Pittsburgh to Senators Specter and Casey: Support Clean Energy Jobs

For Immediate Release: December 1, 2009
Contact: Benjamin Freed, Repower Pennsylvania, 917-903-3031, benjamin.freed@climateprotect.org
Randy Francisco, Sierra Club, 412-802-6161, randy.francisco@sierraclub.org

PITTSBURGH, PA — Continuing its partnership with Repower America, the Sierra Club and the Blue-Green Alliance, the Pittsburgh City Council on Tuesday declared its support for swift and comprehensive clean energy and climate federal legislation. In a unanimous resolution, the City Council urged the passage of the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act in the U.S. Senate and called on Senators Arlen Specter and Bob Casey to be strong advocates for its passage.

“Pittsburgh, with its strong industrial base, built the economy of the 20th century, and if the Senate takes action, we will have the opportunity to create the clean energy economy of the 21st century,” said Councilmember Bill Peduto. “This resolution will send the message to Senators Casey and Specter that our city is ready to lead the way in rebuilding our economy with 78,000 jobs for Pennsylvania, restoring our climate by reducing carbon emissions and becoming energy independent by ending our harmful dependence on foreign oil.”

Earlier this year, the Pittsburgh City Council declared August 3 “Repower America Day.” Since opening its doors in the Lawrenceville neighborhood, Repower Pennsylvania has educated and engaged thousands of Pittsburgh residents about solutions to the climate crisis that can create millions of new jobs, hasten our economic recovery, and strengthen our national security. Repower Pennsylvania partnered with the Blue Green Alliance in September for a clean energy jobs rally in Pittsburgh that drew thousands.

“This resolution is a bold step forward in the movement for clean energy and climate protection,” said Repower Pennsylvania Director Michael Fedor. “The City of Pittsburgh is recognizing its opportunity to lead Pennsylvania and the United States in the creation of a new clean energy economy that will put us back to work, protect our climate for future generations, and make us safer and more secure. I hope other cities around Pennsylvania follow Pittsburgh’s example and tell Senators Casey and Specter to support clean energy jobs that will put America back in control of its economic and energy future.”

On the EPW Committee Vote

On Thursday, the U.S. Senate Committee approved the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act. Repower Pennsylvania Director Michael Fedor offered this statement:

Senator Specter’s vote this morning to move the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act out of committee is an important step forward on securing essential clean energy and climate protection legislation. I believe Senator Specter and Senator Casey will be strong partners with senators John Kerry, Lindsay Graham and Joe Lieberman in delivering a bipartisan energy and climate bill. While there is still much work to be done, Pennsylvania can be proud that one of its longest serving senators voted to strengthen our national security, protect our climate, and create 1.7 million new, sustainable jobs, including 70,000 right here in the Keystone State.

Senator Specter Votes for Clean Energy

Earlier today, the U.S. Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works voted approved the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act by a vote of 10 to 1. Sen. Arlen Specter was among those who voted yes.

Read more at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

You can thank Senator Specter for his vote by calling 877-9-REPOWER and connecting to his Washington, DC office, or call one of his regional offices across Pennsylvania:

Allentown: 610-434-1444
Erie: 814-453-3010
Harrisburg: 717-782-3951
Philadelphia: 215-597-7200
Pittsburgh: 412-644-3400
Scranton: 570-346-2006
Wilkes-Barre: 570-826-6265

Contstruction Workers' Union Tells Senators Benefits of Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act

LIUNA – One of the Nation’s Largest Unions of Construction Workers – Testifies for Job-Creating Investments During Senate Hearing on the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE )--LIUNA – one of the nation’s largest unions of construction workers – backed significantly increased investment in residential weatherization during a U.S. Senate hearing today on the Clean Energy Jobs and America Power Act.

“Weatherizing homes, which account for 22 percent of America’s energy consumption, can reduce our dependence on foreign oil and create hundreds of thousands of family-supporting jobs,” Dave Johnson, LIUNA’s Eastern Region Organizing Director, said in testimony before the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

The Clean Energy Jobs and America Power Act would expand programs to weatherize the estimated 100 million energy inefficient homes in America. Johnson described how LIUNA’s breakthrough national weatherization training program is already connecting workers to careers after the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act allotted $5 billion to expand low-income home weatherization.

Weatherization on a nationwide scale will require the creation of a new American industry, with tens of thousands of new workers and a 40-fold increase in the capacity of existing weatherization businesses. LIUNA has created a breakthrough training program to meet the demand.

Johnson testified on the success of LIUNA’s efforts, including LIUNA Local 55’s weatherization training program in Newark, New Jersey. “Nearly 80 low-income community residents in New Jersey have been trained as LIUNA installers and hundreds more have come to informational meetings seeking to participate in the program. We’ll be able to deliver. Our training center recently won a bid to train 600 workers for the NJ Department of Labor over 18 months,” he said.

Johnson also cited New York City weatherization contractor CEC, which recently signed a contract with LIUNA Local 10, to demonstrate how the new industry benefits those too often left behind in today’s economy. “For five years, CEC’s women’s locker-room went unused because they had no women construction workers. Now, by partnering with LIUNA and the community, CEC’s employees include women, many of them single mothers who are finding a family-supporting career and doors opening to new opportunity.”

Weatherization can reduce a home’s energy use by as much as 40 percent and cut energy bills by $21 billion annually – an estimated average annual savings of $350 per homeowner. By retrofitting energy inefficient homes, America can lower residential greenhouse gas emission by 60 million metric tons annually by 2020. Every million homes weatherized supports 78,000 jobs. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates a $2.73 return in benefits for each $1 invested in weatherization.”

LIUNA relies on experienced instructors who provide trainees with a broad set of skills and credentials such as Technicians/Installers, Weatherization Supervisors and Energy Auditors.

“If done right, weatherization will create tens of thousands of family-supporting jobs, reduce homeowners’ energy bills, help free our nation from foreign oil and protect the environment – it’s a win-win no matter how you look at it,” said LIUNA General President Terry O’Sullivan of the residential weatherization effort. “We commend Chairwoman Boxer and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee for their leadership and we look forward to the day when millions of Americans confidentially call the LIUNA woman or LIUNA man to weatherize their homes and save their families money.”

Statement on Mayor Michael A. Nutter’s Testimony to the U.S. Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works

Repower Pennsylvania Director Michael Fedor released the following statement in response to Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter’s appearance before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works:

“We applaud Mayor Nutter’s testimony this morning before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works hearing on the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act. Under Mayor Nutter’s leadership, Philadelphia is emerging as a national leader for cities investing in clean energy and climate protection at the local level.

“As Mayor Nutter pointed out in his Senate testimony, clean energy policies will create thousands of new jobs in the Philadelphia area. The region is already home to 14,400 green jobs, a number that could double in the next five years with passage of comprehensive clean energy reform.

“These goals and many others are placing Philadelphia on pace to meet Mayor Nutter’s goal of making it ‘the Greenest City in America.’ Repower Pennsylvania is calling on mayors across the state to follow Mayor Nutter’s example and share their clean energy success stories in their cities. With workers, businesses, neighborhoods and government working together, we can create thousands of clean energy jobs, revitalize American power and protect our climate for future generations.”

Contact:
Benjamin Freed
Repower Pennsylvania Communications Director
917-903-3031
benjamin.freed@climateprotect.org

Morning Call: Bethlehem water agency explores adding wind power

From today's Morning Call in Allentown:

Bethlehem water agency explores adding wind power
By Nicole Radzievich

The Bethlehem agency that owns the city's water supply in its spring-fed reservoirs in the Poconos is looking at harnessing another natural resource there: the wind.

In a time when clean energy and green living have become buzz words, the Bethlehem Authority decided Thursday to begin evaluating two companies who want to build a windmill farm at the watershed.

Proposed are 30 to 70 turbines, about 180 feet tall, on the rural ridges of Carbon and Monroe counties. Depending on how many turbines are erected, the enterprise could eventually bring the authority $200,000 to $500,000 a year and provide enough renewable energy to power more than 10,000 homes.

Read the rest of the article here.

The Senate is beginning to debate the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act that will help the United States transition to a clean energy economy. Investing $6.1 billion in Pennsylvania's clean energy industries will create 70,000 jobs within two years, protect our climate for future generations, and reduce our dependency on foreign sources of fossil fuel, making our country more safe and secure.

Repower Pennsylvania Hails Senate Progress To Put America Back In Control With Clean Energy

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania – The Climate Protection Action Fund’s Repower Pennsylvania today issued the following statement on the Senate introducing the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act:

“By passing comprehensive clean energy and climate policies we’ll put America back in control of our economic and security future, make our nation more energy independent and create millions of new jobs by harnessing clean energy sources that are made in Pennsylvania,” said State Rep. Eugene DePasquale, D-York. “Our dependence on foreign oil hurts our economy, aids our enemies and puts our national security at risk. The big oil companies, their lobbyists and their front groups spend millions to protect their record profits and maintain the status quo, but Pennsylvania knows it’s time for change.”

A Zogby International poll released in August showed that a majority of American voters — 71 percent — strongly support House-passed clean energy and climate legislation, citing the job growth that would result from enacting new clean energy policies.

“Today’s action in the U.S. Senate is critical progress,” said Repower Pennsylvania State Director Michael Fedor. “New clean energy and climate policies will put America back in control of our economic and security future, make us more energy independent and create thousands of new jobs for Pennsylvania.”

Pennsylvania ranks third in the nation in clean energy jobs with 38,700, fifth in clean energy businesses with nearly 3,000 according to a study by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

According to the Center for American Progress, transitioning to a clean energy economy will create more than 70,000 jobs in Pennsylvania. And a recent report by the Union of Concerned Scientists found that comprehensive clean energy and climate policies can save Pennsylvania households $1,120 a year by 2030. Further, Pennsylvania’s wind energy resources could power more than 1 million homes according to the American Wind Energy Association.