Interior Funding in Economic Recovery Act Would Create 100,000 Jobs

Interior Funding in Economic Recovery Act Would Create 100,000 Jobs

LAUREL, MD – Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, Senator Benjamin Cardin and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and Congressman John Sarbanes today visited Patuxent Research Refuge and Wildlife Research Center in Maryland to highlight the job creation and conservation benefits of President Obama’s economic recovery plan, which is currently before Congress.

The investments in the Department of the Interior that are included in the President’s plan would create an estimated 100,000 jobs over the next two years. Both the House and Senate versions of the bill include over $4 billion in investments in conservation projects, water infrastructure, roads, Native American schools, and other ready-to-go projects.

Secretary Salazar and Members of Congress highlighted $15 million in modernization projects that are ready to go at the Patuxent Refuge under President Obama’s recovery and reinvestment plan, including a new state-of-the-art laboratory that will allow biologists to continue the facility’s distinguished history of ground-breaking wildlife research. The investments at Patuxent would create an estimated 500 jobs.

The research refuge, located between Washington and Baltimore, gained national renown when researchers discovered the link between the pesticide DDT and the decline of many bird species, leading to a ban of the chemical. The site, which is jointly occupied by the Department’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Geological Survey, also played a pivotal role in the recovery of bald eagle populations. It currently is home to a captive breeding population of whooping cranes, which are used for research and restoration of this endangered species.

“As job losses continue to climb, the need to swiftly pass the President’s recovery and reinvestment plan only grows,” said Secretary Salazar. “But with wise investments in shovel-ready conservation projects across the country, we can immediately put people back to work, create 100,000 jobs, and restore our national wildlife refuges, national parks and other public lands to a condition of which we can be proud.”

“Patuxent is our nation's premier wildlife research facility, but it is in need of upgrading and modernization," said Senator Cardin, a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. "Our nation is a world leader in habitat preservation and protection and Patuxent is at the forefront of that effort. Improvements to Patuxent will provide jobs for Marylanders and ensure that Patuxent remains at the forefront of efforts to carry out that important mission."

http://www.doi.gov/news/09_News_Releases/020909.html

I mean... just because they pay well and offer good benefits, doesn't mean they're jobs. Not unless they're created by a business (not government), right?

/reference to Steele

Wow... my little bedroom community got high-profile visits twice in one week! Joe the VP visited us this past Thursday to highlight transportation issues at our commuter rail station. Now SecInt Salazar! Pretty good for a town whose claims to fame are that George Wallace was shot here, and the 9/11 hijackers stayed here.