Lt. Governor Smith Highlights Need for Comprehensive Investments in Infrastructure that Supports Innovation and Economic Growth
ST. PAUL, MN – Lt. Governor Tina Smith convened a roundtable discussion at the University of Minnesota Duluth today to highlight the proposed Chemistry and Advanced Materials Science Building project. Lt. Governor Smith was joined at the roundtable by Management and Budget Commissioner Myron Frans, UMD Chancellor Lendley Black, area legislators, and local officials. Governor Dayton and Lt. Governor Smith have proposed a $27.2 million investment
in their Jobs Bill for a new Chemistry and Advanced Materials Science Building at the school. This new facility would help the University of Minnesota Duluth better prepare students for careers in chemistry, engineering, and materials science.
“Our Jobs Bill puts Minnesota families and communities first by investing in transportation, food and housing, and education,” said Lt. Governor Tina Smith. “Investing in 21st Century classrooms like the UMD Chemistry and Advanced Materials building helps prepare the next generation of Minnesotans for an innovation economy and the jobs of the future. Our Jobs Bill also will help provide clean, renewable energy in downtown Duluth, make improvements to Duluth’s port, and reconstruct the Duluth International Airport main runway – all of which will support the vitality and economic growth of the region. I urge the Legislature to pass a significant Jobs Bill this year that invests in the critical infrastructure that Minnesotans depend upon.”
The University of Minnesota Duluth’s current chemistry building was originally constructed in 1948. It lacks adequate ventilation, chemical storage space, safety infrastructure, and working gas lines and valves. Governor Dayton and Lt. Governor Smith also have proposed a $4.8 million investment to upgrade mechanical systems at the University’s Sports and Health Center, make safety code upgrades, and replace aging water lines.
“I am glad the U of M has made the UMD Chemistry, Engineering and Materials Science building its number one request this session,” said Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk. “As a Bulldog myself, I’m very familiar with the campus and grateful for the Governor’s support for this important investment.”
Additional Duluth Area Jobs Bill Projects
In addition to the Chemistry and Advanced Materials Science Building project, Governor Dayton and Lt. Governor Smith have included several other Duluth area projects in their Jobs Bill:
· Duluth District Energy System – The City of Duluth’s current downtown steam heating system is more than 80 years old, runs on coal, and needs significant upgrades to remain functional. The City will install a modern, efficient, closed-loop hot water system to reduce water, energy, and chemical consumption and allow for future integration of renewable energy technologies. To help with construction of the new energy efficient system, Governor Dayton and Lt. Governor Smith have proposed a $21 million investment in their Jobs Bill.
· Duluth International Airport Runway Reconstruction and Sky Harbor Airport Improvement – The primary runway at Duluth International Airport is more than 60 years old, leaving it unable to handle the demands of commercial air travel and the 148th F-16 Fighter Wing based in Duluth. To begin making the necessary improvements at the international airport and the Sky Harbor Airport, the Governor and Lt. Governor have proposed a $5.2 million investment in their Jobs Bill. This funding is expected to help leverage an additional $47 million in federal FAA funding to complete the project.
· Duluth Seaway Port Authority – The Duluth Seaway is the largest port on the Great Lakes, handling an average of 38 million short tons of cargo and nearly 1,000 vessel visits each year. To help ensure the port remains an efficient, world-class facility, Governor Dayton and Lt. Governor Smith have proposed a $5.6 million investment in their Jobs Bill to repair and expand warehouses, construct docks, and dredge.
· St. Louis River Restoration – The St. Louis River is the largest U.S. tributary to Lake Superior flowing 179 miles from Hoyt Lakes into the Duluth Harbor. For decades untreated waste was dumped in to the river, causing significant environmental degradation. Now after years of remediation, the river is beginning to recover. To help continue the clean-up, the Governor and Lt. Governor have included $12.7 million in their Jobs Bill, which will leverage $23.6 million in federal funding, to help remediate contaminated sediment on the river bottom.
About Governor Dayton’s Jobs Bill
Governor Dayton’s Jobs Bill would invest $1.4 billion in infrastructure projects statewide, creating an estimated 39,900 Minnesota jobs.* This new Jobs Bill would help address many of the state’s critical infrastructure needs, including essential water infrastructure, while strengthening Minnesota’s economy and putting thousands of people to work.
The Jobs Bill includes critical infrastructure projects distributed across Minnesota. It balances the needs of the state, with 35 percent of projects in Greater Minnesota, 35 percent in the Twin Cities Area, and 30 percent having impacts statewide. And Governor Dayton’s Jobs Bill is designed to make state resources go further, by leveraging more than $600 million in private, local, and federal dollars.
