For immediate release May 4, 2009

Contact Steven Hall, 303-239-3672

BLM Colorado to receive $20,735,000 in stimulus funding

LAKEWOOD—In Colorado, the Bureau of Land Management will receive $20,735,000 under the  American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.  The money will fund 103  projects throughout the state.  Overall, the Department of Interior will invest more than $3 billion through President Obama’s economic recovery plan, $305 million of which is dedicated to BLM projects. The complete list of BLM Colorado projects is available online at www.interior.gov/recovery. 

In announcing the funding, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said, “Through these economic recovery investments, we are also making a down payment on restoring and protecting the stunning landscapes that BLM manages on behalf of the American people.”  He added, “We will conserve habitat, restore watersheds, clean up abandoned mine sites and wells, and build a legacy of stewardship of which we can be proud.”

BLM Colorado's share of the recovery funds will go toward habitat restoration, abandoned mine reclamation, maintenance and upgrade of roads and recreation trails and facilities, and renewable energy authorizations. 

The public will be able to follow the progress of each project on www.recovery.gov and on www.interior.gov/recovery.  Secretary Salazar has appointed a Senior Advisor for Economic Recovery, Chris Henderson, and an Interior Economic Recovery Task Force. Henderson and the Task Force will work closely with the Department of the Interior’s Inspector General to ensure that the recovery program is meeting the high standards for accountability, responsibility, and transparency that President Obama has set.

###