Failed Federal Stimulus? Not So in Kentucky
I invite you to visit Kentucky At Work website which is the Commonwealth’s implementation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), signed into law by President Barack Obama and estimated to bring $3 billion in stimulus funding from the federal government to be invested in Kentucky over the next 28 months. ARRA will provide a much-needed, one-time infusion of dollars that will allow us to maintain our jobs and quality of life through investments in education, health care and public safety; and to make strategic investments now to position Kentucky for the future. To say that the Federal stimulus has failed, particularly in Kentucky, is mere nonsense! Here’s a peek at some of the projects already underway:
August 12th, Gov. Steve Beshear announced the award of $3.35 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding to three Kentucky companies. The funding will be used for energy efficiency upgrades in existing Kentucky industrial facilities. Companies receiving ARRA funding include General Electric Company (GE) in Louisville ($2.5 million); Arch Chemicals Inc. in Brandenburg ($450,000); and International Paper Company in Henderson ($400,000).
August 5th, Gov. Steve Beshear announced the award of $481,690 in On-Farm Energy Efficiency and Production Incentives grants to 52 producers. This grant program is the result of the partnership between the Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy (GOAP) and Kentucky’s Department for Energy Development & Independence with stimulus funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). 52 farm families were able to take advantage of this opportunity to improve farm energy efficiency or biomass production. Also, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and Gov. Steve Beshear on this date, announced that Kentucky will receive an additional $246 million in broadband infrastructure grants and loans through eight recently sanctioned projects as part of the Rural Utility Service Broadband Initiatives Program funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). These funds will help dramatically expand broadband infrastructure throughout the state, particularly in its most underserved areas, providing affordable high-speed Internet access to homeowners and businesses.
July 29th, Gov. Steve Beshear announced 19 Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants (EECBG) awarded to communities across the Commonwealth in support of energy efficiency programs. The Kentucky EECBG program provides $6.25 million to assist local governments in implementing strategies to reduce fossil fuel emissions, reduce total energy use and improve energy efficiency in the transportation, building and other appropriate sectors. Additional purposes of the EECBG program include spurring economic growth and the creation and/or retention of jobs under ARRA.
July 6th, Governor Steve Beshear announced Kentucky will receive a nearly $1 million On-the-Job Training (OJT) National Emergency Grant funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). Funds will provide on-the-job training to approximately 160 long-term unemployed workers in Kentucky.
June 4th, Gov. Steve Beshear announced Kentucky will put nearly 10,000 disadvantaged youth and adults with children to work this summer through WorkNow Kentucky. Funded with nearly $46 million in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program dollars through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the program aims to jump-start job creation by subsidizing the wages and benefits of eligible participants who are hired through the program.
I’m proud to align myself with the Democrats who are not only bringing real solutions to the citizens of Kentucky now, in this time of recession, but also who have the vision and leadership required to move Kentucky forward towards a brighter, healthier, tomorrow and a prosperous future.
Jeanie Embry
Paducah, KY |
