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Portland, OR – Today, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Oregon State Office announced $32.4 million to fund 60 BLM projects throughout Oregon and Washington under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The investments will restore landscapes and habitat, spur renewable energy development on public lands, and create jobs.The $32.4 million is part of the $305 million that will fund more than 650 projects across the country. Overall, the Department of the Interior will manage $3 billion in investments as part of the recovery plan signed by the President to jumpstart our economy, create or save jobs, and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges so our country can thrive in the 21st century. The BLM investments include the following types of projects:

• Renewable Energy Authorization ($1.85 million);
• Habitat Restoration ($7.05 million);
• Construction and Deferred Maintenance ($11.4 million);
• Abandoned Mines ($1.15 million);
• Capital Improvements ($3.53 million);
• Roads and Bridges Maintenance and Construction ($5.1 million);
• Trails Maintenance and Construction ($1.42 million); and
• ARRA Program Support ($0.9 million).

The public will be able to follow the progress of each project on recovery.gov and on interior.gov/recovery. The Department of the Interior Secretary Ken 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.