$1.96 Million in Recovery Act Funds for the Delaware Army National Guard Announced by Gov. Markell, Senators Carper and Kaufman and Lt. Gov Denn

Funding Will Sustain, Restore, and Modernize some Delaware Army National Guard Facilities

WILMINGTON, DC – May 5, 2009 – (RealEstateRama) — In a move to create jobs, boost the local economy, and help the Delaware Army – May 5, 2009 – (RealEstateRama) — National Guard achieve energy savings through greater efficiency, Governor Jack Markell joined Senators Tom Carper and Ted Kaufman to announce that the Delaware Army National Guard will receive $1.96 million in stimulus funding. This new infusion of money, provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, will help the guard finance some overdue improvements.

“This funding will help our economy by getting Delawareans back to work and help the Delaware Army National Guard in their critical mission to serve our state’s citizens and the nation,” Markell said. “This one-time investment will pay dividends for years in cost savings from greater energy efficiencies.”

“I’ve been saying that this stimulus package is made-to-order for Delaware and these projects are no exception. This money will help the Guard update some of its buildings and help the environment at the same time. That is a win-win for everyone,” Carper said.

“The recovery package was designed to stimulate our economy in multiple ways, like the ones we’re announcing today: creating jobs, making our Guard more efficient, and reducing our dependence on foreign oil,” said Sen. Kaufman, who just returned from seeing the 261st Signal Brigade in Iraq. “Doing all this while helping our men and women in uniform makes this one of the most rewarding investments in the entire package.”

“The Recovery Package is a great opportunity for Delaware, and we are taking advantage of every possibility to ensure Delaware gets every dollar in which we are entitled to. The National Guard funding is a great example of how the stimulus package is giving us the ability to update some of our most outdated buildings and become more energy efficient,” said Lt. Governor Matt Denn, who also serves as the state’s Stimulus Czar.

The Recovery Act funds received by the Delaware Army National Guard will go to five energy projects. Three of the projects require a 25% State match of funds. If the state invests $311,825, the amount of federal dollars received will be $1,960,462. This results in a combined total of $2,272,287. Without the required state match, Delaware could not accept or use the federal funding.

The approved energy-saving projects include:

• The installation of a geothermal system at the U.S. Property and Fiscal Office in New Castle

• Upgrades to the electric system at the Bethany Beach Training Site

• The installation of a geothermal system at the Dagsboro Readiness Center

• The installation of new energy efficient windows at the Joint Force Headquarters in Wilmington

• The installation of new energy efficient windows at the 198th Regiment Center in Newport

Recovery Act funding comes with key deadlines for approval. At least 50% of the projects must be awarded by June 17, 2009 (by dollar value). The remaining projects must be awarded by September 30, 2009.

These are projects that have been on the Governor’s annual work plan, but previously unfunded. Having these items in the stimulus package will not only bring millions of dollars into the local economy, it also helps the Delaware National Guard become more energy efficient, creating substantial energy savings in the future.

Currently, the Delaware National Guard has an annual budget of approximately $100 million. Of that, less than 5% comes from the State of Delaware.