Senior U.S. Department of Commerce Official to Visit the Intermountain-West Nuclear Energy Corridor
Contact:
Mary Owen-Thomas
[email protected]
202.570.1203
**MEDIA ADVISORY**
THURSDAY: Senior U.S. Department of Commerce Official to Visit the Intermountain-West Nuclear Energy Corridor
Mr. Smith to also attend ribbon-cutting for College of Eastern Idaho Workforce Training Professional Development Center
Eric Smith, Director of National Programs, performing the duties for the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, at the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA), will visit Idaho Falls, Idaho, on Thursday, September 26, 2024, to meet with the Intermountain-West Nuclear Energy Corridor (INEC), a Tech Hub that serves Idaho and Wyoming. The coalition, led by the Idaho Advanced Energy Consortium, is a designee of the Tech Hubs Program, which is authorized by the CHIPS and Science Act.
In October 2023, the Biden-Harris Administration selected the Idaho Advanced Energy Consortium as one of 31 Tech Hubs designated across the nation. The Tech Hubs Program is a flagship initiative aimed at advancing U.S. leadership in critical technologies and industries. The designation is a strong endorsement of the consortium’s regional plan to supercharge its respective critical technology ecosystem and become a global leader over the next decade. Mr. Smith will be on-hand to learn more about the components of the Intermountain-West Nuclear Energy Corridor project and visit several anchor institutions involved in the initiative.
During his visit, Mr. Smith will participate in a ribbon cutting for the College of Eastern Idaho’s new Workforce Training Professional Development Center at the East Idaho Workforce Campus. In 1994, EDA awarded a $4.5 million grant to purchase land and construct the first facility on the campus. The College of Eastern Idaho is also a member of the INEC Tech Hub consortium.
WHO:
Eric Smith
- Director of National Programs, performing the duties for the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy
- U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration
Lori Barber
- President
- College of Eastern Idaho
Trevor Elordi
- Vice President of Workforce Training and Continuing Education
- College of Eastern Idaho
WHEN:
Thursday, September 26, 2024
11:45 p.m. - 12:15 p.m.: Media Availability
Noon - 12:15 p.m.: Ribbon-cutting for the Workforce Training Professional Development Center
WHERE:
College of Eastern Idaho
240 Technology Drive
Idaho Falls, ID 83401
About the Economic Development Administration:
The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation’s regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA makes investments in economically distressed communities in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth. To learn more about EDA, visit www.eda.gov.