Business
More than $16.6 million announced for Connecticut initiatives
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Jul 30, 2009 - 8:07 PM

Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) announced that Connecticut projects will receive more than $16.6 million in the Energy and Water Appropriations bill passed by the Senate last night. Dodd and Lieberman worked with their colleagues in the Senate and on the Appropriations Committee to secure funding from the Department of the Interior, the Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Army Corps of Engineers, and other independent federal agencies for Connecticut initiatives for fiscal year 2010.

“The funding of these projects will greatly benefit the people of Connecticut,” said Dodd. “These initiatives will create new jobs, support energy efficiency, improve our environment and strengthen our economy.”

“Investing in these projects will go a long way toward protecting our natural resources, reducing energy costs, and creating jobs,” said Lieberman. “Our state, cities, towns, and businesses will all benefit from the funding provided to these worthy initiatives.”

Below is a breakdown of funds from which Connecticut stands to benefit.

Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection

- $2,000,000 for the development of Dredged Materials Management Plan for Long Island Sound, as required by the Environmental Protection Agency.

University of Connecticut (Storrs)

- $1,000,000 for fuel cell research that will improve performance, increase durability, and reduce costs.

The Nature Conservancy (Middletown)

- $380,000 to conduct a hydrological study of the Connecticut River Watershed Basin.

City of Norwalk

- $1,000,000 to support Phase 3 of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' maintenance dredging program for the Norwalk Harbor Federal Navigation Project.

Avalence (Milford)

- $500,000 for a joint venture with Greater New Haven Transit District and the Town of Hamden to develop a hydrogen fueling station that combines the use of photovoltaic and wind-turbine generated power

City of Norwich

- $750,000 to develop a combined power and thermal energy plant in Norwich's business park to generate power from steam byproduct

Connecticut Science Center (Hartford)

- $500,000 for photovoltaic energy production panels and fuel cell energy technology

Connecticut State University System (New Britain and New Haven)

- $750,000 to support a nanotechnology initiative for research and development at Central Connecticut State University and Southern Connecticut State University

University of New Haven

- $500,000 to support an innovative accredited solar testing and training lab

Army Corps of Engineers projects:

- $1,050,000 for project condition surveys across Connecticut .

- $392,000 for inspection of completed works across Connecticut.

- $569,000 for West Thompson Lake, in North Grosvenordale.

- $1,136,000 for the Thomaston Dam, in Thomaston.

- $434,000 for the Stamford Hurricane Barrier, in Stamford.

- $610,000 for Northfield Brook Lake, in Thomaston.

- $250,000 for Mystic River, in Mystic.

- $861,000 for Mansfield Hollow Lake, in Mansfield.

- $917,000 for Hop Brook Lake, in Middlebury.

- $442,000 for Hancock Brook Lake, in Middlebury.

- $615,000 for Colebrook River Lake, in Riverton.

- $1,436,000 for Black Rock Lake, in Thomaston.

- $20,000 for the West Canal/Willow Brook Flood Management Study, in New Britain.

The bill also includes funds for the Army Corps of Engineers to restore eroded sections of Prospect Beach and Sea Bluff Beach in West Haven and the restoration of the Mill River waterfront in Stamford.

Additionally, the bill provides funding for important federal programs, including $190 million for Hydrogen Research and Development programs, which fund hydrogen fuel cell research and $200 million for the Weatherization Assistance Program, which helps low-income families save money on their energy bills and create jobs.

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