Washington, D.C.--Congressman Eliot Engel secured a preliminary $150,000 for the Mount Vernon Energy Jobs Incubator Center as apart of the FY 2010 Financial Services Appropriations bill. The funding was secured by Congressman Engel while working in conjunction with the City of Mount Vernon and the Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce.

Funding will be used to help develop the Incubator Center which is designed to create green jobs and promote alternative sustainable energy. This action was a preliminary step in a long process. The bill will now be considered by the full House Appropriations Committee, and then the full House. The Senate is also working on their version of the bill.

“In these hard economic times, job creation and retention is vital,” said Rep. Engel. “With an unemployment rate reaching 10 percent, it is essential that we do all we can to help people find jobs. I voted for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act which began the investment into reinventing our nation’s energy needs. I commend Mount Vernon for taking the next step by developing this project and fostering green jobs. This can only help the city move forward into the 21st Century economy.”

The Incubator Center is designed as:

* A training location for workers needing skills for green jobs.
* A location to attract companies – domestic or foreign – to locate in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic market.
* A project management center and operation base for coordinating work associated with infrastructure and energy.

Rep. Engel added, “While this is only the beginning of the Appropriations process, I am pleased my efforts to obtain funding for this important program were included in this measure. I will continue working with my colleagues to ensure this funding is preserved as the bill moves through the legislative process.”