Senator Amy Klobuchar

Working for the People of Minnesota

Press Contact

Joel Gross
Press Secretary
(202) 224-3244

News Releases

Klobuchar to Discuss Promise of the Green Economy at National Jobs Conference

Says federal leadership can trigger investment and job creation

March 12, 2008

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar will give a major policy address Friday in Pittsburgh on the role that clean energy technology can play in creating economic growth and good jobs. Klobuchar will speak at “Good Jobs, Green Jobs,’’ a national conference organized by the Blue-Green Alliance.

“I believe that we can confront the challenges of climate change, and we can do it in a way that builds a more vibrant economy and makes our country stronger,’’ Klobuchar said. “I’ve seen first-hand how renewable energy sources such as wind turbines and biomass burners can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, save money for consumers, stimulate the economy and create good jobs.’’

Klobuchar is author of the American Renewable Energy Act, which is designed to spur clean energy investments in the private sector by extending federal tax incentives and setting strong national renewable-energy standards. Klobuchar introduced the bill last month with Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA).

Klobuchar argues that climate change is a pressing environmental challenge, but also an important opportunity for the United States to develop state-of-the-art technology and high-skilled jobs in renewable energy industries. Klobuchar says the United States must regain world leadership in renewable-energy research and investment, but that the market alone will not achieve the goal without clear standards and incentives from the federal government.

“The question we face is this: Does the United States want to be a leader in creating the new green technologies and the new green industries of the future? Or are we going to sit back and watch the opportunities pass us by? This is where our responsibility in Washington comes into play,’’ Klobuchar said.

The American Renewable Energy Act calls for a five-year extension of key federal tax credits for investments in renewable energy sources such as wind turbines and solar panels. The credit is currently set to expire at the end of 2008, creating uncertainty that discourages private-sector investors and stifles growth. The bill also would establish a strong national Renewable Energy Standard, requiring utility companies to obtain 20 percent of their electricity supply from renewable sources by the year 2025. Such a standard is expected to trigger a wave of investment in renewable energy sources.

A 2004 study by the Apollo Alliance suggests that national investments in renewable energy, alternative automobiles and fuels, high performance buildings and infrastructure could create more than three million new jobs over a ten-year period, while stimulating more than $1 trillion in additional economic output. A 2007 study by the Union of Concerned Scientists suggests that a 20 percent renewable-energy standard alone could create 185,000 new jobs by the year 2020.

The two-day Pittsburgh conference was organized by the Blue-Green Alliance, a partnership of the United Steelworkers union and the Sierra Club. Other scheduled speakers include Gov. Edward Rendell of Pennsylvania; Carl Pope, executive director of the Sierra Club; John Podesta, president of the Center for American Progress; and Rich Trumka, secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO.

Senator Klobuchar’s Offices

302 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Main Line: 202-224-3244
Main Fax: 202-228-2186
Toll Free: 1-888-224-9043

1200 Washington Avenue South, Suite 250
Minneapolis, MN 55415
Main Line: 612-727-5220
Main Fax: 612-727-5223
Toll Free: 1-888-224-9043

1134 7th Street NW
Rochester, MN 55901
Main Line: 507-288-5321
Fax: 507-288-2922

121 4th Street South
Moorhead, MN 56560
Main Line: 218-287-2219
Fax: 218-287-2930

Olcott Plaza, Suite 105
820 9th Street North
Virginia, MN 55792
Main Line: 218-741-9690
Fax: 218-741-3692