(Reuters circulated the following on March 9, 2009.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Obama administration rolled out more funding to states and cities from the economic recovery plan on Thursday, with Vice President Joe Biden announcing that $8.4 billion is now available for public transportation projects.
Some $17 million for American Indian tribes’ transit projects are also included in the allotment.
The state of New York will receive the largest amount at $1.22 billion. California will also take a sizable portion with $1.07 billion, followed by New Jersey which will get $524.23 million. Illinois will receive $467.54 million.
Of all the states, Vermont will receive the least amount, $5.68 million.
Money in the stimulus plan, which President Barack Obama signed into law a little over two weeks ago, is apportioned according to existing transportation funding formulas.
On Tuesday, Obama sent $27 billion from the plan’s highway allotment to states and on Monday he released $155 million for constructing and expanding 126 health centers across the country.
Obama appointed Biden to oversee the economic recovery law’s implementation and created the Web site www.recovery.gov for the public to track how the dollars are deployed.