PENNSYLVANIA JOBS BILL SIGNED INTO LAW IN PITTSBURGH

Sen. Costa joined Gov. Ed Rendell and other dignitaries as the governor signed a jobs bill that could create 18,000 jobs in Pennsylvania.

The Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, or RACP, bill authorizes construction projects that could account for $1.2 billion in new investments in Pennsylvania.

Costa attended the bill signing ceremony at the Connelley Technical School in Pittsburgh where local officials are working to transform the school into a home for Pittsburgh Green Innovators.

The site will house research and development businesses focused on renewable and green energy projects, as well as training for workers interested in seeking employment in the field of energy efficient technologies.

The governor said that the RACP bill authorizes a $600 million investment by the state in eligible projects like the Connelley Technical School. And, because of the program’s dollar-for-dollar match requirement, the new funding will lead to a total investment in the state of more than $1.2 billion.

In the past seven and a half years, RACP has helped support nearly 1,000 projects that have accounted for a nearly $4-billion investment in the state’s communities.

The governor said the fiscal year 2010-11 budget preserves critically important investments that will attract new companies to Pennsylvania, help existing businesses expand and reach new markets, and train workers to meet the demands of today’s rapidly changing economy.