Clean Energy Bill Could Create Half a Million Jobs

Clean Energy Bill Could Create Half a Million Jobs

WASHINGTON, DC, (ENS)

15th September 2006

Alternative energy legislation sponsored by Democrats in the Senate would create 530,000 jobs, according to a new report released Thursday by the Apollo Alliance. The alliance represents a coalition of national security, labor, environmental, civil rights and business organizations who are working for independence from foreign energy sources.

The Apollo report finds that half would be high paying jobs manufacturing wind turbines, solar panels and energy efficient vehicles. Another 10 percent would be high paying construction jobs as Americans go to work building wind farms, energy efficient homes and businesses, and new transit systems.

The report includes state-specific numbers illustrating that the Clean Energy Development for a Growing Economy Act of 2006 would create jobs in every state. The Clean EDGE Act alone would replace eight percent of the manufacturing jobs lost since 2000 in America, the report shows.

Apollo Alliance President Jerome Ringo said his group has a 10 step national agenda to create energy independence by the year 2015.

"It's time to kick America into high-gear with a modern Apollo plan that sets America free from dangerous, foreign oil, while creating millions of new jobs," said Ringo.

According to the study, California would gain the most, about 53,750 jobs. Other states that could expect large jumps in employment are Texas with 37,560 jobs, Michigan with 29,320 jobs and Pennsylvania with 25,965 jobs.

Senators Hillary Clinton of New York, Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, and Maria Cantwell of Washington, joined the Apollo Alliance on a conference call with reporters Thursday to release the new report on energy independence job creation.

"Americans are looking forward to a future where we buy fuel produced in the Midwest instead of the Middle East," Stabenow said. "We've known for a long time that investing in alternative energy would create thousands of good-paying jobs in Michigan, and this report is further confirmation. These jobs would benefit many parts of Michigan's economy, boosting our manufacturers, farmers, automakers and research centers."

"Investing in new fuel technologies will not only help break our fossil fuel dependence in favor of cleaner, more reliable alternatives, but will also create thousands of new family wage manufacturing jobs," said Cantwell, co-chair of the Apollo Alliance and a member of the Senate Energy Committee.

"This report proves that betting on American ingenuity and technological expertise is far better than continuing to gamble on the future good will of unfriendly Middle East regimes for our energy needs."

The Clean EDGE Act mandates that 25 percent of new vehicles sold in the U.S. by 2010 be flex-fuel capable, rising to 50 percent by 2020. Flexible fuel vehicles can run on higher blends of biofuels, which helps displace petroleum and provide competition at the gas pump.

A major barrier to using flex fuel vehicles to reduce petroleum consumption is the lack of such refueling stations.

The Clean EDGE Act sets a national goal of installing alternative fuels at 10 percent of American gas stations by 2015. It requires major integrated oil companies that own refueling stations to install alternative fuel pumps.

The federal government is the single largest energy consumer in America. The Clean EDGE Act requires the Federal government reduce its petroleum consumption by 20 percent in five years and 40 percent by 2020, increase its renewable electricity use to 10 percent of total consumption by 2013, and employ advanced, efficient, and renewable technology to help drive innovation and jumpstart markets.

To help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and America's reliance on fossil fuels, the Clean EDGE Act sets a national renewable portfolio standard requiring that 10 percent of all electricity produced in the country come from renewable sources by 2020. Many states have set higher renewable portfolio standards.

View the Apollo Alliance report at: http://www.apolloalliance.org/