Skibine Announces Indian Affairs Recovery Act Regional Allocations

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Interior Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Economic Development – Indian Affairs George T. Skibine today announced funding totals for the 12 Indian Affairs regions for projects targeting federally recognized tribes under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Overall, the Interior Department will invest $500 million of the $3 billion it has received through President Obama's economic recovery plan in tribal communities across the nation.

“These and similar projects will help us fulfill the goals President Obama and Secretary Salazar have established to empower American Indian and Alaska Native communities, create jobs, and build our nation's new energy future,” Skibine said.

The following are Recovery Act funding allocations by Indian Affairs region:

• Alaska Region - $6.4 million
• Eastern Region - $10.4 million
• Eastern Oklahoma Region - $1.2 million
• Great Plains Region - $98.2 million
• Midwest Region - $36.6 million
• Navajo Region - $163.8 million
• Northwest Region - $18.3 million
• Pacific Region - $5.1 million
• Rocky Mountain Region - $20 million
• Southern Plains Region - $5.8 million
• Southwest Region - $24.3 million
• Western Region - $66.9 million

An additional $18.04 million has been allocated for guaranteed loans, workforce training programs, and facilities improvement, repair and maintenance projects directly administered by Indian Affairs Central Office personnel:

• Office of Facilities, Environmental, and Cultural Resources (OFECR) - $3.8 million
• Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development (IEED) - $14.2 million

“These investments will bring lasting improvements to Indian Country by stimulating job creation through the repair and rebuilding of fraying reservation infrastructure, utilizing green design and renewable energy for new and existing homes and schools, correcting health and safety deficiencies in tribal detention facilities, training youth and unskilled workers for lifetime employment, and expanding economic opportunity through loans to Indian businesses,” Skibine said.

Of the $500 million Interior has received for Indian Affairs Recovery Act projects, $25 million is for administrative costs associated with the contracting, awarding, tracking, monitoring, reporting, and oversight of fund expenditures. It will be placed in a separate account from project funding to maintain transparency and control of such costs. Projects were selected in a rigorous merit-based process based on the longstanding priorities of the agency, as will all projects included in the Department's Recovery Act funding.

Secretary Salazar has pledged unprecedented levels of transparency and accountability in the implementation of the Department of the Interior'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. Henderson and the Task Force will work closely with the Department of the Interior's Inspector General to ensure that the recovery program is meeting the high standards for accountability, responsibility, and transparency that President Obama has set.