Area Development
The U.S. Labor Department has awarded $190 million in green-jobs training grants to 34 states as part of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the department said last week.
 
The individual awards, which range from $2 million to $6 million, are being issued to state work force investment boards. The funds will be used to provide program participants with technical and occupational skills necessary to obtain industry-recognized credentials in emerging green industries, including energy efficiency and renewable energy.
 
"These grants will help workers gain access to good jobs, while supporting the sort of statewide energy efficiency strategies that play a crucial role in building the green economy of the 21st century," said Labor Secretary Hilda Solis.
 
All told, the Labor Department has issued nearly $440 million in green-jobs grants in 2010.