WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Bureau of Reclamation, an agency of the Department of the Interior, awarded a contract to Belsaas and Smith Construction Company from Ellensburg, Wash. for improvements to the Leavenworth Fisheries Complex. The initial award for this work, funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), is $452,959.
The ARRA funds will be used to expand the pollution abatement pond complex at the Leavenworth Fish Hatchery, located two miles south of Leavenworth along Icicle Creek in central Washington.
"This addition to the hatchery will have a long-lasting, positive impact on operations at the Leavenworth Fisheries Complex," said Reclamation Commissioner Mike Connor.
Once completed, the pollution abatement pond will increase onsite capability to treat raceway water prior to discharge.
The Leavenworth Fisheries Complex is a vital part of Reclamation's mitigation measures for construction of Grand Coulee Dam, which provides water and electricity for multiple purposes to the Columbia Basin Project.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, 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 of the Interior Ken 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.
Source: Bureau of Reclamation
