WASHINGTON, DC, USA, July 4, 2007.
The Democratic Party in the United States has announced ‘Energy Independence Day’ legislation that will promote the creation of jobs from renewable energy.
“Today, in the tradition of our Founding Fathers and in the interest of our children and our grandchildren, we begin a new American revolution,” says Speaker Nancy Pelosi. “The legislation ... strengthens our national security by reducing our dependence on foreign oil; it provides the largest investment in home-grown biofuels and supports clean, renewable energy; it lowers energy costs for the consumers with greater efficiency and smarter technology, including a landmark increase in efficiency to reduce consumer energy costs.”
“When it comes to energy, we must think big and lead the future,” she adds. “We must be bold; we must declare independence from yesterday’s thinking and invest in energy solutions of tomorrow.”
HR 2847, the Green Jobs Act of 2007, was approved by the House Education & Labor Committee on a 26-to-18 vote. The bill would authorise US$125 million to create national and state job training programs, administered by the U.S. Department of Labor, to train workers in green power, energy-efficient buildings and construction, energy-efficient vehicles, biofuels development and other green industries.
It will identify and track the new jobs and skills needed to grow those industries, linking research and development in the green industry to job standards and training curricula. The funding could be used to pay for job training and also for support services for workers while they are in training, such as child care. Priority for training programs would go to veterans, displaced workers, and at-risk young people.
The legislation would also provide long-term incentives for companies to invest in renewable energy; 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 efficiency standards; and produce biofuels.
The bill increases loan limits to help small business develop energy efficient technologies and purchases; provides counselling to small business to reduce energy costs; and increases investment in small firms that are developing renewable energy solutions, recognising the leadership of entrepreneurs in the alternative energy sector. It will create an ‘Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Worker Training Program’ to train a quality workforce for solar panel manufacturers that are created by federal renewable energy and energy efficiency initiatives.
A major national investment in renewable energy could create 3 million green collar jobs over ten years, the Democrats claim.
It extends existing tax credits for the production of renewable energy, including solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, hydro, landfill gas and trash combustion, as well as creating new incentives for the use and production of renewable energy. In addition, it includes measures to bolster research on solar, geothermal and marine energy, and to promote responsible development of renewable energy projects on public lands and offshore.
“Training our workers in renewable energy industries will help reinvigorate America’s economy and improve our global competitiveness,” explains John Tierney (D-MA), co-sponsor of HR 2847.
