An Early St. Patrick’s Day in California: The Democrats’ Green Jobs Package

Pope announced that the Sierra Club is partnering with the Apollo Alliance, an organization that focuses on green jobs and the United Steelworkers to sponsor a national green jobs conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania March 13 and 14.

California will not disappoint and has already started.

You can watch Senator Dean Florez discussing the Senate’s bills:

Each of the Senate authors described their bills and why they are needed to spur California’s economy and buttress governmental efforts on global warming and the environment:

SB 1760 (Perata) which would require energy and environmental agencies to adopt a single plan for spending $200 million in existing public funds annually for in-state green technology. The plan must identify new green technology research that helps create California jobs and clean tech growth, research expenditures in climate “adaptation” that helps guide state research on water, coastal, and wildlife impacts from climate change. Perata said, “We need to create a single, coordinated strategic investment plan to ensure scarce state research dollars are invested to provide better information on the effects of climate change.”

SB 1672 (Steinberg) that would authorize $3 billion in state bonds for development of renewable energy and energy efficiency and conservation jobs. The measure would also fund educational and worker training programs. The legislation would aim to develop clean technology businesses and foster jobs helping California adapt to climate change, with special attention for actions that will benefit disadvantaged communities.

Senator Darrell Steinberg said: “The emergence of California’s green economy gives us the opportunity to merge our environmental goals with our desire for all California students to eventually hold middle class jobs or better. My bond proposal, SB 1672, is an investment in California to ensure we keep pace with the rest of the world – an economic investment in our children and in our most cutting-edge businesses.” Steinberg is Chair of the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee and will be the President pro Tem of the Senate at the end of this session.

SB 1550 (Florez) that will require the Secretary of State, in consultation with the investment community, to develop a climate change disclosure standard for use by listed companies doing business in California. The standard would provide guidance on disclosure of climate change risks and opportunities for publicly traded companies.

Senator Dean Florez, who is Chair of the Senate Government Organization Committee, said: “This will be a tool to help investors know who the good actors are when it comes to cleaning our air and being responsible stewards of our planet. As investors are armed with the information to make environmentally responsible choices with their investment money, companies will have to follow suit to stay competitive.”

SB 1670 (Kehoe) is sponsored by the State Treasurer and creates the Energy Efficiency and Carbon Reduction State Building Trust Fund of 2008. It will authorize $2 billion of state general obligation bonds to help reduce the energy purchased by state entities for state-owned and long-term leased buildings; to assist schools in financing energy efficiency measures; and to assist state entities in retro-commissioning and re-commissioning state-funded buildings with the goal of assuring energy and resource consuming equipment are installed and operated at optimal efficiency.

Senator Christine Kehoe, who is the Chair of the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee said:"Californians have embraced the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and this support allows us to accomplish great things. We can develop a ‘green’ economy in California that creates new jobs, lowers energy costs, and saves taxpayers’ money.”

The Assembly bills to be heard in committee hearings include:

AB 3018--Green Collar Jobs--authored by Speaker Nunez which develops a comprehensive array of programs, strategies and resources to grow California’s “green” economy.

AB 2538--Carbon Labeling--authored by Assemblymember Ira Ruskin that establishes a state certified, standardized voluntary carbon labeling program for greenhouse gas emissions. It permits product manufacturers to carbon label products so consumers can voluntarily reduce their carbon footprints.

AB 2267--Greenhouse Gas Emissions--authored by Assemblymember Felipe Fuentes that provides incentives through existing energy efficiency programs to manufacturers of clean energy technology who base their operations and manufacturing facilities in the state and generate new industries and jobs.

AB 2003--Climate Protection and Energy Efficiency--authored by Assemblymember Lori Saldana which is designed to meet Assembly Bill 32’s goals by a legislative bond initiative authorizing the sale of $2 billion in state general obligation bonds. The money would be used to promote alternative energy including solar and wind and for low-income energy conservation.

Given Friday’s dismal employment news and the lack of job creation in California in 2007, coupled with the massive state budget deficit, this may be exactly the tonic needed to help us out of the economic doldrums and bringing in revenue needed by the state as well.

Nunez clearly had this on his mind, saying: “The green economy can be a path out of poverty for underserved populations in California and the green economy can generate badly needed income and revenue for our state. While anything with an impact on the general fund is going to have a tough time this year it’s vital in keeping California’s competitive edge that we move the ball forward with these bills. There’s plenty of time as these bills move through the process to look at how to minimize costs, how to retool and reform current programs to maximize existing resources and maybe even how to move some of these proposals toward being revenue neutral.”