News Release | Environment America

Bipartisan Bill to Support Offshore Wind Introduced in the House

A bill introduced this week in the U.S. House of Representatives would extend an Investment Tax Credit (ITC) for offshore wind power worth up to 30 percent of the cost of the project.  The bill, H.R. 3238, was introduced by Representatives Pascrell (NJ – 8, Democrat) and LoBiondo (NJ – 2, Republican), and seeks to jump-start the offshore wind industry in America by providing the ITC for the first 3,000 megawatts of offshore wind projects.  A companion bill has been introduced in the Senate, S. 1397, by Senators Carper (DE, Democrat) and Snowe (ME, Republican).

News Release | Environment America

Solar Jobs Boom with Nearly 7 Percent Growth in 12 Months

The United States has more than 100,000 people employed by the solar industry, according to new data released by Environment America today. This represents a 6.8 percent growth in solar jobs since last year. 

Report | Environment America

National Solar Jobs Census 2011: A Review of the U.S. Solar Workforce

The National Solar Jobs Census 2011 updates last year’s census of employment and annual projected growth in the United States solar industry with new data from a statistically valid sampling of employers throughout the nation.  The rapid pace of change in the industry has warranted annual updates that examine the size and scope of the industry.

News Release | Environment America

Governor Brown Signs Two Important Solar Power Bills

Environment California applauds governor’s commitment to growing mainstream solar power market.

News Release | Environment America

Clean Energy and Transportation Can and Will Create Jobs While Protecting Our Environment

In advance of President Obama’s address to the joint session of Congress today, Environment America released a fact sheet highlighting past achievements in clean energy and green transportation industries, as well as future policies and investments that could create more jobs in those industries.

News Release | Environment America

A Healthy Environment is Key to a Healthy Economy

President Obama today addressed a joint session of Congress on the subject of job creation. While focused mostly on a job-creating agenda, the President reiterated his support for environmental and health protections including “rules that keep our kids from being exposed to mercury” and challenged the country to be in a “race to the top” when it comes to pollution standards.

News Release | Environment America

Salazar Announces Step Forward for Offshore Wind in Rhode Island

Today, Department of the Interior Secretary Salazar announced an important step forward for clean energy in Rhode Island. Joined by Governor Lincoln Chafee and Rhode Island’s entire congressional delegation at Compass Rose Beach in North Kingstown, Secretary Salazar announced that the Department of the Interior will be conducting research on an area off the coast of Rhode Island with potential for offshore wind.

News Release | Environment America

Lawmakers To Hold Hearings on Governor Christie's Energy Plans for New Jersey

Leading lawmakers today announced plans for a hearing to explore the impacts of Governor Christie’s proposed 10-year Energy Master Plan. Chairmen of the Senate and Assembly Environment Committees Bob Smith and John F. McKeon said the hearing, scheduled for this Thursday at 10am in Tom’s River, will give citizens and stakeholder groups the opportunity to voice their opinions on the plan.

News Release | Environment America

Finalized Building Energy Codes Would Reduce Carbon Pollution by 200 Million Tons and Save U.S. Consumers and Businesses $40 Billion Annually by 2030

Today, the International Codes Council released the final version of updated energy codes for homes and businesses. The widespread adoption of this updated code by local and state governments, which are 30 percent more effective than the 2006 code, would save American homes and businesses $40 billion annually in energy costs by 2030, according to the Alliance to Save Energy.

News Release | Environment America

Senate Committee to Vote on Dangerous Energy Bill

Today, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will consider the Clean Energy Finance Act of 2011. The bill would create an energy deployment administration with broad authority to provide financial support for a wide array of energy technologies. While energy use and production remains the largest source of pollution in the U.S., the deployment administration could support energy technologies that are as dirty as our current energy sources. For electricity, the bill could subsidize nuclear power, advanced coal, natural gas and municipal solid waste along with truly clean technologies such as wind, solar power and energy efficiency. In the transportation sector, the bill could subsidize fuels that are as dirty as gasoline, which is responsible for more global warming pollution than any other fuel source in the United States. Finally, the bill could also support technologies like coal-to-liquids or tar sands oil as long as their emissions were comparable to those of gasoline.

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