East Metro Recovery

Tracking Economic Recovery and Stimulus Projects in Ramsey, Washington and Dakota counties

Posts Tagged Stimulus

Digging into the Data

Oct 30

Posted by Ramsey in ARRA, Jobs, Minnesota, Stimulus | No Comments

Recovery-Accountavility-Board-logoThe federal government has posted detailed data here from the 112,000 recipients of stimulus funds to date. The first quarterly reports were submitted earlier this month to the Recovery, Accountability and Transparency Board. As of Oct. 10, more than 30,000 jobs have been created or saved nationally via funding of federal contracts.

Minnesota agencies and recipients reported that they had been awarded $90,980,00, of which more than $33 million has already been spent, resulting in creation of 605 jobs.

  • Click here for the quarterly report on the Ramsey County Port Security Project Grant (PDF).
  • Click here for the quarterly report on Ramsey County’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (PDF).

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State Updates Recovery Act FAQ

Oct 29

Posted by Ramsey in ARRA, Jobs, Minnesota | No Comments

minnesotaTo date, more than $1.6 billion in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds has been received and spent by the state of Minnesota. Current estimates are that Minnesota will eventually receive a total of $4.7 billion for state-administered programs with an additional $4.2 billion in the form of individual tax benefits to Minnesota residents. The data, which has been sent to the federal government for national reporting, links stimulus funds with creating or retaining 11,800 jobs in Minnesota.

To read the most up-to-date list of frequently asked questions and answers compiled by the state Office of Management & Budget, click here.

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Ramsey County ARRA Project Update

Oct 13

Posted by Ramsey in ARRA, Ramsey County, Stimulus | No Comments

arra-transparentTo see an up-to-date, department-by-department list of federal stimulus funding applications and awards for Ramsey County, click here.

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Ramsey County ARRA Update

Sep 28

Posted by Ramsey in ARRA, Ramsey County, Stimulus | No Comments

Public Works project in Ramsey County

Public Works project in Ramsey County

Ramsey County departments have been awarded about $13.5 million in stimulus funds by the federal government under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as of Sept. 23.  Other federal stimulus funds have been awarded to schools and municipalities in the county, as well as to businesses and individuals. Local government agencies will be filing their first quarterly ARRA spending reports to the federal government on Oct. 10. Click here for a spreadsheet of grants applied for and awarded to Ramsey County under the ARRA so far.

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Youth Get Work Experience

Sep 24

Posted by Ramsey in ARRA, Jobs, Ramsey County | No Comments

Teens-Working

The ARRA Summer Youth Employment Program, directed by Ramsey County Workforce Solutions, provided 444 youth, ages 14-24, summer jobs ranging from landscape work to daycare assistants.   Five community-based organizations were given $970,000 to make this happen.  There is an additional $750,000 of ARRA stimulus funds to assist  375 low income, at-risk youth  residing in Ramsey County with mentoring, job-readiness and retention skills, work experiences, job shadowing and job placement from April 2009 to March 2010. An additional  $90,000 of ARRA stimulus funds were acquired competitively to provide mentoring, work experiences  and job placement to more than 50 youth transitioning from Boys Totem Town back to their schools and communities. For information about these and other Ramsey County Workforce Solutions employment programs, visit us on the web.

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More Transparency

Sep 16

Posted by Ramsey in ARRA | No Comments

arra-transparentFrom Federal Times:

A special panel overseeing the government’s economic stimulus spending will unveil on Sept. 28 a new version of the Recovery.gov Web site that will allow citizens to track recovery spending down to the zip code, contract and grant.

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Big Week for Union Depot

Sep 1

Posted by Ramsey in ARRA, High Speed Rail, OnBoard Midwest, Ramsey County, Union Depot | No Comments

Commissioner Jim McDonough leads a tour of the depot concourse for members of Sen. Amy Klobuchar's staff.

Commissioner Jim McDonough leads a tour of the depot concourse for members of Sen. Amy Klobuchar's staff.

Three significant pieces of news regarding St. Paul’s Union Depot, future home of the East Metro’s multimodal transit hub:

  • From OnBoard Midwest — “The State of Minnesota has submitted a request for $135.8 million in funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to renovate Union Depot as a multi-modal transit hub. The Minnesota Department of Transportation worked with the Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority to submit an Intercity Passenger Rail grant application for Track 1 capital funding. This is another key milestone in the effort to create a high-speed rail connection between downtown Saint Paul and Chicago. Money from the grant request would be used to renovate the concourses, upgrade the tracks, and prepare the building to be a hub for light rail, passenger rail, high-speed rail, and bus service. Union Depot is considered a Track 1 project to qualify for the funding because it meets key standards:
    - It is a capital project
    - The project is ready to begin work
    - Project level environmental review (NEPA) has been completed
    The decision to submit the funding request was based on recommendations from the Aug. 3 Intercity Passenger Rail Forum meeting. MnDOT is also working to prepare an additional request for a grant for Track 2 projects next month that would include funding for corridor development work for the Milwaukee to Twin Cities portion of the Chicago to Twin Cities corridor. This would involve some additional planning and environmental review. On Board Midwest will continue to keep you updated as things move forward. “
  • Staff members from U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s office toured the depot, including the concourse and recently purchased head house, with Ramsey County Commissioner Jim McDonough, chair of the Regional Rail Authority, and Tim Mayasich, its executive director.
  • Ramsey County and its partner agencies published an Environmental Assessment of the Union Depot project Aug. 24, setting in motion a 45-day public comment period. More information about the Environmental Assessment and how to submit comments is listed below.

    • For more information about the Union Depot project, visit the depot web site or the Regional Rail web site.

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Ramsey County Stimulus Update

Aug 25

Posted by Ramsey in ARRA, Ramsey County, Stimulus | No Comments

bridge-550

Ramsey County has updated its list of projects and grant applications filed under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. To read the latest information on stimulus-funded projects in Ramsey County, click here.

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Union Depot Project Moves Forward

Aug 24

Posted by Ramsey in High Speed Rail, Ramsey County, Stimulus, Transit, Union Depot | No Comments

depot-aerial-with-trains

Environmental Assessment Published

In order to secure federal funding for the purchase and renovation of Minnesota’s Union Depot, Ramsey County and its partner agencies were required to perform an environmental assessment of the project. A notice of availability was published in the August 24, 2009 EQB Monitor on behalf of the Federal Highway Administration and Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority in cooperation with the Federal Transit Administration.

The comment period for the Draft EA will remain open from August 24-October 8, 2009. Written comments on the Draft EA will be accepted until the close of business on October 8, 2009.

Comments may be made by:

Mail: Steve Morris, Transit Project Manager, RCRRA, 50 W Kellogg Boulevard, Suite 6560 RCGC-West, St. Paul, MN 55102

Phone: (651) 266-2795 (note: This line will record comments only and is not staffed. To ask questions about the project or the environmental assessment, contact Steve Morris at (651) 266-2784)

Fax: (651) 266-2761

E-mail: Steve Morris

Public Hearings Scheduled

To afford an opportunity for all interested persons, agencies and groups to comment on the EA, two public hearings have been scheduled for September 9, 2009, at the Union Depot Head House, 214 4th St. E., St. Paul, MN 55101:

  • 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
  • 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The public hearings will be open house format with formal presentations. The formal presentations during the afternoon meeting begin at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.; for the evening meeting the formal presentations will be at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. A court reporter will be on hand to record oral comments. Individuals with a disability who need a reasonable accommodation to participate in the public meeting or comment on the Draft EA should contact the RCRRA Project Manager (651-266-2784).

Copies of Environmental Assessment Available for Review

Copies of the EA for the rehabilitation and reuse of Minnesota’s Union Depot as a multi-modal transit hub are available for review online (Click here for the complete assessment, broken into sections. Some of the sections are still large and might require some time to download) or at the following libraries and RCRRA offices during regular business hours:

  • St. Paul Central Library, 90 West Fourth Street, St. Paul, MN, 55102
  • Rondo Community Outreach Library, 461 N. Dale Street, St. Paul, MN, 55103
  • Hamline Midway Library, 1558 West Minnehaha Avenue, St. Paul, MN, 55104
  • Merriam Park Library, 1831 Marshall Avenue, St. Paul, MN, 55104
  • St. Anthony Park Library, 2245 Como Avenue, St. Paul, MN, 55108
  • Dayton’s Bluff Library, 645 East 7th Street, St. Paul, MN, 55106
  • Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority, 50 W Kellogg Boulevard, Suite 6560 RCGC-West, St. Paul, MN 55102
  • Mn/DOT Library, Minnesota Department of Transportation, M.S. 155, Room 175, Transportation Bldg., 395 John Ireland Boulevard, St. Paul, MN, 55103

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Stimulus Act Resource for Taxpayers

Aug 7

Posted by Ramsey in ARRA, Stimulus | No Comments

arra-transparentThe IRS has published a useful pamphlet for individual taxpayers, “Catch a Break: Overview of some of the key provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.” The booklet includes a rundown of tax benefits, credits and other information on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Click here to download a copy (520k PDF).

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