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Labor, Business, Community Leaders Endorse Climate Action and Green Jobs Bill

OLYMPIA – The Washington Apollo Alliance, a diverse group of leaders from business, labor, environmental and anti-poverty communities joined together today in support of Governor Gregoire’s Climate Action and Green Jobs bill. The leaders later testified in favor of the legislation at a House Ecology and Parks Committee hearing.

The group was joined by members of the House and Senate, including the prime sponsors of the bill: Representative Hans Dunshee (D-Snohomish) and Senator Craig Pridemore (D-Vancouver).

“The breadth of support we see here today for the Climate Action and Green Jobs bill shows the huge opportunity a clean energy future represents for everyone in Washington,” said Climate Solutions’ Policy Director KC Golden. “This legislation lays the foundation for actions our state must take to reduce global warming pollution, and create a new, skilled workforce for the clean energy economy.”

“Labor is committed to the development of environmentally sustainable technologies here in Washington. We agree with Governor Gregoire that these emerging industries are an excellent opportunity to create family wage jobs, support area wage standards, and make a commitment to help our environment,” said Dave Johnson, Executive Secretary of the State Building Trades Council, AFL-CIO. “Our Building and Constructions Trades industry is already equipped with an existing infrastructure to ensure quality, up-to-date education and training through state-approved apprenticeship programs for individuals seeking building and construction careers in green technology fields. We are pleased to be a partner in this effort to begin building a better future for Washington's citizens today.

On January 14, Governor Gregoire announced that she would be requesting that the legislature pass the Climate Action and Green Jobs bill, which directs Washington to develop a program to reduce its global warming pollution and train workers in green-collar jobs.

Patrick Neville, Coordinator of Washington Apollo Alliance said, “The Climate Action and Green Jobs bill proves that any ‘jobs vs. environment’ or ‘business vs. environment’ arguments are false arguments. The bill will prepare people for good, family-wage jobs in non-polluting employment, while promoting sustainable use of our natural resources and broadening investment in Washington’s economy. The WA Apollo Alliance is proud to support this bill.”

This bill would be the first statewide legislation to link reducing global warming pollution with opportunities to invest in developing the state’s workforce to meet job growth in clean energy sector.

"This change from an oil dependent economy is going to happen, we need to manage that change so we have a healthy economy and we create clean jobs through the new technology and innovation that Washington has been a leader at." said Rep. Hans Dunshee (D-Snohomish).

"This bill continues our work to make Washington a leader in the effort to address global climate change,” said State Senator Craig Pridemore (D-Vancouver). “It establishes accountability measures and begins to set the stage for additional public and private sector initiatives that will begin to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in this state and around the nation."

Representatives from the business community and anti-poverty organizations were also on hand to speak in support of the bill.

"The Climate Action and Green Jobs bill will not only start to create a clean energy economy here in Washington, but will make sure this economy is strong enough to provide pathways out of poverty for the people in our state who need new training and job opportunities," said Tony Lee, advocacy director of Solid Ground.

“McKinstry has been at the forefront in the creation of green collar jobs in Washington State, and we know firsthand the promise of clean energy for Washington’s future,” said Ash Awad, VP of Energy and Facility Solutions at McKinstry. “This legislation will help train the workers we need for jobs in this growing sector of our economy.”

The Apollo Alliance is a coalition of business, labor, environmental, and community leaders working to catalyze a clean energy revolution in America to reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil, cut the carbon emissions that are destabilizing our climate, and expand opportunities for American businesses and workers.