LaRe Supports $75 Million Grant Funding Awarded to Cirba Solutions in Lancaster

State Rep. Jeff LaRe (R-Violet Twp.) announces his support for the $75 million in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Energy awarded to Cirba Solutions, formerly known as Retriev Technologies Inc., located in Lancaster. 

LaRe wrote a support letter to the U.S. Department of Energy back in June for the funding.

“I contacted the Department of Energy a few months back to outline my support for Retriev Technologies’ push for the $75 million through the Battery Manufacturing and Recycling Grant program,” LaRe said. “This strong investment is going to create jobs and enable them to work with other local organizations and businesses on furthering philanthropic and educational initiatives to better our communities.”

Specifically, the grant program is expected to provide 150 jobs and support the broader community. The funding will be used to expand and upgrade the existing lithium-ion recycling facility to collect, disassemble, shred, and upgrade the critical minerals present from the thousands of tons of lithium-ion batteries. This process will then allow the materials to be reused to produce new lithium-ion batteries.

This Lancaster facility is intended to be one of the largest commercial-scale recycling facilities in North America that will produce battery-grade critical minerals to power more than 200,000 new electric vehicles each year.

LaRe touted the initiative back in June with his support letter saying, “I personally believe the grant funding being requested by Retriev Technologies will go a long way in supporting our local communities and businesses in both the region and the state.”

The recipients of the grant funding awards were announced this week.