News Releases for December 2005
December 15, 2005
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Hoeven Commends Legislative Budget Section On Passing Centers Of Excellence Projects
BISMARCK, N.D. – Gov. John Hoeven today commended members of the Legislative Budget Section on approving four new Centers of Excellence projects totaling about $9 million, with up to $38 million in matching funds and the potential to create thousands of new, higher paying jobs in North Dakota. Hoeven also commended and thanked Centers of Excellence Commission Chairman Mark Nisbet and commission members for their work to advance the projects.
“These projects, and others like them still in the planning stages, will create quality jobs and real opportunities for North Dakotans,” Hoeven said. “We commend legislators, campus leaders and the business community for crafting far-sighted entrepreneurial ventures that will help to build a stronger economy and a better future for North Dakota.”
The four projects approved today are:
- Bismarck State College – BSC through the BSC Foundation will construct an Energy Technology Center of Excellence. This world-class facility will combine energy workforce training with environmental research while advancing the use of coal combustion products. Private sector partners Great River Energy, Basin Electric, Reliant Energy, MDU, North American Coal, Westmoreland Coal, Minnesota Power/BNI Coal. Amount Received: $3,000,000. Amount of Match: Up to $13,082,000.
- North Dakota State University – Advanced Electronics Design and Manufacturing – The Center will research highly-marketable products identified by two of NDSU’s established private sector partners: Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) sensor tags for the cold-chain shipments market (Alien Technology), and advanced sensors utilizing a new global wireless standard (Crane Aerospace and Electronics). A third project with Clinical Services Management utilizing RFID technology will also begin. Products from these projects can be made in North Dakota’s highly-capable electronics manufacturing companies, such as Killdeer Mountain Manufacturing, Pemstar Turtle Mountain, and Phoenix International. Amount Received: $3,000,000. Amount of Match: Up to $9,550,000.
- University of North Dakota Energy and Environmental Research Center – Hydrogen Technology – Recently designated the National Center for Hydrogen Technology (NCHT) by the U.S. Department of Energy, the EERC will construct a $3,000,000 facility to house the NCHT. Amount Received: $2,500,000 Amount of Match: Up to $14,500,000 within 1 year.
- Lake Region State College – Technology Optimized Agriculture – The project’s vision is “to become the premier center for technological applications in North American agriculture.” while fulfilling its mission to create technology-optimized products that increase net margins of North Dakota’s farmer/ranchers, respond to the need for technological inputs that preserve fragile eco-systems, and create a platform for entrepreneurs. Amount Received: $450,000. Amount of Match: Up to $1,317,650.
Center of Excellence for Economic Development are hubs of research and development on the campuses of the North Dakota University System around which related businesses expand and dynamic new businesses cluster. The Governor’s initiative provides up to $50 million for Centers of Excellence. The dollars will be leveraged with private, federal and local matching funds to generate a total investment in new jobs and businesses of more than $150 million.
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