House coalition urges deficit committee to support job creation in clean energy
WASHINGTON, DC - Today the House of Representatives Sustainable Energy & Environment Coalition (SEEC) sent a letter to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction urging the panel to support domestic clean energy innovation and production as a way to create jobs and grow the American economy.
“If America is to compete in these global twenty-first century energy industries, the federal government must lead the way with the investments, incentives, and policies that will allow domestic clean tech innovators to thrive,” wrote the members of the House coalition, telling panel members that “as your committee examines the federal budget and considers necessary cuts, revenues, and investments, we urge you to prioritize federal support for the American jobs that will be created by clean energy, and a more prosperous, sustainable, and secure American economic future.”
Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY), a co-chair of the 50-member House coalition, said “the American people want Congress to focus on creating jobs and getting this economy moving again. One of the best ways to do that is with smart investments in clean energy. As the Joint Select Committee develops a plan to address the federal deficit, our coalition believes that it should recognize and prioritize the essential role the federal government has to play in promoting innovation and job creation in the clean energy sector.”
“The surest way to address the federal deficit is to get our economy growing again, and in that respect clean energy represents an enormous opportunity for our country,” said SEEC co-chair Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA). “We all know that we send billions overseas for energy. We need to ensure that the solar panel manufacturers, advanced biofuels developers and others have the resources and the tools they need to build their companies and put people to work. That these policies will also help to balance our trade deficit, increase our energy security, and decrease pollution means that clean energy must absolutely be a priority for this panel tasked with outlining federal priorities for the next decade.”
“Investing in clean energy innovation is no longer a choice -- it’s a necessity that brings with it the promise of reduced dependence on fossil fuels, increased national security, and new jobs for our economy,” said SEEC vice chair Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY). “The Capital Region of New York is a perfect example – public investment supported by academia has attracted new companies and new industries, and as a result we were recently ranked first in the nation when it comes to green collar jobs. I join with my colleagues in asking the Joint Committee to integrate clean energy investment into our deficit reduction solution, so we can grow new jobs, out innovate the world, and create the industries that will support future generations of Americans.”
“American global competitiveness means investing in our strongest asset; the American people, and I hope the super-committee will do just that,” said SEEC vice chair Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO). “As we focus on job creation and economic recovery, it’s worth noting that clean energy is one of our country’s fastest growing industries, where investments in research and development yield huge returns in new technologies, new manufacturing and new small businesses.”
Environment Entrepreneurs - a national community of individual business leaders and clean energy innovators - released the following statement in support of the letter: “The growing clean energy sector represents our greatest opportunity to restore a robust economy and create new jobs and exports. U.S. businesses and investors need clear policy signals from Congress to promote investment security and stability. SEEC members are leaders in advancing federal support for clean energy and we urge the members of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction to incorporate their recommendations for advancing a clean energy economy and America’s competitive position in the global clean energy market.”
“Renewable energy is an important element of our nation’s energy security and a strategic growth industry. In 2010, 33% of all new US power generation came from renewable energy, and over 13.3 billion gallons of biofuels were produced, displacing the need for roughly 445 million barrels of oil. This is more than the total estimated crude oil imports from Saudi Arabia. Renewable energy is also major source of job creation with nearly one million Americans today employed across the sector," said Vice Admiral Dennis McGinn (USN-RET), President of the American Council On Renewable Energy.
Since its founding in January 2009, SEEC has successfully fought for federal policies to support clean energy innovation and job creation: including historic clean energy investments in the 2009 Recovery Act, winning funding for Department of Energy ‘Energy Innovation Hubs’ conducting transformative energy research, and including an extension of the 1603 Treasury Grant Program for renewable energy projects in last December’s tax compromise, among others initiatives.
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The Sustainable Energy & Environment Coalition (SEEC) is a coalition of fifty Democratic members of the House of Representatives that was founded in January 2009 to be a focused, active, and effective coalition for advancing “policies that promote clean energy technology innovation and domestic manufacturing, develop renewable energy resources, and create green collar jobs throughout the product supply-chain, and polices to help arrest global warming and protect our nation’s clean air, water and natural environment.” SEEC is co-chaired by Reps. Jay Inslee (D-WA) and Steve Israel (D-NY). SEEC vice chairs are Reps. Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Rush Holt (D-NJ), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Jared Polis (D-CO), and Paul Tonko (D-NY).