Washington, DC – Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT) today heralded the announcement by the Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration that $7 million in Recovery Act funds has been made available to the state of Connecticut for hybrid-powered buses and stationary fuel cells at Connecticut Transit (CTTransit) facilities in New Haven and Stamford.

“In making this $7 million grant to CTTransit,” said Congresswoman DeLauro, “the administration is making real its commitment to a clean energy future in our state, while maintaining jobs and paving the way for future economic growth. By upgrading our public transportation, and investing in environmentally-friendly technologies, this grant will pay enormous dividends for the people of Connecticut both in the immediate and the long-term.”

Of the total, $3.4 million will be used to outfit about 20 buses the Department is buying with hybrid power. The remaining $3.6 million will be used for stationary fuel cells at CTTransit hubs in New Haven and Stamford. A stationary fuel cell provides primary and emergency back-up power for the bus maintenance and storage facilities. It allows the bus facilities to generate their own emission-free electricity at all times, and is especially valuable during peak load periods, when the state’s utilities have to buy electricity from other areas on the national grid.

CTTransit and its affiliated systems provide almost 37 million passenger trips each year across Connecticut.