Udall, Bennet Announce Over $20 Million to Restore Landscapes and Habitat, Spur Renewable Energy Development on BLM Lands

Press Release

Recovery Plan Investments Will Restore Landscapes and Habitat, Spur Renewable Energy Development on Public Lands and Create Jobs

U.S. Senators Mark Udall and Michael Bennet announced today the release of over $20 million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) that will fund over 100 Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Projects in Colorado and over 650 across the country. The funding, announced today by U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, will restore landscapes and habitat, spur renewable energy development on public lands, and create jobs in Colorado.

"From Gunnison Gorge to the Book Cliff Shooting Range, safety repairs and maintenance to Colorado parks and recreation sites have been deferred for too long. In some cases their use has been limited, and especially in the case of abandoned mines, they are dangerous," Senator Udall said. "So as chairman of the Senate's National Parks Subcommittee, I'm very pleased that Recovery Act funding is going to repair and upgrade these sites. Not only will it create jobs, but it will enable Coloradans to better enjoy our diverse recreation opportunities, increase the use of cheaper, cleaner renewable energy, and boost the economy in these communities as well."

"These Recovery Plan investments will go a long way towards addressing long-neglected needs and priorities on Colorado's public lands and create new, good-paying jobs in the process," said Bennet. "With these funds, we'll create a new legacy of stewardship in America, renewing efforts to protect land and wildlife habitat, restore our watersheds, and clean up neglected and abandoned mine sites. And with the investments we'll make in renewable energy, we'll lay the groundwork for a new, clean energy economy that will create jobs and help reduce our dependence on foreign oil."

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