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- Reclamation Awards $12 Million in Recovery Act Funds for Flatiron Powerplant Work
News Release Archive
Reclamation Awards $12 Million in Recovery Act Funds for Flatiron Powerplant Work
Media Contact:
Kara Lamb, (970) 962-4326, 04/22/2010 06:00
Buck Feist, bfeist@usbr.gov
For Release: April 22, 2010
WASHINGTON, DC. - The Department of the Interior announced today that the Bureau of Reclamation has awarded $12.2 million to contractor Abhe & Svoboda for the recoating of the Flatiron penstocks above Flatiron Powerplant in Loveland, Colo.
The work is being conducted under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as part the funding provided to the Department of the Interior, including the Bureau of Reclamation. Reclamation received $1 billion of ARRA funding to restore aging infrastructure, repair aging dams, provide drought relief, and improve conservation of water across its five-region service area of the 17 Western United States.
"This contract will improve powerplant efficiency on the Colorado-Big Thompson Project," Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said. "Recovery Act dollars are making a difference, not only updating aging infrastructure, but also putting Americans to work."
The Flatiron Penstocks are an integral part of Reclamation's Colorado-Big Thompson Project, in the Great Plains Region. The C-BT provides supplemental water to approximately 720,000 people in northeastern Colorado and generates hydroelectric power though a series of six powerplants.
The protective coating on the penstocks is over 50 years old and in need of replacement. Recoating the penstocks includes removing the old paint from the exterior and interior of the pipes. In addition, new ultrasonic flow meters will be installed that will improve powerplant efficiency.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was enacted in 2009 provided $3 billion to the Department of the Interior.
The ARRA funds represent an important component of the President's plan to jumpstart the economy and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges so the country can thrive in the 21st century. Under the ARRA, Interior is making an investment in conserving America's timeless treasures - our stunning natural landscapes, our monuments to liberty, the icons of our culture and heritage - while helping American families and their communities prosper again. Interior is also focusing on renewable energy projects, the needs of American Indians, employing youth and promoting community service.
"With its investments of Recovery Act funds, the Department of the Interior and its bureaus are putting people to work today to make improvements that will benefit the environment and the region for many years to come," Secretary Salazar said.
Secretary Salazar has pledged unprecedented levels of transparency and accountability in the implementation of the Department's economic recovery projects. 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 to work closely with Interior's Inspector General and ensure the recovery program is meeting the high standards for accountability, responsibility, and transparency set by President Obama.
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The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is the nation's largest wholesale water supplier and second largest producer of hydroelectric power. Our facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation opportunities, and environmental benefits. Visit our website at https://www.usbr.gov and follow us on Twitter @USBR; Facebook @bureau.of.reclamation; LinkedIn @Bureau of Reclamation; Instagram @bureau_of_reclamation; and YouTube @reclamation.
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