National 'Green Jobs' Bill Has Roots in Oakland

National 'Green Jobs' Bill Has Roots in Oakland

Jun 29 - Oakland Tribune

Part of the "Energy Independence Day" plan rolled out Thursday by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was inspired by an Oakland pilot project that trains workers for jobs in renewable energy and energy- efficiency industries.

H.R. 2847, the Green Jobs Act of 2007, is modeled on the Green Jobs Corps created under the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights' Reclaim the Future initiative. The House Education and Labor Committee passed the bill -- authored by Rep. Hilda Solis, D-El Monte, and Rep. John Tierney, D-Mass. -- on a 26-18 vote Wednesday.

"Oakland's Green Jobs Corps program shows how it's possible to create jobs and strengthen the economy while addressing urgent environmental challenges, especially global warming," committee chairman George Miller, D-Martinez, said Thursday. "I'm proud of the fact that some of the best ideas for tackling global warming are originating in the Bay Area.

"The Green Jobs Act would essentially take Oakland's program national, helping to prepare workers from coast to coast for green- collar jobs," he added. "The bill is now part of a larger energy independence package announced today by Speaker Pelosi, which is expected to begin to reach the House floor in July. Addressing energy security and climate change is a key priority and we intend to work hard to enact this legislation."

The bill would authorize up to $125 million to create national and state job training programs, administered by the U.S. Department of Labor, to train workers in energy-efficient buildings and construction, renewable electric power, energy-efficient vehicles, biofuels development and other green industries.

It would help identify and track the new jobs and skills needed to grow these industries, linking research and development in the green industry to job standards and training curricula. The funding could be used not only to pay for the job training itself, but also for support services for workers while they are in the training, such as child care. Priority for these training programs would be given to veterans, displaced workers, and at-risk youth.

Oakland's Green Jobs Corps is a collaboration, coordinated through the Ella Baker Center, between community groups, unions, the city and private companies. It recruits participants who'll be taught general life skills as well as technology-specific job skills before setting them up in temporary jobs and then helping them transition into permanent, independent work. Oakland City Council this month approved $250,000 in seed money for the corps.

Among other parts of the "Energy Independence Day" package Pelosi touted are bills that would set new energy-efficiency standards for home appliances, require more efficient lighting and promote green buildings in the public and private sectors and speed up Energy Department action on new efficiency standards; provide long-term incentives for companies to invest in renewable energy; spend $3.5 billion over five years to improve how we grow, transport, store and produce biofuels; repeal giveaways to the oil industry; and so on.

Contact Josh Richman at jrichman@angnewspapers.com or (510) 208- 6428. Read the Political Blotter at http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics .