Corona, CA – Today, U.S. Representative Young Kim (CA-40) applauded the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA)’s announcement that the Lithium Valley Clean Tech Strategy Development Consortium in Riverside, California, was awarded a Tech Hubs Strategy Development Grant. California’s 40th District includes part of Corona in Riverside County.
The Lithium Valley Clean Tech Strategy Development Consortium, a consortium led by the University of California Riverside (UC Riverside), will leverage the grant to increase local coordination and planning activities to strengthen its region’s capacity to manufacture, commercialize, and deploy technologies critical to U.S. economic and national security.
The Tech Hubs Program was authorized by the CHIPS and Science Act, which Rep. Kim supported, and aims to transform U.S. regions into globally competitive innovation centers through strategic investments. The UC Riverside consortium was selected for a grant from a competitive pool of 181 applications.
“Lithium is a critical mineral used in batteries that power renewable energy products such as electric vehicles. We cannot rely on the Chinese Communist Party to fuel our lives, which is why ensuring technologies are made here in the United States is vital for our economy and national security. I supported the CHIPS and Science Act last year to make strategic investments to expand and strengthen our domestic supply of these important resources,” said Rep. Young Kim. “I am thrilled that the Lithium Valley Clean Tech Strategy Development Consortium at UC Riverside, right here in Southern California, was awarded a Tech Hubs Strategy Development Grant through the CHIPS and Science Act to play a hands-on role in securing our supply chains. I look forward to working with UC Riverside and the administration to monitor progress and promote innovation.”
Last month, the California Defense Ready Electronics and Microdevices Superhub (California DREAMS) Hub at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles County was awarded $26.9 million from the Department of Defense through the CHIPS and Science Act to accelerate the development and manufacturing of microelectronics in the U.S.
