By KRWG News
New Mexico – New Mexico has been awarded nearly $6 million in federal stimulus funds to create training programs for the state's renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors.
Gov. Bill Richardson and the state's congressional delegation announced the funding from the U.S. Department of Labor on Wednesday.
Richardson says the grant will allow the state to better identify the needs of business in the green energy sector and to develop training opportunities to meet those needs. He says developing a world-class clean energy work force is vital to the state's economic development.
The governor's office says the grant will help create regional councils focused on biofuels, solar energy, wind and green building. The councils will work with local labor development boards in developing the training programs.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.