Green Collar Jobs
On Tuesday the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming will explore the vast potential for the development of “green collar” jobs from increased energy efficiency and use of renewable energy in the United States. A market transformation towards clean energy will require a new cadre of workers for everything from the research, design, and engineering of new energy systems to the manufacture, installation, and maintenance of clean technology investments. The range of jobs and skills requirements is wide, but the potential employment impact is substantial: in a recent analysis the Cleantech Venture Network estimated that as many as 500,000 new green collar jobs could be created by 2010. Increasing green collar jobs is also an opportunity to cultivate both economic and environmental benefits for many underserved communities.
Witnesses:- Jerome Ringo, President Apollo Alliance
- Van Jones, President and Co-Founder Ella Baker Center (Oakland, CA)
- Elsa Barboza, Campaign Coordinator for Green Industries at the Strategic Concepts in Organizing and Policy Education (SCOPE; Los Angeles, CA)
- Bob Thelen, Chief Training Officer, Capital Area Michigan Works!
Water Reuse and Reclamation: H.R. 716, H.R. 236, H.R. 1503 and H.R. 1725
- H.R. 716 (Woolsey, D-CA): The Santa Rosa Urban Water Reuse Plan Act
- H.R. 236 (Thompson, D-CA): The North Bay Water Reuse Program Act of 2007
- H.R 1503 (Grijalva, D-AZ): The Avra/Black Wash Reclamation and Riparian Restoration Project
- H.R. 1725 (Bono, R-CA): The Rancho California Water District Recycled Water Reclamation Facility Act of 2007
Witnesses:
Panel 1- Robert Quint, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Operations, Bureau of Reclamation, Washington, D.C.
- Tim Smith (H.R. 236), Sonoma County Supervisor, District 3, Board of Supervisors, Santa Rosa, CA
- Michael Martini (H.R. 716), Santa Rosa City Councilmember, Santa Rosa, CA
- Michael Gritzuk (H.R. 1503), Director, Pima County Wastewater Management, Tucson, AZ
- Dr. Brian J. Brady (H.R. 1725), General Manager, Rancho California Water District, Temecula, CA
Carbon-Neutral Government Act of 2007
Hearing on H.R. 2635: The Carbon-Neutral Government Act.
Witnesses- Ms. Emily Figdor, Director, Federal Global Warming Program, US Public Interest Research Group
- Mr. Jeffrey Harris, Vice President for Programs, Alliance to Save Energy
- Mr. Marshall E. Purnell, FAIA, First Vice President and President-Elect, The American Institute of Architects
Perspectives on Energy and Climate Change: Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt of Sweden
On Tuesday the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and the Committee on Foreign Affairs will host the Prime Minister of Sweden, Fredrik Reinfeldt, to discuss energy policy, his country’s efforts to eliminate its dependence on fossil fuels by 2020 and Sweden’s growing concerns over global warming.
Following the hearing, Select Committee Chairman Edward Markey (D-MA) and Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Tom Lantos (D-CA) will hold a press availability with the Prime Minister.