Ecominds-a Mailing List: Green for All national Conf call on Senate climate bill - notes

[Ralph Wyman (rwmuusja]

I was able to join the Green for All national call for information on the
Senate climate bill introduced last week.

 

Here are my notes.  The call will also be available to listen on green for
all's web site.

 

- Ralph Wyman

MUUSJA director/organizer

 

10/5/09

 

Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins (GfA CEO):

Senate bill includes 2 important provisions:

1) Green Construction Demonstration project

2) Funds green jobs act

->  Invest in people and communities to build pathways out of poverty.

 

Presenters:

Jason Walsh - Nat'l poicy director, GfA.

Mark Ayers - AFL/CIO green construction trades

Madalyn Janice - L.A. Alliance for New Economy, www.laane.org

Jessie Tolkein - Energy Action Coalition

Alli Changi Starr - moderator (GfA)

 

1500 RSVPs for call.

 

Jason - CO2 in Senate bill:  20% below 2005 levels (17% in House/ACES)  83%
reduction by 2050.

Pollution action and reinvestment - incents large polluters.  Emissions
allowance.  Does not yet specified how rev set aside (other than 25% to keep
bill revenue neutral).  Similar to Cap and Trade, but not quite same (?).

-> Major pressure expected to dilute 20% target.  Need strong market signal
to industry. Pressure to give away more credits to power and industry than
House bill.

Consumer protection - protect low/mod people who pay disproportionate part
of income to energy.  House 15% targeted low income relief.  Senate has to
build.  Dislocated worker - Senate incl. training, unemp comp, & ins.
assistance.

Senate keeps EPA authority. (House bill removes EPA authority to regulate
CO2)

Funds state recycling facilities, collection, and recycle manufactured
materials projects.

Fund cost-effective retrofits

Long term funding for energy efficiency block grant programs

 

              Two Important accessible jobs provisions (and in House
version)

1) Green Construction Demonstration project

         3 things:

a. green career pipeline

b. Empl for local communities and workers by requiring min % local 

c. Workfoce community labor requirements

2) Funds Green Jobs Act - needs to be beyond 2013 allocation from auction
credits.

 

Next steps - markup EPW (Environment & Public Works) committee end October

5 other Senate committees will advise on the bill before the floor vote.
Don't know if there will be a floor vote before Copenhagen, but hope there
can be to send good signal to negotiators.

 

Madalyn - LAANE & commissioner on LA city redevelopment agency.  Tensions
btwn civil rights & community groups and labor & cities.  Developed a
partnership - apprentice programs and community workforce agreements.
Requires certain % hires from local communities and from certain
disadvantaged groups.

Creates pipeline for jobs.

 

Jessi - significant moment w/ over 1500 on call. Jessi represents coalition
of youth organizations in Energy Action Coalition.  Represent diversity of
generation.  Exist to generate solutions and political will.

 

Questions:

Q: How can a robust cap-and-trade work if EPA is allowed to regulate carbon
outside the system?

A: (Jason) Senate bill includes in Pollution Reduction Program (sotra Cap
and Trade) will only regulate big polluters.  EPA needs to be able to
regulate smaller polluters.

Q: House allowance allocations in House bill contained adverse impacts
(coal, gas subsidies, etc):

A: (Jason) Lot of allowance value given for free in House.  We will be in  a
political situation where we will see more calls for free allowances.  We
need to be making an argument of political and policy benefit of funds to
invest in the things we know will have payoff - new manuf, transportation
etc - that will reduce carbon.

 

Davis-Bacon provision: insures workers will receive area standard wages and
benefits.  Workers will not be taken advantage in getting the work.  Other
than construction jobs - recycling & waste jobs can be part of the new
economy.  Senate bill addresses this.  Figured out policy methods for job
quality in construction.  Now have opportunity to extend this to other
sectors.  Waste & recycling jobs is exciting sector - how do we make sure
these jobs are career, family sustaining jobs.

D-B was applied to weatherization funds in Recovery act.

 

Job training: Funding for Green Jobs Act.  Competitive grant program - to
partnerships/stakeholders that are building skills for workers in RE/EE
fields.  By comp grant (not formula), saw this w/ $500 million in Recovery
Act funds.  2 year or so period.  So the news funds would transition at end
of Recovery Act funds.

 

Job readiness programs - pre-pre-apprenticeship programs.  ESL, getting
driver's license, ready-for-work skills, etc.

Then pre-apprenticeship programs - like teaching algebra, etc.

Need non-profits in each region that will address these pre-apprentice
skills,

 

Q: How is energy efficiency (EE) incorporated in this bill?

A: State-based EE program in bill.  Unlike House bill that had both energy
and climate portions.  Senate has already marked up their energy bill.
Included energy eff standard resource.   Drive market.  Not as high as we
need in Senate bill.  Key Q when EPW bill is joined up with Senate Energy
cttee bill.

 

Q: is money provided for curriculum development to teach about energy
efficinecy?

A: K-12 inst and college inst have been pioneers of efficiency, models of
effective action.  Senate bill now only funds post-secondary curriculum
towards jobs.

 

Q: how will 'green' be defined in construction?

A: (Jason) any project covered in this bill could be defined as green if
funded in part or wholly by this legislation.  Could be loan guarantee by
clean energy agency.

Green with green building standards, health and safety can be addressed with
community labor agreements.

 

Recap:  Clean energy investment creates 3-4 times as many jobs as in old
energy infrastructure.  Net gain of 1.7 million jobs (GfA research w/ other
orgs).  Many more jobs created by making things efficient than by making
them wasteful.

 

Recoding of call will be posted on GfA site.

 

Phaedra - thankful for all on the call.  Guest presenters and listeners who
have taken action.  Time to be more bold, make sure the bill keeps these key
provisions.  Coalition of labor, environmental, faith, people of color,
youth.most critical to transform hope into action.  

 

Visit www.greenforall.org/takeaction!!