U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis has announced the agency will award $55 million in green jobs grants to support job training and labor market information programs to help workers find jobs in expanding green industries and related fields.

The Recovery Act money is allocated to two grant categories: State Labor Market Information Improvement Grants and Green Capacity Building Grants. Grant oversight and administration will be provided by DOL's Employment and Training Administration.

Green Capacity Building grants total $5.8 million and will increase the training capacity of 62 current Labor Department grant recipients via a variety of strategies, and will provide training opportunities to help workers get jobs in growing green industries. The grants are geared toward underserved communities, including American Indians, women, at-risk youth and farm workers.

The State Labor Market Information grants of $48.8 million will support gathering and distributing labor market information. They also will augment the labor exchange infrastructure to provide employment opportunities in clean energy industries. Grant recipients will be able to help get job hunters in touch with green job banks, and to help workers get jobs after they have completed job training programs.

A total of thirty awards, from $763,000 to $4 million, were allocated to state workforce agencies for workforce development strategies. Recipients in this category include groups of state workforce agencies working together as a consortium to collect information that will likely lead to programs with regional, multi-state or national impact.

"Today's announcement is part of the administration's long-term commitment to fostering both immediate economic growth and a clean energy future. It's an investment that will help American workers do well while doing good," Secretary Solis said. "These grants provide an immediate return, and they are part of a larger green initiative that will help lead to increased job placements and promote economic growth."

These grants are part of a larger $500 million initiative for green jobs training grants intended to encourage economic growth. DOL is expected to provide funding for an additional three green grant award categories in the coming months.

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