08.27.2009: Ohio Department of Agriculture to Accept Aquaculture Grant Applications
08.27.2009: Governor Strickland Applauds Recovery Act Investment in the Ohio Advanced Transportation Partnership
08.27.2009: Patt-McDaniel, Shanahan Announce State Energy Program Opportunity
08.27.2009: Secretary Vilsack Announces $54 Million for Community Facilities Projects in Rural Areas
08.27.2009: Secretary LaHood Announces $1.3 Billion for State and Local Transit Systems
08.27.2009: U.S. Department of Transportation Announces Small Shipyard Grants
08.27.2009: Secretary Vilsack Announces Funding for Forest Service Projects
08.27.2009: Competitive Grant Announcements
08.27.2009: EPA Announces Nearly $7 Million for Site Cleanup Training
08.27.2009: EPA Announces $55 million for Contaminated Land Clean Up
08.27.2009: Secretary Duncan Announces Acceleration of Stimulus Spending
08.21.2009: U.S. Department of Energy Announces $37 Million for Small Business Research and Technology
08.19.2009: eTech Ohio and the Ohio Department of Education Announce ARRA Title II-D Competitive Grant Award Recipients
08.14.2009: Understanding Recovery Act Bonds: An Overview
08.14.2009: Ohio to Receive $1.2 Million in Federal Stimulus Funds for Grid Emergency Preparedness
08.12.2009: State Awarded $1.8 Million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Funds for Brownfield Redevelopment
08.11.2009: ODPS Announces American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Grants for Criminal Justice and Public Safety Programs
08.11.2009: Grants.gov is Hosting a Webinar Series on Finding and Applying for ARRA Money
08.10.2009: Agriculture Secretary Announces over $15 million for Rural Business Development
08.10.2009: Agriculture Secretary Announces $58 million for Community Facilities Projects
08.03.2009: U.S. Department of Labor Announces Grant for Health Care Jobs
08.03.2009: U.S. Department of Education Funding Criteria Released
Columbus, Ohio – Ohio's fish farmers can now apply for their portion of $63,202 in reimbursements through the Ohio Department of Agriculture's Aquaculture Grant Program. The program will assist producers who suffered financial losses associated with high feed costs. A training seminar for interested, eligible applicants will be held Sept. 11 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Ohio Department of Agriculture, Seminar Room A, 8995 E. Main St., Reynoldsburg.
This training session is open to the public and will assist anyone interested in putting together an application. Department staff will go through the application step-by-step and answer questions potential applicants may have.
Aquaculture producers eligible for reimbursement funds include those who experienced a 25 percent increase in feed costs for the 2008 calendar year. Eligible aquaculture species include: sunfish (bluegill, hybrids), yellow perch, largemouth bass, striped bass, trout, salmon, catfish, tilapia, carp, goldfish, koi, amus, baitfish (minnow, shiners), freshwater shrimp, and crayfish. Funding for this program is made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Applications must be received by the Ohio Department of Agriculture no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, September 18, 2009. They may be mailed or hand-delivered to the Ohio Department of Agriculture, 8995 East Main Street, Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068, to the attention of Jeff Kalbus.
All funds will be distributed to eligible producers by early November.
For more information, contact the Ohio Department of Agriculture at 614-728-2620. For a copy of the guidelines and application, visit www.agri.ohio.gov.
Top | More Department of Agriculture Press Releases
Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland released the following statement in response to Vice President Joe Biden's announcement that the Obama Administration will invest over $11 million dollars in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act resources in the Ohio Advanced Transportation Partnership:
"I want to thank Vice President Biden and Energy Secretary Steven Chu for their leadership and commitment to investing in a cleaner, more sustainable infrastructure while creating jobs in Ohio." "These critical Recovery Act resources will help put over 250 advanced energy vehicles on our roadways and build refueling stations across Ohio that will reduce our petroleum consumption by 875,000 gallons a year."
Top | More Governor's Office Press Releases
Columbus, Ohio – Lisa Patt-McDaniel, interim director of the Ohio Department of Development, and Mark Shanahan, energy advisor to Governor Ted Strickland, today announced that the Ohio Department of Development's Ohio Energy Office is accepting applications for $14 million in funding available through the Deploying Renewable Energy: Wind and Solar grant program. This announcement marks the first set of renewable energy grants to be funded through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) in Ohio.
"Ohio has demonstrated a potential to realize significant job growth by deploying renewable energy derived from wind and solar installations," Patt-McDaniel said. "Combined with the aggressive pursuit of energy efficiency through the Recovery Act, Ohio is well-positioned to meet the goals set forth in Governor Ted Strickland's Advanced Energy Portfolio Standard."
The grant program is part of Ohio's $96 million proposal for the State Energy Program that was accepted on June 26, 2009 by the U.S. Department of Energy. This prompted the release of Recovery Act funds to the state for direct funding of eligible energy projects.
"These grants are a great opportunity to meet the growing interest and use of wind and solar energy across the state," Shanahan said. "By investing in these new technologies, we will create jobs in a growing industry and position Ohio for economic development and future success."
Deploying Renewable Energy: Wind and Solar, a $14 million program, seeks eligible applicants including individuals, partnerships, companies, and entities that meet the minimum size and other requirements listed in the request for proposal for the installation of qualified solar electric, solar thermal and wind electric technologies. Projects that involve third-party ownership and financing arrangements are also eligible to apply.
Awards will range between $250,000 and $1 million and will be selected through a competitive process. All eligible projects must be located within the State of Ohio, include a match investment of a minimum of 50 percent of total costs, demonstrate completion within 12 months, and provide direct economic impacts in Ohio.
Interested applicants must submit a one-page project proposal no later than 5:00 p.m. on September, 21, 2009, at recovery.ohio.gov/opportunities/state/. If you have already submitted a proposal at you will not be required to submit again. To submit forms on the website, applicants should click "submit your proposal", then choose the program category "Energy and Environment" and the subprogram "State Energy Program". Only projects that have submitted initial proposals to recovery.ohio.gov will be considered for formal proposals in response to this request.
Applications are due to the Ohio Energy Office by 3 p.m. on Friday, September 25, 2009.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act State Energy Program will accelerate the goals of renewable energy development in Ohio, including job preservation or creation, increased energy efficiency, and energy assistance to Ohioans impacted by current economic conditions.
For more information about the Deploying Renewable Energy: Wind and Solar grant program and requirements, please visit: development.ohio.gov/recovery/FundingOpportunities.htm.
Top | More Department of Development Press Releases
U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announces $54 million in Recovery Act community facilities projects in rural areas. Projects were awarded in 24 states. USDA has announced almost $234 million for community facilities projects to date. Muskingum Valley Health Centers, Ohio received a $2,304,000 loan, as part of this program.
More information about USDA Rural Development can be found at www.rurdev.usda.gov.
U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced 132 grants, totaling $1.3 billion in Recovery Act funds, to improve state and local transit systems. Ohio received $19.6 million of these grants. The majority of these grants will be used to purchase new vehicles, increase safety and security initiatives, construct, rehabilitate or maintain the various transit systems.
The following projects in Ohio received grants:
More information can be viewed at: www.fta.dot.gov/news/news_events_7963.html.
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced 70 grants totaling $98 million funded through the Recovery Act. These grants are aimed at improving small shipyards and are awarded through the Maritime Administration's Assistance to Small Shipyards program. Ohio received two grants under this program:
For more information on this program, please visit: www.marad.dot.gov/about_us_landing_page/marad_recovery_act/recovery.htm.
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsak announced $94 million for Forest Service projects in 36 states, funded by the Recovery Act. These projects will help restore natural resources and enhance public safety and health. To date, USDA has announced $1.03 billion of the $ 1.15 billion funds authorized for Forest Service projects through the Recovery Act. Ohio received funds in the following categories:
More information about Forest Service economic recovery projects can be found at fs.usda.gov/recovery.
The U.S Department of the Treasury and the U.S. Department of Energy announced $2.3 billion in tax credits through the Recovery Act for manufacturers of advanced energy equipment. Manufacturers producing solar, wind, and geothermal energy equipment; fuel cells, microturbines, and batteries; electric cars; electric grids to support the transmission of renewable energy; energy conservation technologies; and equipment that captures and sequesters carbon dioxide or reduces greenhouse gas emissions are eligible for a 30 perfect tax credit. The tax credit is available for two years, or until the cap of $2.3 billion is reached.
To view the program summary and guidance for applying for the tax credit, please visit www.energy.gov/recovery/48C.htm.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced $ 8.1 million in loan repayments for nurses who practice in facilities with critical shortages and $5.3 million for nursing schools to provide loans to students to become nurse faculty. The entire release can be viewed at: www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/08/20090812a.html.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced over $6.8 million in Recovery Act investments to train workers to clean up "brownfields" sites (locations that may be contaminated by hazardous chemicals or pollutants that can be restored to productive properties). This program will award up to $500,000 each to government entities and non-profit organizations in eight states, including Ohio. For more information on the EPA Brownfields program, visit: www.epa.gov/brownfields/eparecovery/index.htm.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator has announced $55 million in supplemental funding for cleanup efforts at brownfields sites. The funds include revolving loans and subgrants with the ultimate goals of job creation and site redevelopment. The EPA has designated 450,000 abandoned and contaminated sites nationwide, including many in Ohio. For more information on the brownfields program, visit: www.epa.gov/brownfields/eparecovery/index.htm.
U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced the acceleration of stimulus spending by making $11.37 billion in Recovery Act Title I, Special Education and Vocational Rehabilitation funds available on or around September 1, 2009. The entire press release can be viewed at: www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2009/08/08032009.html.
Marietta, Ohio – Governor Ted Strickland and Lisa Patt-McDaniel, interim director of the Ohio Department of Development, today announced that 24 Ohio communities will receive a total of $12.9 million in funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG-R) Program . The funds are being allocated to local governments to improve water and sanitary sewer infrastructures.
"Infrastructure improvements improve quality of life, economic development opportunities and the region's ability to attract new business investment," Strickland said. "They also help ensure that our communities are providing residents with safe and reliable sources of water and sanitary sewer systems. Most importantly, they are putting Ohioans to work."
The Department of Development's Community Development Division and its Office of Housing and Community Partnerships awarded the funds to non-entitlement communities that submitted an application online based on the rating criteria established for the Department's Water and Sanitary Sewer Program. Non-entitlement communities include villages, cities with populations less than 50,000, and counties with populations less than 200,000.
"Reliable wastewater and sewer services are essential for Ohio's residents to maintain a high quality of life," said Patt-McDaniel. "The program funds will help install sanitary sewer lines, treat waste, help low- and moderate-income citizens connect to improved wastewater systems, and help communities meet Ohio EPA standards."
Additionally, to receive funding, projects committed to proceeding within 120 days and providing water and/or sanitary sewer service to primarily residential users (minimum 60 percent of total users). Eligible on-site improvements include service laterals, septic tanks, and Community Development Block Grant Program eligible related fees.
The Ohio Community Development Block Grant-R Program award recipients are:
| County | Award Recipient | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Adams | Adams County | $600,000 |
| Ashtabula | Ashtabula County | 460,000 |
| Belmont | Barnesville Village | 500,000 |
| Darke | Darke County | 600,000 |
| Darke | Darke County | 600,000 |
| Gallia | Gallia County | 500,000 |
| Hardin | Village of Dunkirk | 600,000 |
| Henry | Village of Deshler | 500,000 |
| Logan | Village of Russells Point | 500,000 |
| Meigs | Meigs County | 500,000 |
| Meigs | Village of Racine | 422,400 |
| Mercer | Mercer County | 600,000 |
| Miami | Miami County | 440,000 |
| Miami | Miami County | 250,000 |
| Miami | Miami County | 600,000 |
| Muskingum | Village of Frazeysburg | 260,000 |
| Noble | Noble County | 600,000 |
| Perry | Village of Roseville | 500,000 |
| Perry | Village of Shawnee | 455,700 |
| Pike | Pike County | 600,000 |
| Richland | Village of Plymouth | 500,000 |
| Trumbull | Trumbull County | 600,000 |
| Washington | Washington County | 402,700 |
| Williams | Williams County | 600,000 |
| TOTAL | $12,190,800 |
*The difference between the $12.9 million awarded to the state and the total listed above is allocated for administrative costs.
In addition to the State of Ohio's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Community Development Block Grant Program allocation, 43 Ohio communities received a direct allocation totaling $29.9 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. For a list of federal direct allocations, visit hud.gov/recovery.
Top | More Department of Development Press Releases
Washington, DC – U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced today that $37 million in funding from the Recovery Act will be made available to qualified small businesses through the Department's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. Today's funding announcement emphasizes the Department's commitment to developing near-term, clean energy technologies while allowing small businesses take part in the new industrial revolution that the sustainable energy economy will bring.
"Small businesses are engines of job creation and innovation, and we need their ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit to drive a clean energy economy," said Secretary Chu. "By helping small businesses bring clean technologies to market, we can create jobs, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and reduce carbon pollution."
DOE's SBIR/STTR programs target U.S. companies with fewer than 500 employees. Small businesses with strong research capabilities in science or engineering are encouraged to apply. Applications are currently being accepted for topic areas related to improving energy efficiency including:
The deadline for submission of applications is September 4, 2009, at 8:00 p.m. EST. Approximately $8.5 million is expected to be available for new Phase I awards. Successful applicants may receive up to $150,000 for a Phase I grant for a period of six months to demonstrate the feasibility of the ideas that appear to have commercial potential.
View more information about DOE's SBIR and STTR programs.
Columbus, Ohio – eTech Ohio and the Ohio Department of Education are pleased to announce the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Title II-D Competitive Grant recipients for the 2009-2010 school year. This grant focuses primarily on Professional Development and Student Learning. The awarded funds will assist schools that are ready and willing to embrace a change that is required in today's 21st century classroom.
The ARRA grant (Public Law 111-5) provides $10 billion nationally in new funding for programs under Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965. The ARRA grant will provide states $650 million for Education Technology State grants, which fall under the statutes of the Title II-D Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT) program. Ohio is to receive approximately $23.9 million under the ARRA Title II-D grant. This competitive grant provides approximately $11.8 million to awarded schools in Ohio for school year 2009-2010.
Through sustained, collaborative, job-embedded professional development and the use of research-based methods, school teams from each awarded building will experience new models and strategies for teaching and learning. Teachers will become facilitators and co-learners and create technology-enabled learning environments in which students will meet or exceed the state academic content standards and develop 21st century skills.
For a complete list of grant recipients, please visit our website at www.etech.ohio.gov/go/arra.
Top | More eTech Ohio Press Releases
Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Department of Development Interim Director Lisa Patt-McDaniel and Public Utilities Commission of Ohio Chairman Alan R. Schriber announced today that Ohio will receive approximately $1.2 million in funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to improve Ohio's state energy assurance and emergency preparedness plans and to help reduce recovery times from energy supply disruptions.
"Maintaining a consistent and effective energy supply is important for the safety of Ohio's businesses and residents," said Patt-McDaniel. "These funds will enable Ohio to enhance its ability to respond to potentially damaging incidents and better prepare us to incorporate renewable energy sources into our grid."
In May 2008, Governor Ted Strickland signed Senate Bill 221 into law that establishes new alternative energy portfolio standards and encourages the development and implementation of advanced metering infrastructure, also known as Smart Grid. Ohio applied to the program and received these funds through a formula-based allocation by the United States Department of Energy through the Recovery Act of 2009. Ohio will use the funds to update and integrate new energy resources and Smart Grid capabilities into energy emergency response and energy assurance plans.
"Emergency response and energy assurance planning is critical to Ohio," Schriber stated. "These funds will assist Ohio's agencies in developing comprehensive energy assurance plans that incorporate our new alternative energy portfolio standards and both the capabilities and vulnerabilities of Smart Grid technology."
Ohio will refine existing emergency response plans for energy supply disruption risks and vulnerabilities to lessen the significant impact that such incidents can have on the economy and the health and safety of Ohioans. Ohio will modernize the processes for tracking energy emergencies and assessing restoration and recovery times of supply disruptions; train appropriate personnel on energy infrastructure and supply systems, including Smart Grid applications and vulnerabilities; and conduct and participate in state and regional energy emergency exercises to evaluate the effectiveness of the energy assurance plan.
Energy assurance support will also help Ohio address cyber security concerns and develop regional energy assurance capability to improve coordination and communication among states on energy security, reliability and emergency response issues. Ohio agencies will coordinate best practices to build both state-level and regional resiliency for the grid.
Top | More Department of Development Press Releases
Columbus, Ohio – Lisa Patt-McDaniel, interim director of the Ohio Department of Development, today announced that the state will receive $1.8 million in additional funding for the Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund Program through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
"Investments in brownfield redevelopment have a direct economic and environmental impact and provide our communities with lasting benefits," said Patt-McDaniel. "These American Recovery and Reinvestment funds are critical in not only cleaning up contaminated sites and improving the health and quality of life for Ohioans, but also create good jobs for our citizens."
The funds, administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, will be allocated to government entities and nonprofit organizations to provide subgrants up to $200,000 per shovel-ready project to assist with environmental cleanup. Distribution of funds is expected to begin in November and continue over the next two years.
The Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund, administered by the Ohio Department of Development's Urban Development Division, offers below-market rate loans to assist with the remediation of a brownfield property to return it to a productive economic use in the community. Properties receiving assistance from the Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund must have been contaminated from hazardous substances.
"Ohio's brownfield activities are vital in helping to create and sustain economic growth in our communities," said William Murdock, director of the Department's Urban Development Division. "Our Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund has leveraged $24 million in public and private cleanup and has created more than 200 jobs."
For American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency required applicants to submit a list of shovel-ready projects. The Urban Development Division developed a list of potential projects from Ohio communities already registered on the Recovery.ohio.gov Web site along with projects from Ohio brownfield stakeholders. Guidance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regarding the distribution of funds is expected in late fall.
Project funding is prioritized for historic buildings in need of asbestos abatement. To be eligible for Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund Program funding, projects must create and/or retain jobs. Grantees must own the entire project property that has contamination on the site prohibiting redevelopment, and pass all appropriate inquiry stipulations for eligibility. To view all appropriate inquiry stipulations, visit http://epa.gov/brownfields/aai/aai_final_factsheet.pdf. PDF
In addition, projects must have financing for the entire remediation. More information will be released as it becomes available.
To date, the state has received more than $10 million in Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund Program funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund Program is directed at the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act's goals: to create and preserve jobs, promote economic recovery, and assist those most impacted by the recession. For more information about the American Recovery and Investment Act and the Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund Program, visit recovery.ohio.gov.
Top | More Department of Development Press Releases
Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Department of Public Safety Director Henry Guzmán announced the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services (OCJS) awarded $33.8 million in economic stimulus funds through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to support more than 380 criminal justice projects across the state.
"This announcement represents a significant investment in Ohio's communities, which depend daily upon the services provided by local law enforcement and criminal justice agencies," Guzmán said. "The need for these services is greater than ever, and these federal stimulus funds will keep Ohioans working and our communities safe."
Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) ARRA Program grants totaling $29,461,744 will support activities to prevent and control crime and improve the criminal justice system. Program areas of concentration that have been established by federal grant guidelines for JAG funds include: law enforcement and multi-jurisdictional task forces; prevention and education; corrections and community corrections; prosecution, court and victim services; research evaluation and technology improvement; and law enforcement equipment.
Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) ARRA Program grants totaling $4,336,299 will aid victim service providers, law enforcement and prosecutors in efforts to improve the criminal justice system's response to violence against women as well as strengthen law enforcement and prosecution strategies to combat these crimes. Grants provide personnel, equipment, training and educational opportunities, technical assistance and information systems for victim service providers, law enforcement, prosecution, and court personnel throughout the state.
The project selection process included a compliance review to verify eligibility, the history of the applying agency in submitting required reports and audits and the proposal's budget. Applications were also reviewed and scored by an outside team of subject matter experts selected for each of the program areas before going through a final review by in-house subject matter experts and executive staff. Special emphasis was placed on projects that seek to create and/or retain jobs in Ohio's criminal justice system.
A full list of Ohio's ARRA funded criminal justice projects and other information about the state's ARRA public safety investments can be viewed at http://publicsafety.ohio.gov/odps_ocjs/index.stm.
"Grant programs such as these support community initiatives aimed at enhancing public safety, making an important difference in Ohio's efforts to reduce crime and violence," said OCJS Director Karhlton Moore.
OCJS is administering a total of $38 million in JAG funding and $4 million in VAWA funding from the ARRA. The ARRA funds have given Ohio an opportunity to direct funds toward prisoner re-entry programs. A separate Request for Proposal (RFP) will be released this fall with an additional $5 million in ARRA JAG funding that will concentrate on re-entry. More details of this RFP will be released at a later date.
Top | More Department of Public Safety Press Releases
Grants.gov is hosting a webinar series on finding and applying for ARRA money on Grants.gov. Webinars include:
Details on and registration for the series are available at: http://www.grants.gov/applicants/recovery_webinar.jsp
U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tim Vilsack has announced 145 rural business development projects, including three in Ohio. The nationwide total for these projects is $153 million, which is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in the form of start-up cost coverage and capital loans. Each of these projects was also encouraged to seek funding from outside sources, which to date has totaled $16 million, more than doubling their available funding when added to the Recovery Act funds.
The Ohio applicants receiving project funding are:
For additional information, please visit www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/busp/rbeg.htm
U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced $58 million in Recovery Act funding for projects to construct, improve, and expand medical and community centers, assisted-living facilities, and housing for teachers. In addition to the $58 million from the Recovery Act, these 102 projects will be funded from outside sources obtained by the applicants. Successful applicants in Ohio include:
More information about this program can be found at www.rurdev.usda.gov
Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland today applauded the Obama administration for the announcement that two businesses, TOXCO, Inc. and BASF have Ohio projects that are among 48 across the country that will receive federal stimulus grants for advanced battery and electrical vehicle manufacturing.
The two projects, which will be located in Lancaster and Elyria, are part of a $2.4 billion highly competitive grant program managed by the Ohio Department of Energy and created under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act – Electric Drive Vehicle Battery and Component Manufacturing Initiative.
"These investments will boost our economy by creating clean energy jobs and helping revitalize the manufacturing sector of our state," Strickland said. "I am grateful to President Barack Obama and members of the Ohio Congressional delegation for including an investment in new battery technologies in the federal stimulus package. In particular, Congresswoman Betty Sutton was a leader in advocating for the new BASF facility in her congressional district. These investments will benefit our economy and environment. I look forward to working with both companies as they grow and expand in Ohio."
BASF, the world's leading chemical company, will receive a $24.6 million grant to be used for the construction of a new lithium-ion battery materials production facility in Elyria.
"BASF's production of lithium-ion battery materials in Elyria will boost Ohio's historically robust auto industry and benefit our environment through the production of more fuel efficient vehicles," Strickland said. "I have no doubt that BASF will find a skilled, dedicated workforce in Lorain County, as well as the support and collaboration from the State of Ohio that will allow them to grow and be successful here."
TOXCO, Inc. will receive $9.5 million for the construction of a new plant adjacent to its existing Lancaster facility. This plant will utilize state-of-the-art technology for refurbishing and recycling batteries from hybrid and electric vehicles. This investment is expected to create 35 jobs.
"With these resources, TOXCO will be able to construct another facility in Lancaster, which will use new and innovative technologies to transition old materials into new, recycled batteries," Strickland said. "This technology utilizes the strong manufacturing skills of Ohio workers while serving as a model for sustainability."
Top | More Governor's Office Press Releases
The U.S. Department of Labor has announced the release of $220 million in Recovery Act funding for projects that provide training and placement services to help workers pursue jobs in the health care sector or other "high growth and emerging industries." Both public and private nonprofit entities can apply for grants totaling $2 to $5 million for projects that teach workers necessary skills for, and assist in pursuing careers in, jobs in the above mentioned industries.
The U.S. Department of Commerce, National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service (RUS) posted answers on their web site to frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding NTIA's Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) and RUS' Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP) PDF. The FAQs address a variety of topics including applying for funds.
The proposed priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria have been released for $4.3 billion in Department of Education Recovery Act funding. The "Race to the Top" program has been designed to encourage and reward states that meet education reform goals across four areas. These include: implementing standards and assessments, improving teacher effectiveness and achieving equity in teacher distribution, improving collection and use of data, and supporting struggling schools. In addition, states are required to use at least 50% of their award to provide subgrants to local education agencies, including public charter schools.