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Gov. Gregoire announces State Jobs Act Awards of $31 Million

For Immediate Release: October 7, 2010

OLYMPIA � Gov. Chris Gregoire and the Washington State Department of Commerce today announced the selection of 45 public school facilities across the state to receive more than $31 million in grants to create jobs and energy cost savings. The total cost for all of the projects is almost $88 million, including more than $52 million of non-state funding. An estimated 870 jobs will be created by this construction spending.

�This is a great example of Washington state getting our economy moving in the right direction,� said Gregoire. �Communities throughout our state will see these grants pay immediate dividends in jobs and energy savings, and we�ll gain long term benefits through quality improvements and cost savings in our public school buildings.�

Washington state's 2010 Supplemental Capital Budget (ESHB 2836) included $50 million to the Washington State Department of Commerce for energy cost savings grants. The Jobs Act for Public K-12 and Higher Education grants are being awarded through a competitive process, and must be used solely for energy and operational cost savings improvements.

The immediate goal of the program is to stimulate Washington's economy by creating jobs. The long-term goal is to reduce the energy costs at the state's public education facilities.

�The Jobs Act takes a bold step forward for Washington�s public education facilities and our struggling construction industry,� said Rogers Weed, Washington State Commerce Director. �The grants encourage private investment, put people to work making needed facilities upgrades, and support our state�s commitment to increase energy efficiency in our public buildings.�

The projects for the second and final round of Jobs Act funding from Commerce were selected from 55 grant applications requesting a total of more than $45 million. Grant recipients can ask for a maximum of $5 million.

For a list of grant recipients, visit: http://www.governor.wa.gov/news/Commerce_Grants_Oct_2010.pdf

For more information on the Jobs Act for Public K-12 and Higher Education, go to www.commerce.wa.gov/site/1335/default.aspx.

Commerce is the lead state agency charged with growing and improving jobs. For more information, please visit www.commerce.wa.gov.

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Editor�s Note: This funding is separate from the 2010 Supplemental Capital Budget Appropriation (Section 5007) that provides an additional $50 million to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) for energy cost savings grants for K-12 public schools only. For more information on that funding please go to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) Energy Improvement Grant Web site.