedented in size, speed of settlement, and level of local involvement. It will give local communities the opportunity to participate in designing the strategy for repurposing these properties in accordance with their specific development objectives, using these funds to both properly clean them up and quickly return them to productive use creating jobs and restoring communities. The Agreement was filed with the bankruptcy court that is overseeing the final dissolution of Old GM. It is expected that final approval will take place early next year.

The $773 million trust will be divided as follows:

$431 million will be used directly in the states for cleaning up the Old GM properties.
$68 million will be placed in a pooled account for environmental cleanup that may arise at any of the 89 properties, transferred to the trust on account of unforeseen conditions.
Approximately $12 million will be credited to Old GM for approved cleanup activities.
$262 million in cash and other assets will be used to cover various administrative activities and activities that help return these properties to beneficial use such as demolition.

The Trustee will work closely with the local communities when selling or repurposing the properties. In addition to generating sale proceeds, the Trustee will consider both the potential for the reuse to create jobs in the applicable state and the views of the applicable state and affected communities.

As this process moves forward, the White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers and its member agencies will continue to work diligently with affected automotive communities, the states, and the Trustee in recovery efforts. The agreement announced today will play a key role in moving these efforts forward.

For additional information, read the White House Fact Sheet and the United States Attorney's Office press release.

Read the Jared Bernstein's White House blog post, A Path Forward for Communities Affected by the GM Bankruptcy.

Best,

Jim McMullen, Deputy Director of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers

August 27, 2010

US Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration announces funding for 11 Trade Adjustment Assistance Centers nationwide

Dear Friends,

I would like to take this opportunity to inform you of some very exciting news for many states, including those heavily impacted by the American automotive industry.

This week, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke announced the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) awarding of grant funds to support Trade Adjustment Assistance Centers (TAAC) throughout the country, which will help the recipient regions adjust to increasing competition in the global marketplace and create jobs to bolster the local economy.

"The Obama administration is committed to providing communities with the resources they need to foster job creation and business growth," Locke said.

EDA's Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms program funds 11 Trade Adjustment Assistance Centers across the nation. TAACs facilitate projects aimed at boosting U.S. firms' competitiveness, and in turn, creating and retaining jobs.

These awards will have a positive impact on those states with communities strongly impacted by the recent changes in the automotive industry.

Grants under the program can be used to support a wide range of technical, planning, and infrastructure projects to help communities adapt to international competition and diversify their economies. Additional information is available at: www.eda.gov/TAAF.

Awards announced by Secretary Locke fund the following activities (with links to press releases highlighting awards):

Earlier this year, President Obama unveiled his National Export Initiative, an effort to help U.S. firms sell their goods and services abroad with a goal of doubling U.S. exports over the next five years in support of 2 million American jobs.

Best,
Lauren Leonard, Office of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers

August 23, 2010

A Message from Dr. Ed Montgomery

Dear Friends,

As some of you may have heard, I have made the decision to step down as Executive Director of the White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers in order to serve as the Dean of Public Policy at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. My last day as Executive Director was August 15th.

I want to assure you that the work we have done over the last year will continue. Although we have made significant progress, there is still significant work to be done. That is why the President has assured me that he is currently seeking a replacement to take over my position.

Read the President's Statement

In the meantime, your state coordinators will continue to serve as your primary contacts. They remain actively engaged with your communities. In fact, in the last few weeks alone, your state coordinators have traveled to your communities to participate in: a Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration meeting with community colleges in Dearborn, Michigan; the Southern Automotive Women's Forum Inaugural event in Nashville, Tennessee; and the Ohio Manufacturing Roundtable in Cleveland, Ohio. These state coordinators will continue to be hard at work on your behalf. Please do not hesitate to reach out to them should you need anything.

If you are not sure who your state coordinator is, please refer to our State Coordinators page.

Please note: if your state is not listed, feel free to reach out to any state coordinator for assistance.

Finally, I want to thank you for the opportunity to work on your behalf as Executive Director of the White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers. It has been an honor to serve in that role and I am proud of all that we have accomplished in automotive communities nationwide.

Best,
Ed Montgomery, former Executive Director, White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers

August 18, 2010

Twinsburg, Ohio and Williams County, Ohio Each Receive EDA Grant

Dear Friends,

I would like to take this opportunity to let you know about two announcements from the Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA) which will benefit Twinsburg, Ohio and Williams County, Ohio.

Today, EDA announced a $134,675 grant to city of Twinsburg, Ohio, to develop and implement a recovery action plan to address the recent closure of the Chrysler Stamping Plant in Twinsburg.

This EDA grant will support the development of a recovery strategy that will allow the region to best utilize local resources to leverage private investment and create new jobs.

"The proposed scope of services for this effort exemplifies an approach that will look beyond existing economic conditions and employment base to put together policies and actions at the local, county and regional level," said Larry Finch, Community Development Director for the City of Twinsburg.

This project will help in creating, prioritizing, and implementing development goals and objectives, to help create local jobs.

EDA also announced a $75,000 grant to Williams County, Ohio, to help develop an economic adjustment strategy that will create jobs and grow the local economy, which has been affected by the restructuring of the American automotive industry.

This EDA grant will help Williams County develop a strategy for businesses to collaborate and take advantage of local resources, spurring job growth, innovation and entrepreneurship.

"This strategy will help public, private and business officials adjust the local economy into one more appropriately aligned with global trends," said Lewis Hilkert, Williams County Board President.

The strategy will allow stakeholders to give input on how to best retool the county to adapt to recent major job loss due to the restructuring of the automotive and automotive-related manufacturing sectors. This strategy will also allow the local workforce and economic development officials to align its workforce to meet the needs of global trends.

"Helping our nation's auto communities adjust to increasing competition in the global marketplace is essential," said U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development John R. Fernandez.

Best,
Lauren Leonard
Ohio State Coordinator, White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers

August 18, 2010

Midwest Auto Communities Receive U.S. EDA Grant for Strategic Plan

Dear Friends,

I would like to take this opportunity to let you know about an exciting announcement that will positively impact your state.

Yesterday, the U.S. Commerce Department's Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced a $500,000 grant to the Regents of the University of Michigan and the Center for Automotive Research of Ann Arbor, Michigan, to support the Community Economic Adjustment Program (CEAP), which assists communities affected by automotive plant closures in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota in diversifying and expanding their economic base to create jobs and boost the local economy.

"Collaboration is critical to helping auto-impacted communities remain competitive," said U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development John Fernandez. "This EDA grant will allow Midwest communities to work together and utilize local resources in order to create jobs and leverage private investment."

"These funds will allow us to provide the much-needed services to communities that continue experiencing the negative consequences of major plant shutdowns," said Marian J. Krzyzowski, Director of the Institute for Research on Labor, Employment, and the Economy at the Office of the Vice President for Research, University of Michigan.

This project will allow Midwest communities to maintain collaborative partnerships with local government and universities in Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan. The CEAP will work to organize focus groups of stakeholders, prioritize immediate community needs, and hold assistance workshops to develop funding proposals aimed at reinvigorating the local economies and spurring job creation.

Best,
Tom Kerr, Michigan State Coordinator, White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers

August 4, 2010

US Department of Labor Announces Supplemental NEG to Missouri Department of Workforce Development

Dear Friends,

Today, Labor Secretary Hilda Solis made an exciting announcement for those affected by the plant closures at Fenton Chrysler, Integram Seating in Pacific, and Yuhshin USA in Kirksville.

On April 23, 2008, a National Emergency Grant to the Missouri Department of Workforce Development was approved to provide employment-related services to dislocated workers who have been impacted by layoffs from Chrysler LLC, Integram St. Louis Seating, and Yuhshin USA, Ltd.. Today, the Missouri Department of Workforce Development has been approved for a supplemental National Emergency Grant in the amount of $633,085 to support the continuation of services to participants enrolled during the initial NEG award and subsequent modifications.

This supplemental National Emergency Grant will allow the Missouri Department of Workforce Development to continue services to approximately 2,344 dislocated workers. Additionally, this award will allow the Missouri Department of Workforce Development to extend services through June 30, 2011, a full year longer than the original award.

Read the press release outlining this announcement

Best,
Lauren Leonard
Missouri State Coordinator, White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers

July 13, 2010

Project Highlight: New Sustainable Regional Planning Grant program

Dear Friends,

I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the $100 million in grants available as part of the New Sustainable Regional Planning Grant program. These regional planning grants will be awarded competitively to regional consortia consisting of state and local governments, metropolitan planning organizations (MPO's), educational institutions, non-profit organizations and philanthropic organizations.

This program will support regional planning efforts that integrate housing, land use, economic and workforce development, transportation, and infrastructure investments in a manner that empowers jurisdictions to consider the interdependent challenges of economic competitiveness and revitalization; social equity, inclusion, and access to opportunity; energy use and climate change; as well as public health and environmental impacts. The program places a priority on partnerships, including nontraditional partnerships including arts and culture, philanthropy, and bringing new voices to the regional planning process.

The program will support a number of activities related to the development and implementation of integrated long-range regional plans including, but not limited to:

identifying affordable housing, transportation investment, water infrastructure, economic development, land use planning, environmental conservation, energy system, open space, and other infrastructure priorities for the region;
establishing performance goals and measures;
providing detailed plans, policies, and implementation strategies to be implemented by all participating jurisdictions over time to meet planning goals;
engaging residents and stakeholders substantively and meaningfully in the development of the shared vision and its implementation

Ultimately, this regional planning initiative will provide a blueprint for public and private investment decisions that will support a more sustainable future for a region. The size of grants awarded will be determined by the size of the applicants geographic area, whether a large metropolitan region or a smaller rural community. Grant applications, which will be reviewed not only by HUD, but also by the Department of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency, are due August 23, 2010.

Best,
Ed Montgomery, Director of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers

July 12, 2010

ITA/EDA U.S. Clean Technology Trade & Investment Mission- Lyon, France and Brussels, Belgium

Dear Friends,

I would like to take this opportunity to highlight an upcoming opportunity to attract new businesses to your community or for companies in your community to expand into new international markets. This will be an ITA/ EDA led trade "U.S. Clean Technology Trade & Investment Mission in Lyon, France and Brussels, Belgium from November 24-Deceomber 4, 2010. The mission will bring together a mix of U.S. community delegates and businesses to catalyze the process of connecting U.S. communities with opportunities to increase exports and attract foreign direct investment (FDI), with a particular emphasis on advancing the green economy and creating jobs in the United States.

If you are interested in applying, please see the attached Mission Statement and Application Materials document. For additional information, please see the press release below.

Best,
Ed Montgomery, Director of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers

The U.S. Economic Development Administration and U.S. Commercial Service Invite You to Apply to Participate in the "U.S. Clean Technology Trade & Investment Mission"

November 29 – December 4, 2010 in Lyon, France and Brussels, Belgium

Showcase your community in Europe as an attractive candidate for investment and a valuable trading partner

Given the strong response received from the economic development community to the ITA/EDA Economic Development Organization (EDO) Delegation to Hannover Messe 2010 in Hannover, Germany this past April, ITA and EDA are now planning a "U.S. Clean Technology Trade & Investment Mission" to Lyon, France and Brussels, Belgium from November 29 – December 4, 2010.

An official mission webpage will soon be available at www.export.gov. For now, please find the attached mission statement, application, and application instructions.

Led by Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Brian McGowan and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for International Operations Karen Zens, the mission will bring together a mix of U.S. community delegates (representatives from U.S. states, counties, cities, towns, and regions) and businesses within their regions to catalyze the process of connecting U.S. communities with opportunities to increase exports and attract foreign direct investment (FDI), with a particular emphasis on advancing the green economy and creating jobs in the United States.

U.S. communities are encouraged to select a community delegate to participate as a representative of their regional economy and to invite key business leaders within their regions to participate as well. Together, your community delegates and business leaders can promote your region as an attractive location for international investment in the cleantech sector while also working to establish new overseas markets for your region's products and services.

While in France

The mission will begin in Lyon, France at Pollutec, a tradeshow that features the world's leading international exhibit for the environment and sustainable development markets. In attendance will be 2,400 exhibitors and 75,000 trade visitors from 110 countries, all in search of comprehensive solutions to today's environmental and economic challenges. With the help of the U.S. Commercial Service, the show serves as an excellent venue for community delegates to arrange discussions with international firms looking to expand their businesses in the U.S. Also, Pollutec is a powerful venue for U.S. companies looking to establish or expand overseas distribution, generate sales leads, evaluate competitors, and to work with U.S. Commercial Service trade specialists to identify potential buyers and partners.

The Pollutec exhibition brings together innovative solutions in equipment, technologies, and services in a variety of sectors including:

Air
Energy
Water and Wastewater Treatment
Recycling and Waste Handling
Site Remediation
Instrumentation
Process Controls
Any many more

Community delegates and participating regional businesses will also have the opportunity to participate in:

A clean technology site visit organized by the Rhone-Alpes Economic Development Agency
U.S. Pavilion exhibition activities and receptions
A Networking Luncheon in which the U.S. is the Technology Country of Honor
A Lyon City Hall Reception
Facilitated lead generation for attracting FDI and increasing exports

Participants also have the opportunity to purchase their own exhibit space at Pollutec. For exhibiting opportunities, please contact:
Wayne Kakos - Pollutec
Reed Exhibitions
(203) 840-5875
wkakos@reedexpo.com

More information on Pollutec is available through the following links:

While in Belgium

Following Pollutec, U.S. companies and communities will travel to Brussels, Belgium. This portion will include:

U.S. Embassy networking reception
NATO cleantech roundtable
Nike Green Logistics Center visit
Invest in America Program
Ambassadors reception
Luncheon with major Belgian companies

Participation Fees

Community delegate (one person): $2195

Note: The Department of Commerce continues to review the fee for community delegate participation and options for direct financing of the economic development component mission expenses, which could lower the cost for community delegates. Please see the trade mission website for the most current information.

Companies:

One large (more than 500 employees) company representative: $3588
One small (fewer than 500 employees) company representative: $3395
Additional representatives (community delegate or company): $400 per participant

Expenses for travel, lodging, in-country transportation (except for airport transfers and bus transportation to/from group meetings), meals, and incidentals will be the responsibility of each mission participant.

Contacts

Community Delegates:
Bryan Borlik
U.S. Economic Development Administration
(202) 482-3901
bborlik@eda.doc.gov

U.S. Companies:
Teresa Yung
U.S. Commercial Service
(202) 482-5496
Teresa.Yung@trade.gov

Pollutec/Reed Exhibitions:
Wayne Kakos
(203) 840-5875
wkakos@reedexpo.com

July 8, 2010

Michigan to Receive $136 Million in School Improvement Grant Funds

Dear Friends,

I would like to take a minute to highlight yesterday's announcement by Education Secretary Arne Duncan that Michigan will be receiving $136 million in Department of Education School Improvement Grant funds. This money will be used to help turn around Michigan's persistently lowest achieving schools. These funds are part of the $3.5 billion that will be made available to states this spring from money set aside in the 2009 budget and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The $135,976,075 made available to Michigan is being distributed by formula to the state and will then be competed out by the state to school districts. In order for a school district to apply for these funds, it must have a state-identified "persistently lowest achieving" or a Tier III school — a school that has failed to meet adequate yearly progress for two years and is not identified as a persistently lowest achieving school.

Best,
Tom Kerr, Michigan State Coordinator, White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers

July 8, 2010

Project Highlight: 2010 Innovation in Economic Development Awards

Dear Friends,

I would like to take this opportunity to inform you that the Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration is currently accepting applications for 2010 Innovation in Economic Development awards. This announcement could provide resources that would benefit automotive communities in their efforts to advance innovation, boost competitiveness and create jobs.

Applications will be accepted until August 27, 2010 in four categories: innovation in Regional Innovation Clusters (RICs), innovation in commercialization, innovation in global export promotion, and innovation in green technology. A press release with greater information about the 2010 Innovation in Economic Development competition can be found below.

Best,

Ed Montgomery
Executive Director, White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Lindsey Pangretic
202-482-2477
June 30, 2010

EDA Announces Award Competition to Promote Innovation

Applications for 2010 Innovation in Economic Development Awards Now Being Accepted

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Commerce Department's Economic Development Administration (EDA) today announced its 2010 Innovation in Economic Development Awards to spotlight projects that advance innovation, boost competitiveness and create jobs. The competition was formerly known as the EDA Excellence in Economic Development Awards.

"As part of our effort to ensure the U.S. is competitive and remains a global leader in innovation, EDA's Innovation Awards will honor the nation's best minds and the great work they are doing to promote regional collaboration, attract private capital investment and create jobs," said U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development John R. Fernandez.

Entries will be accepted until August 27, 2010. The award categories are:

Innovation in Regional Innovation Clusters (RICs)
Innovation in Commercialization
Innovation in Global Export Promotion
Innovation in Green Technology

For more information on the 2010 Innovation in Economic Development Awards and how to apply, visit: www.eda.gov/NewsEvents/InnovationAwards.xml.

About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov):

This year, the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) marks 45 years of public service, with a mission of leading the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing American regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. EDA is an agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce that partners with distressed communities throughout the United States to foster job creation, collaboration and innovation.

June 22, 2010

Department of Commerce Grant Supports Wisconsin, Illinois Auto Industries

Dear Friends,

On Friday, June 18th, the Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration announced a $5.9 billion grant to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. This grant will help support small businesses in six regions of Southeastern Wisconsin and North-Central Illinois that have been impacted by the downturn in the automotive industry and flooding in the past few years. Details of this grant are included in the press release below.

Best,

Jim McMullen, Deputy Director of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Cleve Mesidor
202-482-4085
June 18, 2010

Department of Commerce Grant Supports Wisconsin, Illinois Auto Industries

$6 Million Grant to University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Advances Innovation & Entrepreneurship

WASHINGTON — U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke today announced a $5.9 million U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater to administer the Auto Adjustment Entrepreneurial Support Initiative, which provides comprehensive entrepreneurial support to businesses in six regions in Southeastern Wisconsin and North-Central Illinois.

"Collaborating across state lines to maximize regional resources in new and innovative ways will help create jobs in this economically-distressed region," Locke said. "This EDA grant will create jobs by supporting a seamless network of regional services and incubator facilities that will accelerate innovation and entrepreneurship, particularly in emerging green technologies and global commerce, and by providing training in high-skill, high-wage industries."

This grant is one more in a string of EDA grants to auto communities such as Fenton, Mo., and Fremont, Calif., to help in the recovery from economic hardships caused by closures and mass-layoffs by auto manufacturers and suppliers. Auto communities in Rock and Kenosha County, Wis., and Boone County, Ill., will benefit from this initiative.

"Secretary Locke and the U.S. Economic Development Administration have been stalwart supporters of America's auto communities around the country. As the members of the President's Auto Council heard on our trip to Kenosha and Janesville last week, funding for job creation and business development is the highest priority need. This grant represents a significant investment in these two communities, as well as others in the area dealing with job losses at the regions' GM and Chrysler plants or at auto suppliers. Helping to support entrepreneurs across this region represents another important step in the Administration's efforts to promote recovery and help auto workers and their families," said Ed Montgomery, executive director of the White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers.

The initiative is part of a larger regional collaboration that will provide comprehensive entrepreneurial support at every stage of business development through the sharing of resources, facilities, curriculum, training, and collective expertise. The components of the proposed services include technical assistance, global resource development, market diversification, marketing and technology valuation, business retention programs, facilitation of foreign investments, capital needs assessment, interactive GIS mapping of business resources, rapid prototyping, and clean energy curriculum.

The summer of 2008 saw torrential rains that brought catastrophic damage in the millions of dollars to southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. The prolonged flooding conditions exacerbated the economic hardship that the 6-county region was already experiencing due to auto manufacturing plant closures and layoffs by the region's major employers. This EDA grant will help the area withstand future natural disasters and economic challenges, and will reposition the region to compete in the changing global economy.

About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov):

June 22, 2010

Commerce Department and Center for Automotive Research Collaborate to Strengthen Auto Communities

Dear Friends,

On Thursday, June 17th, the Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration announced a $200,000 grant to the Center for Automotive Research (CAR). This grant will allow CAR to hold a follow-up conference call from an April 2009 CAR summit to advance public-private partnerships. This grant is part of the Economic Development Administration's continued support of the work of the White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers in auto communities in the Midwest and beyond. Details can be found in the press release below.

Best,

Jim McMullen, Deputy Director of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Cleve Mesidor
202-482-4085
June 17, 2010

Commerce Department & Center for Automotive Research Collaborate to Strengthen Auto Communities

Conference to Explore Ways to Grow Economies of Auto-impacted Communities in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Minnesota

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Commerce Department's Economic Development Administration (EDA) today announced a $200,000 grant to the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) of Ann Arbor, Michigan to execute a conference that will explore ways to attract national and global investment to auto-dependent communities in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.

"Collaboration is critical to helping auto-impacted communities remain competitive," said U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development John Fernandez. "The conference will advance the public-private partnerships that are critical to helping these communities grow their economies and create jobs."

"The conference will provide a forum where economic developers, community state, and federal policy makers and other stakeholders can share knowledge about the region's automotive and manufacturing economy and learn about future trends that may impact the automotive endowment in the Chicago region," said Dr. Sean P. McAlinden, Executive Vice President of Research, CAR.

The conference is a follow-on event to the summit CAR held in April 2009. Details of the 2010 conference will be made available in the near future on the CAR Web site: (http://www.cargroup.org/carhome.asp).

In addition, this EDA investment is part of a concerted and coordinated strategy by the Obama Administration to engage multiple federal agencies in support of auto communities, suppliers and workers in transition.

"The Commerce Department and EDA have been strong partners in our work over the last year, and this investment in the CAR conference will advance the cause. It provides a valuable opportunity for these communities to learn about best practice from one another," said Dr. Ed Montgomery, Executive Director of the White House Council on Auto Communities and Workers, the organization established by the President in June 2009 to facilitate full engagement of all federal resources and expertise in the initiative.

On May 18, the White House Council , the U.S. Department of Labor, the Brookings Institution, and the Funders' Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities co-hosted a Summit on "Auto Communities and the Next Economy: Partnerships in Innovations." Information on that event can be found at: http://www.brookings.edu/events/2010/0518_auto_summit.aspx.

About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov):

June 18, 2010

EDA Grant to JumpStart Inc.

Dear Friends,

I would like to inform you of an EDA grant announcement which will benefit important auto communities in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Minnesota. This grant to JumpStart, Inc. will promote innovation and small business development in the following auto communities: Akron, Ohio; Detroit, Michigan; Fort Wayne, Indiana; Gary, Indiana; St. Paul, Minnesota; and Duluth, Minnesota. The press release, including details of what the grant will fund, can be found below.

Best,

Jim McMullen, Deputy Director of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Cleve Mesidor
202-482-4085
June 16, 2010

Entrepreneurs in the Midwest to Profit from Commerce Department Investment to Expand JumpStart, Inc.

Grant promotes innovation and small business development in OH, MI, IN and MN areas affected by automotive downturn

WASHINGTON - U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke today announced a $1.5 million U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant to JumpStart, Inc., to promote innovation and small business development in the cities of Akron, Ohio; Detroit, Mich.; Fort Wayne, Ind.; Gary, Ind.; St. Paul, Minn.; and Duluth, Minn., which have been affected by the restructuring of the American automotive industry. JumpStart will help develop regional entrepreneurship action plans (REAP) and training and assistance programs for entrepreneurs and early-stage businesses.

"President Obama is committed to creating jobs and sparking regional competitiveness in areas impacted by the auto industry's downturn," Locke said. "This EDA grant will help Midwestern communities develop a plan for businesses to collaborate and take advantage of local resources, spurring job growth, innovation and entrepreneurship."

This grant will help JumpStart replicate its proven approach, which has seen success in Cleveland and throughout northeastern Ohio, to significantly bolster innovation and regional collaboration efforts in the six cities. JumpStart will examine entrepreneurial eco-systems and create REAP programs in these communities that have been affected by the restructuring of the American automotive industry. Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana, respectively, have the first-, second-, and fourth-highest number of automotive manufacturers in the United States.

JumpStart will work to increase access to capital in each region and conduct educational events for entrepreneurs. The events will provide training and information, short- and long-term critical analysis and mentorship, and will connect entrepreneurs and investors.

About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov):

May 27, 2010

HUD Choice Neighborhoods Initiative Pre-Notice

Dear Friends,

I would like to highlight the Friday, May 21st pre-notice for the Choice Neighborhood FY 2010 Notice of Funding Availability from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Choice Neighborhoods Initiative aims to transform distressed neighborhoods and public and assisted projects into viable and sustainable mixed-income neighborhoods by linking housing improvements with appropriate services, schools, public assets, transportation, and access to jobs. This program could provide support to auto communities struggling with wide-ranging housing, transportation, and other important needs.

The Choice Neighborhood pilot program is intended to build on the achievements and lessons learned under the HOPE VI program, a program created by HUD to address public housing needs in extremely distressed communities. The Pre-Notice outlines the core goals of the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative and will help entities interested in applying for funding under this program to better prepare for the Notice of Funding Availability to be released this summer.

In its pilot year, the Choice Neighborhood program will award up to $65 million to public housing authorities, local governments and nonprofit organizations to extend neighborhood transformation efforts beyond public and or assisted housing and link housing revitalization with education reform and early childhood education. One key feature of the pilot program is the requirement that any public housing or other HUD-assisted housing unit demolished under the program must be replaced with another unit unless there are valid, quantifiable reasons for exception. The program widens the traditional pool of eligible applicants by allowing for-profit developers to submit joint applications with a public entity.

The Pre-Notice introduces key program elements and activities as well as the framework of the competition HUD will use to award this year's grants. While the nearly 20-year-old HOPE VI Revitalization Program has been successful at transforming neighborhoods with distressed public housing into revitalized mixed-income communities, Choice Neighborhoods aims to use a more comprehensive approach to community development with housing transformation as its center. The program also expands targeted units to include both public and assisted housing.

Best,

Jim McMullen

Deputy Director of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers

May 19, 2010

Auto Communities and the Next Economy: Partnerships in Innovation

Dear Friends,

Yesterday brought some exciting news for auto communities.

The White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers, US Department of Labor, Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program, and Funders' Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities came together to co-sponsor Auto Communities and the Next Economy: Partnerships in Innovation, a summit held in Washington, DC.

The event brought together about 300 people from Michigan and Ohio down to Alabama and Louisiana, from California across to Delaware. There were auto suppliers, union officials, colleges and university leaders, foundation and community based organization heads, economic development experts as well as members of Congress, as well as federal, state and local government officials who came to discuss the challenges auto communities still face and ways in which these entities can effectively partner together to solve these problems. We not only talked about the issues, but concrete actions were taken.

At the summit, Council Co-Chairs Larry Summers and Secretary Hilda Solis announced a federal framework to speed the cleanup of and redevelopment of shuttered auto facilities resulting from the GM bankruptcy. The framework will invest more than $800 million to put facilities back into productive use, creating jobs and economic growth in communities across the country.

The framework would allocate $536 million for the cleanup of the properties and approximately $300 million that will assist the states and communities in dealing with the challenges these properties present, including property taxes, demolition costs, plant security costs and other expenses. These funds will be allocated among over 90 sites located in 14 states across the country and include additional pooled funding that will be available to all sites owned by Old GM as needed to cover unforeseen costs.

Based on current information, these funds should be sufficient to clean up 90 sites owned by Old GM and undertake targeted cleanup at certain additional sites where Old GM bears unique responsibilities for environmental contamination. Our partners at the Environmental Protection Agency, United States Treasury, and the Department of Justice were critical partners in putting this framework together in record time.

It was so exciting to be able to share this news directly with so many of the people who have been impacted by this issue the most. Governor Granholm put it best after the announcement when she exclaimed, "Let me just start out by saying, 'Woo-hoo!'"

Learn more about this landmark effort

In addition, our partners at the Ford Foundation announced a five-year, $200 million effort to help transform the way that cities, suburbs and surrounding communities grow and plan for the future, promoting a new metropolitan approach that interweaves housing, transportation and land-use policy to foster greater economic growth.

Learn more about this initiative

At the summit we released the first Annual Report of the White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers. This report highlights the Administration's work with you over the past year to support your communities. It's been a privilege to work with you over the past year, and I hope you take a moment to read through it and learn more about the Council's efforts and why your communities are so important to us.

View the Report

While yesterday brought important developments that will help many auto communities across the country, we know more needs to be done. We look forward to continuing to partner with you, your states and towns, business and labor, philanthropy and all of our partners to find new ways to support your efforts.

Best,

Ed Montgomery

Executive Director, White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers

May 14, 2010

Program Highlight: i6 Challenge

Dear Friends,

I would like to share information with you about the i6 Challenge, a new Federal Funding Opportunity which may benefit your auto community. The i6 Challenge is an excellent opportunity for teams drawn from state or local government agencies, non-profit organizations, educational institutions, or Indian tribes to work together to accelerate technology commercialization and new venture formation across the United States, for the ultimate purpose of helping to drive economic growth and job creation. Details of this Federal Funding Opportunity are in the message below.

Best,

Dr. Ed Montgomery

Executive Director, White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers

The i6 Challenge is a new $12 million innovation competition administered by the Economic Development Administration (EDA) of the U.S. Department of Commerce, in partnership with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Science Foundation (NSF).

EDA will award up to $1 million to each of six winning teams with the most innovative ideas to drive technology commercialization and entrepreneurship in their regions.

NIH and NSF will award a total of up to $6 million in supplemental funding to their SBIR grantees that are associated or partnered with the winning teams. We encourage entrepreneurs, investors, universities, foundations, and non-profits to participate in the i6 Challenge.

The deadline for applications is July 15, 2010. For more information, email i6@doc.gov or join the i6 Challenge conference call at 2pm EDT on May 17, 2010.

May 3, 2010

U.S. Commerce Department, NIH, NSF Announce "i6 Challenge" to Bring Innovative Ideas to Market

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Commerce's Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Economic Development Administration (EDA) today (May 3) announced a new $12 million innovation competition, in partnership with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). EDA will award up to $1 million to each of six teams around the country with the most innovative ideas to drive technology commercialization and entrepreneurship. NIH and NSF will award a total of up to $6 million in additional funding to NIH or NSF Small Business Innovation Research grantees associated with winning teams.

"This initiative promotes the priorities of the Obama Administration by driving innovation and entrepreneurship, and cultivating strong public-private partnerships," U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke said. "The i6 Challenge is an exciting opportunity to highlight some of the nation's top leaders who are moving ideas from the lab into the marketplace."

Entrepreneurs, investors, universities, foundations, and non-profits are encouraged to participate in the i6 Challenge. The deadline for applications is July 15, 2010.

"The i6 Challenge is exactly the type of interagency collaboration that can help advance President Obama's innovation agenda by supporting and rewarding innovative approaches to turning ideas into new products and businesses that help America compete in the global economy," Aneesh Chopra, U.S. Chief Technology Officer and Associate Director for Technology in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy said.

"EDA and the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship look forward to collaborating with the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation on this critical initiative," U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development John Fernandez said. "The winners of this competition will get the chance to turn their ideas into reality, accelerating technology commercialization and driving regional economic growth."

"Small businesses make vital economic and technological contributions to the innovation ecosystem," Thomas Peterson, NSF Assistant Director for Engineering said. "NSF supports small businesses — through its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs — to encourage advances in biotechnology, nanotechnology, IT, educational applications, and other areas of national importance. The i6 Challenge is a great opportunity to engage these groundbreaking companies in the innovation process at the regional level, and we look forward to partnering with the Department of Commerce."

"The i6 Challenge will help new biomedical technologies succeed and foster their entry into the marketplace," National Institutes of Health Director Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D said. "NIH supports small business through both its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. We welcome the opportunity to increase and accelerate technology commercialization across the United States through this partnership with the Department of Commerce."

Please go to www.eda.gov/i6 to learn more about the i6 Challenge and a conference call for potential applicants on May 17, 2010.

April 21, 2010

The Auto Industry a Year Later

Dear Friends,

I would like to share with you the web post below by Larry Summers, Director of the National Economic Council and Co-Chair of the White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers.

The post discusses today's good news that GM has repaid its $6.7 billion loan to the US Government and that Chrysler produced an operating profit in the first quarter of 2010. The accompanying report highlights some of the great changes we have seen in the auto industry over the last year, as GM and Chrysler have come back from the brink of collapse and we have seen 45,000 jobs added to the auto sector in the past 9 months. That's the fastest pace of growth in nearly a decade.

While progress has been made, our work is not done. The decline in the industry did not start with the recession and the full recovery will not occur overnight. While we celebrate today's news, our auto communities continue to need assistance finding new jobs for their workers, promoting growth in their businesses and supporting families. The Council looks forward to continuing its work with you to meet these needs.

Additionally, I want to notify you of the recent creation of www.autocommunities.gov, a web site dedicated to the activities and accomplishments of the White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers and its member agencies in the federal effort to assist America's automotive communities.

This web site, launched earlier this week, is in its earliest stages and will continue to be updated with helpful resources. I hope this will be yet another tool to assist your communities in your efforts toward recovery.

Sincerely,

Ed Montgomery

Executive Director, White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
Posted by Lawrence H. Summers

April 21, 2010

The Auto Industry a Year Later

What a difference a year makes. Just about a year ago, the American auto industry was on the brink of collapse. Today, General Motors announced that it has repaid its $6.7 billion loan to the U.S. government in full five years ahead of schedule, and Chrysler announced that, after taking one-time charges last year associated with its restructuring, it produced an operating profit in the first quarter of 2010 for the first time since the economic crisis began. The prospect of a faster than anticipated exit from government involvement and a return of most of the taxpayers' investment in these companies has materially improved.

This turnaround wasn't an accident of history. It was the result of considered and politically difficult decisions made by President Obama to provide GM and Chrysler — and indeed the auto industry — a lifeline, if they could demonstrate the will to reshape their businesses and chart a path toward long-term viability without ongoing government assistance.

In a new White House report, we look back at the distance that these companies and this industry have traveled over the past year. The conclusion I found most striking: In 2008, the American auto industry lost over 400,000 jobs and analysts estimated that at least 1 million more jobs could have been lost had GM and Chrysler liquidated. That didn't happen. Instead, over the past nine months since GM and Chrysler emerged from bankruptcy, the industry has actually added 45,000 jobs — the strongest pace of job growth in the auto industry in nearly a decade.

This industry and our economy have a long way yet to go to repair the damage from this recession and return to full health. But the distance these companies and the auto industry have traveled over the past year is a bright spot on the road to recovery.

Read the full report

Lawrence H. Summers is Director of the National Economic Council

April 21, 2010

Positive News for Indiana

Dear Community Leader,

On behalf of the White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers, I wanted to bring the announcement below to your attention.

On Wednesday April 21st, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis announced a second increment of a $3,531,000 National Emergency Grant supplemental award to continue to provide services to about 1,040 workers affected by layoffs in the recreational vehicle (RV) industry of Indiana. The funds were awarded to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, so it can continue the delivery of re-employment assistance to those workers included in this grant award.

The complete press release is included below. The news reflects the Administration's commitment to providing auto communities across the country with available resources that will lead towards improved economic conditions.

Best,

Jim McMullen

Deputy Director, Office of Recovery for Automotive Communities and Workers

April 21, 2010

US Department of Labor announces more than $3.5 million to continue to aid Indiana workers impacted by recreational vehicle industry layoffs

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor has announced a $3,531,000 National Emergency Grant increment to Indiana to provide services to about 1,040 workers affected by mass layoffs in the recreational vehicle industry across the state.

"Despite an economic recovery that is beginning to take hold, Indiana is suffering from the adverse effects of layoffs in its recreational vehicle industry," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "Today's grant increment is a significant step toward ensuring that these Hoosiers continue to receive the training and re-employment services that will help them transition into new jobs in local industries."

This second increment, awarded to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, will continue the delivery of re-employment assistance to the workers being served under this grant.

"Just weeks ago, I visited Elkhart and saw how federal investments were saving and creating jobs, and enabling local leaders and entrepreneurs to invest in local infrastructure, attract business and rebuild the local economy — brick by brick," said Dr. Ed Montgomery, executive director of the White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers. "The presence of a highly skilled and motivated workforce was central to these efforts. This National Emergency Grant is part of this administration's continuing effort to invest in Indiana's RV workers to help them get new jobs and build a new foundation for Indiana's working families."

On Sept. 10, 2008, a National Emergency Grant was approved for up to $10,395,000, with $3,531,000 released initially, to serve about 900 of the 2,284 workers affected by mass layoffs in the state's RV industry.

National Emergency Grants are part of the secretary of labor's discretionary fund and are awarded based on a state's ability to meet specific guidelines.

Learn more about National Emergency Grants

April 12, 2010

Webinar Tomorrow on EPA Area-Wide Planning Program

Dear friends,

As a follow up to our message last week about the EPA's new Brownfields Area-Wide Planning Pilot Program, I want to highlight two upcoming webinars on the program on April 13th and 19th.

As a reminder, this program will make available EPA grant funds and direct assistance for projects to facilitate community involvement in area-wide planning approaches to brownfields assessment, cleanup, and subsequent reuse. As opposed to focusing on a single brownfield site, this program is unique because it assists communities struggling to coordinate planning and redevelopment around a number of sites or one very large site. Over the last year we have seen how auto communities, as a result of the downturn in industry, struggle with this challenge of redeveloping multiple brownfield sites. In response to this need, our partners at EPA have created a program that will benefit auto communities and other communities struggling with this challenge.

We hope you take advantage of the upcoming webinars and learn more about this great new opportunity.

The first session will be TOMORROW, Tuesday, April 13, 2010 from 3:00-4:00 pm ET.

This session can accommodate up to 300 participants and is on a first-come, first-served basis. There is no pre-registration and participants can call in 15 minutes before the start time.

The audio portion will be accessible via telephone:

Dial-In Number:1-877-220-5073; Conference ID # 68043857

View the video portion

A second session will be on April 19, 2010 from 3:00-4:00pm ET.

This session can accommodate up to 125 participants and will also be a first-come, first-served basis.

The audio portion will be accessible via telephone:

Dial-In Number 1-866-299-3188; Access Code 202 566 0633#

We hope you take advantage of this great opportunity to learn more about this new resource for auto communities.

Best,

Ed Montgomery

Executive Director

White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers

April 7, 2010

New EPA Pilot Program of Interest to Your Community

Dear friends,

We want to spotlight a new federal program currently accepting applications: the Environmental Protection Agency's Brownfields Area-Wide Planning Pilot Program.

The Brownfields Area-Wide Planning Pilot program will make available EPA grant funds and direct assistance (through Agency contract support) for projects from eligible entities to facilitate community involvement in area-wide planning approaches to brownfields assessment, cleanup, and subsequent reuse.

As opposed to focusing on a single brownfield site, this program is unique because it assists communities struggling to coordinate planning and redevelopment around a number of sites or one very large site. Over the last year I and my partners at EPA have seen how auto communities, as a result of the downturn in industry, struggle with this challenge of redeveloping multiple brownfield sites. This program will uniquely benefit auto communities and other communities struggling with this challenge.

Area-wide planning grant funding and technical assistance will be directed to brownfields-impacted areas, such as a neighborhood, district, city block or corridor. The grant funding and direct assistance will result in an area-wide plan which will inform the assessment, cleanup and reuse of brownfields properties and promote area-wide revitalization.

The maximum total amount of grant funding that applicants may apply for is $175,000 for the entire project period. Applicants may apply for project periods of up to 24 months. Applicants may apply for both grant funding and direct contract support in the same proposal but the total amount of assistance must not exceed $175,000.

The total estimated EPA assistance available under this competitive opportunity is up to approximately $3,500,000, subject to the availability of funds, quality of proposals received, other applicable considerations, and the type of assistance the Agency provides.

EPA anticipates selecting approximately 20 pilot projects through this competitive opportunity.

The closing date and time for receipt of proposals is June 1, 2010, 5:00p.m. Eastern Time (ET).

Proposals submitted through email to bfcompetition@epa.gov must be received by June 1, 2010, 5:00 p.m. ET. Proposals submitted in hard copy must be postmarked by the U.S. Postal Service or received in the EPA program office via commercial delivery service by June 1, 2010, 5:00 pm ET to receive consideration.

View the full Brownfields Area-Wide Planning Pilot Program Request for Proposal

I hope your community will take advantage of this great opportunity.

Best,

Ed Montgomery

Executive Director, White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers

March 25, 2010

New Department of Labor Grant Opportunity

Dear Partners,

We want to make sure you know about a solicitation for grant applications recently released by the US Department of Labor (DOL).

On March 15th, DOL announced the availability of approximately $125 million for Community-Based Job Training Grants (CBJTG). These competitively awarded grants will support training programs for high-growth/high-demand industries. Specifically, grants may be used for education or training targeted to incumbent workers, dislocated workers or unemployed workers that leads to a recognized credential such as an educational degree, an occupational license, or an industry sponsored certification. To ensure that training results in job placement, all training curriculum will have to be matched to employment opportunities currently available or which will be available during the period of the grant.

Eligible applicants include:

an individual Community or Technical College, such as a public community college, a nonprofit community college, a tribally controlled college, or a tribally controlled university;
a Community College District;
a State Community College System;
a One-Stop Career Center in partnership with its Local Workforce Investment Board, that specifies one or more community or technical colleges where education/training activities will occur; or
an applicant proposing to serve an educationally underserved community without access to community or technical colleges.

Grants will range generally from $1 million to $3 million, though "consortium applications" from three or more eligible applicants may request up to $5 million. To encourage new applicants, approximately $50 million of the total funds will be awarded to organizations that have never received a CBJTG.

The closing date for applications is April 29, 2010. Interested parties can review the application instructions in the March 15, 2010.

View the Federal Register

A pre-recorded Webinar describing the Department of Labor grant application process will be on-line and accessible for viewing on April 6, 2010, and will be available for viewing any time after that date.

The Department of Labor has also put together a web-based toolkit and other resources for seasoned and first-time grant applicants that can help organizations navigate the federal grant application process.

View the tools

If you have any questions regarding this program, please feel free to contact Eric Johnson in my office at Johnson.Eric.R@dol.gov or Janice Sheelor, Grants Management Specialist, Division of Federal Assistance, at (202) 693 — 3538 (This is not a toll-free number). Applicants should e-mail all technical questions to Sheelor.Janice@dol.gov and must specifically reference SGA/DFA PY 09 — 07. Please include a contact name, fax and phone number with the questions. This announcement is being made available on the ETA Web site at http://www.doleta.gov/grants/ and at http://www.grants.gov.

Best,

Ed Montgomery

Executive Director, White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers

March 3, 2010

White House Council Trip to Ohio

Dear partners,

I want to update you on an important trip I made to Ohio last week.

Last Wednesday I traveled with a team of partner agencies from the White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers to Moraine, Ohio. Moraine, the subject of the Academy Award nominated documentary "The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant" was home to a GM Assembly Plant that closed in December of 2008.

In the months leading up to the closure, Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA) awarded the community and a coalition of partners a grant to put together a Community Economic Development Strategy (or CEDS) that would be the basis of future economic development efforts. The CEDS was rolled out at the end of January and I brought our federal partners to Moraine last week to get briefed on the plan and identify ways the federal government can support it. We were joined in our discussion by Governor Strickland and key members of his Administration.

Like similar past meetings in communities across Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Missouri, California and Delaware, the meeting was an excellent opportunity for federal agencies to come together and learn more about the unique challenges the community is facing and the local assets they are building on to transform their economy. In the coming weeks, our office will be working with the community to identify specific next steps in their work with federal agencies.

Here are some press clippings from the Moraine visit:

WKEF ABC 22/ WRGT Fox 45 TV News "Car Czar Visits Moraine"

Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2010

Times Community Papers of Greater Dayton (Paul Collins) "White House official says Moraine can best chart its recovery"

Thursday, Feb. 25, 2010

While in Montgomery County, we also stopped by Dayton's Tech Town site, an anchor institution in their local economic development strategy, to tour the facility and hear about local efforts to attract and support entrepreneurs, especially in the Aerospace and Aviation and Materials and Sensors arenas. Dayton, the birthplace of aviation and home to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, has such a strong history of innovation and it was exciting to see them draw on this expertise to propel their local economy forward. While there I was happy to highlight some recent technical assistance and investments by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that are helping to move their redevelopment project forward.

Here is some of the press coverage of our Dayton visit:

Dayton Daily News (Thomas Gnau) "EPA change saves Dayton millions"

Thursday, Feb. 25, 2010

WHIO Ohio News Network 7 TV News (Danielle Elias) "Tech Town Development Gets Boost"

Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2010

Visits like last week's to Moraine and Dayton help reinforce the key role of federal investments like EDA and EPA's in communities like Moraine and Dayton. My team looks forward to continuing our work with Moraine and other auto communities as they seek to carve out a path forward.

Best,

Ed Montgomery

Executive Director

White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers

March 2, 2010

Funding Opportunity Announcement Highlight: Energy Regional Innovation Cluster

Dear friends,

We want to spotlight a new several agency initiative currently accepting applications: the Energy Regional Innovation Cluster (E-RIC).

Seven federal agencies issued a combined Funding Opportunity Announcement of up to $129.7 million over five years to create a regional research center that will develop new building efficiency technologies and work with local partners to implement the technologies in area buildings.

This Energy Innovation Hub is one of three funded by Congress in the FY10 budget and will bring together a multidisciplinary team of researchers, ideally working under one roof, to conduct research and work to solve priority technology challenges that span work from basic research to engineering development to commercialization readiness.

The seven federal agencies involved are the Department of Energy, Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration, Department of Commerce's Manufacturing Extension Partnership, Small Business Administration, National Science Foundation, Department of Labor and Department of Education. The agencies are working together to leverage funding and resources to promote regional growth centered around an Energy Innovation Hub focused on developing new technologies to improve the design of energy-efficient building systems.

Through this opportunity, the Department of Energy is providing up to $22 million for this project in the first year, with up to $100 million over the next four years. To encourage regional cooperation, the Department of Commerce's (DOC) Economic Development Administration will make available up to $3 million in Public Works and Economic Development funds and up to $2 million in Economic Adjustment Assistance funds for the winning Proposal. The DOC Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) will make available up to $500,000 for a one-year award, with the possibility of renewal for up to two additional years, to support the services of an existing DOC-funded MEP center. The Small Business Administration (SBA) will make available up to $300,000 in the first year, with three one-year options for renewal grants up to $300,000 per year, available to provide the services of an existing SBA-funded Small Business Development Center to the Regional Innovation Cluster.

Current National Science Foundation (NSF) award recipients who are also co-applicants or ERIC partners of the winning consortium will be able to apply for supplemental funding from NSF through existing programs, particularly those designed for the training of students who will be the future leaders in sustainable energy. The Department of Labor will support linkages between E-RIC funding and existing Workforce Investment Act and grant-funded programs to help develop the skilled workforce needed for the cluster to grow and prosper. The Department of Energy will provide the technical assistance as appropriate to help E-RIC partners determine how to facilitate the Consortium's objectives through the allowable uses of funds under the E-RIC partners' existing formula grants and sub-grants.

Learn more about the Energy Regional Innovation Cluster

One Hub will be selected for this multi-agency effort. The deadline for full applications under the program is May 6, 2010 by no later than 5pm Eastern Time.

Best,

Ed Montgomery

Executive Director

White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers

February 18, 2010

Department of Transportation Announces Funding for Over 50 Innovative, Strategic Transportation Projects through Landmark Competitive TIGER

Dear Community Leader,

On behalf of the White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers, I wanted to bring the announcement below to your attention.

On Wednesday, February 17th, Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood announced funding for over 50 innovative, strategic transportation projects through the landmark competitive TIGER program. These Recovery Act-funded projects will create jobs and spur lasting economic growth.

Some of these projects will benefit Auto Communities in states such as Indiana, Ohio, and California. A brief description of some of those projects include:

Indianapolis Bicycle & Pedestrian Network: $20,500,000

The project will complete the eight-mile urban bicycle and pedestrian network in the heart of downtown Indianapolis. The network will connect the downtown districts of Mass Avenue, Indiana Avenue, the Canal Walk, White River State Park, the Wholesale District, and Fountain Square along with many other commercial and business destinations.

Kent Central Gateway Multimodal Transit Facility: $20,000,000

The project will construct a new bus transfer facility in downtown Kent with parking spaces to support planned development. The facility will include commercial space and bicycle storage to improve transit accessibility in Kent and linkages to Cleveland and Akron.

Alameda Corridor East: Colton Crossing: $33,800,000

The project eliminates the mainline at-grade rail crossing of the Union Pacific Railroad and the BNSF Railway at Colton in San Bernardino County. This crossing is on the major east-west corridor for each of the two carriers, and at its peak in 2006 the crossing handled 129 trains a day. The trains that wait and queue behind the crossing create a major choke point for traffic moving to and from Southern California.

Best,

Jim McMullen

Deputy Director, Office of Recovery for Automotive Communities and Workers

DOT 30-10
February 17, 2010
Contact: Cathy St. Denis
Tel.: 202-366-4570

Secretary LaHood Announces Funding for Over 50 Innovative, Strategic Transportation Projects through Landmark Competitive TIGER Program

Recovery Act-Funded Projects Will Create Jobs, Spur Lasting Economic Growth

KANSAS CITY, MO - One year to the day after President Obama signed the historic American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) into law, Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood will announce Recovery Act awards to states, tribal governments, cities, counties and transit agencies across the country to fund 51 innovative transportation projects.

The TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) Discretionary Grant Program was included in the Recovery Act to spur a national competition for innovative, multi-modal and multi-jurisdictional transportation projects that promise significant economic and environmental benefits to an entire metropolitan area, a region or the nation. Projects funded with the $1.5 billion allocated in the Recovery Act include improvements to roads, bridges, rail, ports, transit and intermodal facilities.

In an overwhelming show of demand for the program, the U.S. Department of Transportation was flooded with more than 1,400 applications from all 50 states, territories and the District of Columbia requesting funding for almost $60 billion worth of projects — 40 times the amount available through the program.

"TIGER grants will tackle the kind of major transportation projects that have been difficult to build under other funding programs," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "This will help us meet the 21st century challenges of improving the environment, making our communities more livable and enhancing safety, all while creating jobs and growing the economy."

The projects announced today will create jobs and spur lasting economic growth, reduce gridlock for the traveling public, and provide Americans with more safe, affordable and environmentally sustainable transportation choices. They will also help factories, farms and businesses across the U.S. move goods more efficiently and better compete in the global economy. Sixty percent of the funding will go to economically distressed areas, which are home to 39 percent of the U.S. population.

Awardees were selected based on their contribution to economic competitiveness of the nation, improving safety and the condition of the existing transportation system, increasing quality of life, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and demonstrating strong collaboration among a broad range of participants, including the private sector.

Projects were funded in large cities as well as rural and tribal communities across the country and were selected based on merit. Selected projects represent some of the most innovative projects as well as multi-modal, multi-jurisdictional projects that are often overlooked by the existing funding system. The winning TIGER projects highlighted the diversity of transportation needs throughout the U.S. from grand Moynihan Station in New York City, which will carry millions of train and subway riders each year to "the most beautiful drive in America" — Wyoming's Beartooth Highway — the gateway to Yellowstone National Park. They ranged from major billion dollar freight rail corridors in the Midwest and South, to bridge repairs in Oklahoma and South Carolina to port projects in Maine and Hawaii.

TIGER funds will also help construct the Union Passenger Terminal/Loyola Streetcar Loop in New Orleans, make safety improvements to a key highway in New Mexico Navajo country and spur economic growth in Appalachia through the Appalachian Regional Short Line Rail Project and the Gateway Project.

The U.S. Department of Transportation required rigorous economic justifications for projects more than $100 million and will require all recipients to report on their activities on a routine basis.

View the complete list of recipients

February 5, 2010

Support for Auto Communities in FY 2011 Budget

Dear Friends,

On Monday the President released his 2011 Budget.

As you know, members of the White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers and I have spent the last year traveling the country to meet with leaders and workers in auto communities. We've toured plants, met with suppliers and talked with you about your communities' biggest challenges and the kind of support you need and want from the federal government.

I am happy to say that your input is well reflected in the 2011 Budget. Attached is a fact sheet we have put together outlining some of the programs in the Budget that we think will particularly help your communities.

We look forward to working with you in the year ahead and, as always, encourage you to contact the State Coordinator for your state with any questions (contact information is listed below).

Best,

Ed Montgomery

Executive Director

White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers

If you are not sure who your state coordinator is, please refer to our State Coordinators page.

* If you do not see your state listed, please contact any of our coordinators.