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Policy Solutions

Green-Collar Jobs Initiative

The Green Collar Jobs Initiative is a budget proposal to fund recently enacted priority programs from the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, including:

• Weatherization, Commercial Building Initiatives & Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants
• Incentives for Advanced Battery Production and Storage Capability (vehicles, solar, wave and wind)
• Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Worker Training Program
• Loans for retooling factories for the production of advanced technology vehicles (i.e. hybrids, plug-ins hybrids and fuel cells)
• Advanced Biofuels (Production and Infrastructure)

Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007

Early in December, the U.S. House of Representatives - on a vote of 314-100 - passed the Energy Independence and Security Act. Congress included many of the Green Machines policy agenda items in this legislation, which was signed into law by the President on December 19, 2007.

Key provisions of the law include:

• Vehicle mileage: requires automakers to boost fleetwide fuel economy for cars and light trucks to 35 miles per gallon by 2020 (an approximately 40% increase).
• Job protections: provides protections for jobs at small car production facilities and financial support for industry investments in new technologies to keep small car production in the U.S.
• Retooling provisions: authorizes up to $25 billion in loan guarantees for retooling existing auto plants with new fuel-saving vehicles and components.
• Green jobs: creates an Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Worker Training Program to train a quality workforce for “green collar” jobs -- such as solar panel manufacturer and green building construction worker -- created by federal renewable energy and energy efficiency initiatives.
• Renewable fuels: calls for a fivefold increase in the amount of biofuels, such as ethanol, in addition to gasoline, to 36 billion gallons by 2022.
• Light bulbs and appliances: requires a phaseout of incandescent bulbs and improves energy efficiency of appliances.
• Green federal buildings: includes green building standards for new federal buildings and a zero net energy initiative to reach the goal of having all commercial buildings use zero net energy by 2050.
• Geothermal power: authorizes the research and development of technologies to locate and develop geothermal energy resources

Opposition from the Senate Republicans and the President resulted in the removal of the following provisions:

• The renewable electricity standard and
• Tax incentives for clean renewable and alternative energy paid for by repealing subsidies for Big Oil

For more information, please visit:

• Speaker Pelosi's Website
• Representative Dingell's Website