U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa P. Jackson joined Ohio First Lady Frances Strickland and Ohio officials at a press conference Feb. 18 in Columbus to mark the one-year anniversary of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
Jackson announced that the recovery act had saved or created 79,000 jobs in Ohio and would provide 4.5 million Ohio working families with a tax cut. Ohio is also among the leaders nationally in the number of recovery act-funded water pollution control and safe drinking water projects. EPA provided the state with $220.6 million in recovery act funds for water pollution control projects and $58.46 million in recovery act funds for drinking water projects. Those projects alone will improve water quality across the state, impacting 5.6 million Ohioans in 187 communities and creating or saving more than 700 jobs. Those projects range from new or upgraded sewers in communities and improvements to drinking water facilities across the state.
Ohio RCAP was instrumental in being a means to putting those economic stimulus funds to use in small, rural communities and as such received a mention by name by Jackson during her remarks at the press conference. Randy Hunt, RCAP’s state director in Ohio, said, “Ohio RCAP received a lot of praise and recognition.”
Hunt was seated in the front row, next to Congressional staffers, in the audience at the press conference. He said Ohio EPA Director Chris Korleski, who spoke before Jackson, recognized Ohio RCAP early in his remarks. “The director referenced the work that Ohio RCAP did in helping EPA get the projects funded for both the drinking water and wastewater programs several times during his remarks,” said Hunt.
Jackson acknowledged the work of Ohio RCAP and thanked RCAP for its work and partnership. Hunt said he spoke to several Ohio EPA managers, all of whom were complementary of RCAP’s work.