President Obama is traveling to Elkhart County, Ind., Wednesday to announce $2.4 billion in Recovery Act grant money towards next generation battery technology and electric vehicles.
The President is attempting to make good on a promise delivered earlier this year to the people of Elkhart to help speed up their economic turnaround. Elkhart's unemployment rate is twice the national average.
Among the 48 battery technology and electric vehicle projects spread over 25 states, seven Indiana companies are grant recipients.
The town of Wakarusa, Indiana, where the President will speak today, has been particularly hard hit by economic times. Last year, the Monaco Recreational Vehicle (RV) plant (the President's event site) closed after declaring bankruptcy but in recent months it re-opened after being bought by the Navistar Company. Roughly 200 employees currently work at the plant making RVs in addition to electric and hybrid vehicles. Wakarusa residents are hopeful the federal grant money will recoup even more of the town's lost jobs.
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