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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT NEWS RELEASE
ARIZONA STATE OFFICE
 
Release Date: 10/01/09
Contacts: Steve Hansen , (602) 417-9558 , steve_hansen@blm.gov
  Dorothea Boothe , (602) 417-9219 , dorothea_boothe@blm.gov
News Release No. ASO-10-001

BLM Announces First Arizona Recovery Act Projects Released and Encourages Local Contractors to Apply for Recovery Act Funds

Phoenix - The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Arizona State Director Jim Kenna today announced approximately $15.2 million for an estimated 58 local projects throughout Arizona funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. The Arizona ARRA projects are part of 650 BLM projects nationwide funded at more than $305 million announced by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar to restore landscapes and habitat, spur renewable energy development on public lands, and create jobs. 

“The BLM looks forward to taking this important step to help create numerous jobs around the state, including work for young adults through youth agreements,” Kenna said. Contractors interested in doing business with the BLM are encouraged to become certified through the Small Business Administration and apply by visiting the websites at http://recovery.doi.gov/ (click on the BLM logo at the bottom of the webpage for a listing of the projects) and FedBizOpps.gov.  “We are looking forward to working with local communities and businesses, and the positive impacts these on-the-ground projects will have on Arizona’s economy,” Kenna added.  

The BLM anticipates that the youth agreement announcement associated with ARRA trails projects will be the first opportunity for getting Recovery Act funding into the communities with the start of on-the-ground projects. The announcement will offer an opportunity for youth organizations to submit proposals for trail development and maintenance projects on BLM lands throughout Arizona.  Archeological survey projects located specifically in the BLM Gila District area will provide for the next contracting opportunity, followed by a capital improvement project for the Parker Strip Visitor Center parking area resurfacing in the BLM Colorado River District. The agency anticipates these projects will be awarded by mid-September 2009, with work associated with the youth agreement for trails possibly commencing as early as October or November 2009. Early in 2010, abandoned mine cleanup will be the next phase of projects providing opportunities for the BLM to work closely with the communities in an effort to stimulate economic growth.
 
The projects selected to receive the ARRA funding are critical to the BLM’s multiple use mission to enhance, preserve and protect significant resource values. The BLM-Arizona ARRA funding will be used on projects that restore landscapes, encourage renewable energy development, and engage youth. Categories of projects include:  Abandoned Mines; Capital Improvements; Construction and Deferred Maintenance; Habitat Restoration; Renewable Energy  Authorizations, including the development of an Environmental Impact Statement; Hazardous Fuels Reduction; and Trail Maintenance and Construction.
 
Information on the BLM ARRA projects and other related Recovery Act facts can be found at: http://recovery.doi.gov/press/bureaus/bureau-of-land-management/. For more information on the BLM, visit our website www.blm.gov/az/

The BLM manages more land - 253 million acres - than any other Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of about $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.

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ARIZONA STATE OFFICE   ONE NORTH CENTRAL AVENUE, SUITE 800       PHOENIX, AZ 85004  

Last updated: 10-07-2009