A Note on Green Collar Jobs

Today Rep. Patrick Murphy held a press conference at the Keystone Industrial Port Complex to hail the passage of the Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act. From the press release:

Kicking off his Memorial Day district work period, Pennsylvania Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-8th District) announced the bipartisan House passage of legislation that will deliver green energy jobs both locally and nationally. At the green energy hub in the Keystone Industrial Port Complex, Rep. Murphy cited the economic and security needs of the future and praised the tax credits in the House bill that will spur green collar job growth. Murphy was joined by Chris Chang from AE Polysilicon, Falls Township Supervisor Jonathan Snipes, Nathan Willcox from Penn Environment and local workers. Standing at a Wind Power Component Staging Area for Gamesa, they hailed the House of Representatives’ passage of the Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act which will create green energy jobs locally and nationally if signed into law. The bill passed the House by a bipartisan majority and will increase the production of renewable fuels and renewable electricity. It extends critical tax credits for research and development as well as business investment. It also extends and expands tax incentives for renewable electricity, as well as for plug-in hybrid cars, energy efficient homes, buildings, and appliances.

What are green collar jobs? Here are a few links with some further explanation:

Where are all the clean, green jobs? By Joel Makower 3/21/08
Also discusses a Pittsburgh conference in March, with excerpts and links from documents that conference and other materials.

Green Collar Blog

“Earth, Inc.; Green collar jobs signal employment shift toward eco-friendly economy,” by Jason Lee (a version of this document was published in the Jobs section of the Inquirer on April 27, 2008).