ROCHESTER -- The Rochester Institute of Technology has been selected to host a new institute for designing and testing "green" manufacturing methods and providing technical support for businesses to cut pollution.

Gov. Eliot Spitzer says a technical review panel selected RIT, noting its proposal was bolstered by agreements with other schools and technology centers for sharing research. The state Department of Environmental Conservation reviewed proposals from universities across New York.

RIT proposes creating 16 laboratories across the state through partnerships with Clarkson University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the State University of New York at Buffalo.

Last year's state budget included $2 million to launch the institute.