Secretary Salazar Announces Department of the Interior Economic Stimulus Projects in Wyoming

Washington, D.C. – Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today announced the Department of the Interior's projects under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for Wyoming. Across its Bureaus, the Department will invest $68.2 million in Wyoming as part of the recovery plan signed by the President to jumpstart our economy, create or save millions of jobs, and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges so our country can thrive in the 21st Century.

“As the steward of America's resources, our Department has a unique responsibility to carry out its mission in a transparent, open manner by arriving at policy decisions based on public input and ‘best science' practices,” said Secretary Salazar. “After a rigorous process of identifying merit-based projects that truly reflect the longstanding mission and priorities of our Bureaus, I am confident these investments meet the highest standards and will accomplish the goals as outlined by President Obama.”

DOI's ARRA investments in Wyoming support President Obama and Secretary Salazar's ambitious goals to build America's new energy future, to protect and restore our treasured landscapes, to create a 21st Century Youth Conservation Corps, to address America's water challenges, and to empower Native American communities.

Highlights of Initiatives funded through ARRA in Wyoming include:

National Park Service – $32.3 million in funding

• Numerous rehabilitation and repair projects throughout Yellowstone National Park including replacing leaking underground fuel storage tanks and premeditating soil contamination
• Increase alternative energy capacities at the resource management building and trail creek campground in Bighorn Canyon
• Removal of unneeded and unsafe and structures and the replacement thereof at the Grand Teton National Park

Bureau of Land Management – $22.8 million in funding

• Multiple projects including habitat restoration, trails maintenance, construction and deferred maintenance
• Remediation of abandoned mines by securing and sealing hazardous mine openings in Wyoming
• Roads and bridges maintenance

Fish & Wildlife Service – $6.2 million in funding

• Rehabilitation of water management structures at the Cokeville Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
• Construction of irrigation systems and plant uplands to grasslands in the National Elk Refuge

Bureau of Reclamation – $3.6 million in funding

• Powerplant life safety throughout Wyoming in the Boysen Unit, Buffalo Bill Dam, Kendrick Project, Keyhole Unit, North Platte Area, Riverton Unit, and Shoshone Project

Bureau of Indian Affairs – $2.7 million in funding

• Roads and bridges maintenance
• Workforce training
• Construction

U.S. Geological Survey – $393,000 in funding

• Volcano monitoring at Yellowstone Volcano Observatory and upgrades in the National Volcano Early Warning System
• Deferred Maintenance
• Streamgage upgrades

Secretary Salazar has pledged unprecedented levels of transparency and accountability in the implementation of the Department of the Interior's economic recovery projects. The public will be able to follow the progress of each project on www.recovery.gov and on www.interior.gov/recovery. Secretary Salazar has appointed a Senior Advisor for Economic Recovery, Chris Henderson, and an Interior Economic Recovery Task Force. Henderson and the Task Force will work closely with the Department of the Interior's Inspector General to ensure that the recovery program is meeting the high standards for accountability, responsibility, and transparency that President Obama has set.

For a complete list of projects for Wyoming, please click here: http://recovery.doi.gov/WY