** Later, Shaheen Highlights Importance of NHSaves Program in Exeter **
(Manchester, NH) – Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) alongside U.S. Representative Chris Pappas (NH-01) visited the ReGen Valley Consortium, led by the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI), following its Tech Hub designation by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA). The designation will help accelerate Southern New Hampshire’s growth into a global epicenter for the production and distribution of regenerative cells, tissues and organs and help further bolster the nation’s economic and national security. Download photos of today’s event here.
“With the ReGen Valley Consortium’s Tech Hub designation, Southern New Hampshire is poised to become even more of an innovative leader in biofabrication, creating good jobs, developing lifesaving technology and strengthening our national security,” said Senator Shaheen. “Today’s visit showed all of us the incredible opportunity we have to develop technological advancements that will improve lives and to ensure that the industries of the future, and all the good paying jobs that come with them, are created and remain right here in in New Hampshire. As Chair of the U.S. Senate Appropriations subcommittee that funds the EDA, I’ll continue supporting EDA programs as they help promote our state and country’s leadership in next-generation science, technology and research.”
“The work happening within the newly designated ReGen Valley Tech Hub has the potential to transform how we manage chronic diseases and traumatic injuries,” said Senator Hassan. “We worked to pass the CHIPS and Science Act to build a stronger economy and protect our national security, and the ReGen Valley Tech Hub will now be eligible for critical grants to further its work transforming medical fields and training Granite Staters for good-paying jobs in the biofabrication industry.”
“A century after Manchester led the world as a manufacturing center, another technological revolution is underway, and Manchester is poised to lead once again,” said Congressman Pappas. “The designation of Manchester as one of 31 inaugural Tech Hubs across the country underscores the quality and dedication of the partners and stakeholders in this effort, and firmly places New Hampshire’s ReGen Valley at the forefront of developing regenerative tissues and organs. I was proud to support the CHIPS and Science Act, which established the Tech Hubs program. I remain committed to fighting for these kinds of investments to ensure that America can compete on the world stage and to guarantee that the future is built right here in the Granite State.”
“The recognition of Southern New Hampshire ReGen Valley as one of only 31 Regional Technology Hubs in the country out of nearly 200 applications signifies our community’s commitment to innovation and growth, and emphasizes the incredible strength of our Consortium,” said Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig. “Because of our strong partnership, we’ve been able to achieve success in both this Regional Tech Hub selection and in becoming the only municipality in the country to secure a $44 million Build Back Better Regional Challenge Grant, which will support the bio-fabrication industry and create over 7,000 family-sustaining jobs that will benefit the entire region. I am grateful for our strong partnership and look forward to continuing to work with Dean Kamen, Nashua Mayor Donchess, Senator Shaheen, Senator Hassan, Congressman Pappas, and Congresswoman Kuster as we send a strong message that we’re leading the way right here in Manchester.”
“This designation recognizes ReGen Valley as the home of a new American industry that will benefit New Hampshire, the Nation, and the globe. With the committed focus of industry, academia, and community partners, the leadership of our New Hampshire delegation, and strong partners in our City and State officials, we are fundamentally transforming healthcare for chronic illness and traumatic injury and creating new pathways to good jobs and meaningful careers. The ReGen Valley Tech Hub will deliver life-saving therapies and inclusive economic growth for families and communities across this country – for generations to come,” said ARMI Executive Director Dean Kamen.
This designation comes through the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act that Senators Shaheen and Hassan developed and helped get signed into law. With the designation, the ReGen Valley Consortium is one of 31 entities across the country that is eligible to apply for implementation grants from the Tech Hubs program. Prior to this EDA Tech Hub announcement, U.S. Senators Shaheen and Hassan hosted Commerce Secretary Raimondo at ARMI following EDA’s selection of Southern New Hampshire’s BioFabrication Cluster as a Build Back Better Regional Challenge (BBBRC) awardee. This $44 million award – which Senators Shaheen and Hassan advocated for – is being used as a down payment to establish Southern New Hampshire’s leading role in regenerative tissue and organ production.
Through her leadership as Chair of the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, Shaheen works tirelessly to secure strong federal resources for the EDA. As an agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, the EDA invests in communities to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth. In the 2023 government funding law, Senator Shaheen secured $1.12 billion for the EDA. This level is an increase of $742.5 million above the prior year.
Later in the day, Shaheen visited Exeter’s Town Office to highlight a federal energy efficiency grant from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), commonly referred to as the bipartisan infrastructure law, coming to Exeter and how it is leveraging weatherization funding from NHSaves, an award-winning utility-run energy efficiency program. Download a photo of the meeting here.
“It’s exciting to see federal investments in energy efficiency I secured in the bipartisan infrastructure law pairing up with NHSaves on this project that will cut energy costs for households in Exeter,” said Senator Shaheen. “This is just one example of how programs like NHSaves can help our state make the most of once-in-a-generation investments from the bipartisan infrastructure law and help lower costs. Energy efficiency benefits our environment, our businesses and Granite State families, and I’ll continue to advocate on behalf of programs like NHSaves that reduce energy costs and foster economic growth across New Hampshire.”
Earlier this month, Exeter received $200,000 from the U.S. Department of Energy through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program, which will leverage funding from NHSaves and Weatherization Assistance to make energy efficiency upgrades and lower bills in 100 low-income households located in manufactured housing parks. As a lead negotiator of the IIJA, Shaheen worked with former Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) to secure inclusion of $550 million for EECBG. In addition to the competitive grants awarded to Exeter and Peterborough and Harrisville, New Hampshire is slated to receive more than $3.5 million in EECBG formula funding for the State and eligible local governments.
Shaheen leads legislative action in the Senate to deliver energy efficiency investments. Shaheen successfully included key provisions of her energy efficiency bill – the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act (ESIC) – with Senator Portman in the IIJA. Shaheen was a key supporter of the Inflation Reduction Act, which included provisions for clean energy and climate investments in New Hampshire. Last month, Shaheen celebrated the announcement that the U.S. Department of Energy opened applications for $400 million in federal funding to help states and territories adopt and implement building energy codes that reduce utility bills, increase efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and make buildings more resilient to climate disasters.
###
