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OP-ED: Congress must support renewable energy, green jobs

The Buffalo News : OPINION

- January 23, 2008

By Alice Kryzan

Last month, Congress enacted a new energy law that is important for the health of both our local economy and our planet. But crucial aspects of the energy bill were dropped from the final legislation because of the opposition of the special interest groups of our energy past.

As Congress returns to work, it must address at least some of these issues again so that we can move to our energy future, one that can mean thousands of new green jobs in Western New York.

First, the good news. This new law moves our energy policy in the direction it must go, toward more energy efficiency and more recognition of the realities of climate change.

There also is a green jobs provision of this new law that begins to move our national economy in a new direction, from which our region can benefit.

The law authorizes $125 million a year for training programs for workers in the renewable energy and energyefficiency sectors.

This includes both manufacturing jobs in new industries, such as wind turbine and solar panel manufacturing, and also jobs connected with green building construction and energy-efficiency measures such as weatherizing older homes.

Our local and national leaders must work to get our share of these funds and train our workers for these 21st century jobs.

Congress also must provide consistent federal support for renewable energy so that clean renewable energy manufacturing facilities will be built in the United States to employ these newly trained workers.

In the past, this support has been provided through a federal production tax credit. But that credit will expire at the end of 2008 and its extension was one of the provisions that did not get into last year’s energy act.

Congress should pass a long-term extension of the credit. One study found that a 10-year extension could increase the U.S. share of manufactured wind equipment from the current level of 30 percent to about 70 percent.

Another report found that a major increase in renewable energy projects would result in close to 50,000 new manufacturing jobs in New York State, the second most in the country. Erie County would have the largest number of these jobs, and Niagara County would be in the top 10.

Investment in renewable energy demonstrates that a responsible national energy policy also can be beneficial for our economy. Coalitions of unions, businesses and environmentalists already recognize this.

If our elected officials have the necessary vision, we can create a new green economy here with good-paying jobs at the same time that we reduce our dependence on foreign energy and lead the world in addressing the climate change problem.

Alice Kryzan is a lawyer who has practiced environmental law in Western New York for more than 30 years. She is a Democratic candidate for Congress in the 26th District.