Friday, Apr. 10, 2009

Stimulus money means jobs but also opportunity

By Ken Robertson, Herald Executive Editor

The Tri-Cities has had a boom and bust economy ever since the early 20th century when land speculators were promoting schemes to make the desert blossom into orchards and farm fields.

And the national economic stimulus package appears likely to ignite another boom this spring as roughly $2.3 billion in federal money arrives.

In our Sunday and Monday editions, our staff reports on how much money will come to the area, how it will be spent and what impacts can be expected from the 3,000 to 4,000 anticipated new jobs.

As we have reported, $1.96 billion will go for Hanford cleanup. But reporter Annette Cary found the money has a broader goal than just cleaning up the radioactive wastes left behind from the production of nuclear weapons materials from World War II until the shutdown of Hanford’s N Reactor in 1986.

A key purpose of the Hanford stimulus money, which must all be spent by late 2011, is to also foster a foundation for another element of the region’s economy. The aim is to create an energy park to produce energy and demonstrate new energy technologies, both important elements of the Obama administration’s economic strategies.

Some $1.57 billion of the stimulus money arrived last week and is to be put to work on cleanup as soon as possible. Giant earth movers already have more than doubled the size of the massive Hanford landfill used to dispose of contaminated earth and rubble from demolished buildings.

Some jobs that were scheduled to end already have been extended and a hiring fair April 3-4 drew more than 3,500 resumes. In addition to the 3,000 to 4,000 Hanford jobs, spinoff employment is forecast to be another 5,000 jobs, perhaps more.

That’s a lot of people for the Tri-City area to absorb and the impacts will roll through the community. Our staff quizzed city and school officials, experts on housing and real estate and dozens of others on if the community is prepared.

In addition to the Hanford money, another $276 million is to be spent on regional power lines, city streets and other roadways, on police officers and their gear and other projects.

One still-unknown factor is an anticipated $75 million to $215 million that could be earmarked for research at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland. PNNL already has received $124 million, mostly to buy research equipment expected to lay the foundation for new research programs at the lab.

These are just a few of the highlights our staff found in preparing this comprehensive two-day report. As you read their stories, you’ll discover much more.

Ken Robertson: 582-1520; krobertson@tricityherald.com

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