Green Labor Journal - Working for a Substainable Future

We Support EPA Action to Clean Our Air and Spur Job Growth

The Apollo Alliance supports the authority of the EPA under the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gas emissions for all the reasons we support the transition to a clean energy economy: job growth, cleaner air, less dependence on imported energy and increased energy security

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At the heart of the budget debate and threats of a government shutdown last week, the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act was one of several critical government programs at risk.

Given this, we thought it important to restate our position:  The Apollo Alliance supports the authority of the EPA under the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gas emissions for all the reasons we support the transition to a clean energy economy: job growth, cleaner air, less dependence on imported energy and increased energy security.

The Obama administration has emphasized that subsequent regulations will be developed with an eye toward bolstering job growth, and we look forward to engaging on regulation development to ensure job creation.   Last year’s clean car standards were the first regulations under the EPA’s Clean Air Act authority to be implemented.  The EPA will develop regulations for power plants and oil refineries this year.

The big picture is that there are three ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and there are economic and additional clean air benefits to each when properly calibrated.
1.    Energy saving technologies
2.    New investments in clean energy (e.g. solar or wind power)
3.    Investment in pollution controls at existing plants

Energy saving technologies
Energy savings mean lower energy bills and reduced exposure to volatile energy prices.  Both of these improve competitiveness.   The 2010 clean car standards target pollution coming from tailpipes, but have the effect of increasing the fuel efficiency of vehicles.  By 2016, when these car and light truck standards are fully phased in, the average consumer savings will amount to about $3,000 over the life of the vehicle. 

The standards will not only save consumers money, but are also expected to increase automaker profitability. According to a new report from Citi Investment Research and Ceres, the 42 mpg standard — which would put the industry on pace for 62 mpg by 2025 — would raise industry variable profit by more than $9 billion.

Clean energy and pollution control investments
One of the regulations planned for 2011 would reduce the pollution from electricity generating power plants.  A study by the University of Massachusetts Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) found that electric utilities would create 300,000 jobs (or 1.5 million job-years over five years) as they clean up aging, polluting power plants.

Moving to more domestic clean energy sources is necessary if American businesses are to compete in this growing global competitive market.  According to a 2010 Pew Charitable Trusts report, the US slipped to third in clean energy investments ($34 billion) behind China ($54 billion) and Germany ($41 billion).  Investing in the clean energy of the future brings these benefits:

·    Lower costs over time due to economies of scale.
·    Attracting manufacturing jobs.
·    Continuing to lead on innovation in clean tech.
·    And of course, cleaner air.

Pollution control is a major export industry for the United States.  By 2008 the industry was generating approximately $300 billion in revenues, producing $44 billion in exports, and supporting nearly 1.7 million jobs.  Air pollution control equipment alone generated revenues of $18 billion in 2007, including exports of more than $3 billion.

A track record of success in implementing the Clean Air Act
Since the Clean Air Act’s enactment, overall air pollution had reduced while U.S. gross domestic product has risen 207 percent. An EPA study of the impacts of the CAA from 1970 – 2010 found that the country has made tremendous progress reducing air pollution, saving lives while the economy has more than doubled in size.

·    The Clean Air Act returned benefits over costs at better than a 40 – 1 ratio: with $500 billion invested, $22 trillion in benefits returned (5% discount rate).
·    The Clean Air Act has prevented 400,000 premature deaths while the economy has continued to grow.  More than 2,500 scientists endorse this view.

Today, we face another Sputnik moment, Sputnik 2.0 if you will. China and other competitors are racing ahead on advanced energy technologies.  Energy is the largest market in the world, and we are in the midst of a major transition to clean energy. 

We have the potential to win, but we’re falling behind.   We need the EPA to keep moving forward to provide regulatory certainty and a level playing field for clean energy entrepreneurs.  We need EPA actions and then we need to go even further. 

We need policies that will enable Americans to capture valuable manufacturing jobs that will be created, policies like the Brown-Stabenow-Cantwell SEAM Act, which extends the 48C Advanced Energy Tax Credit, and the IMPACT Act. 

We need more emphasis on education and skills acquisition, and unemployment assistance, to ease the current burden and maintain the American promise of economic opportunity.  None of this is easy, but Americans have always enjoyed a challenge.

Chris Busch, PhD, Program and Policy Director, Apollo Alliance, posted in Weekly Updates, April 11, 2011.   The Apollo Alliance is a coalition of labor, business, environmental, and community leaders working to catalyze a clean energy revolution that will put millions of Americans to work in a new generation of high-quality, green-collar jobs. Inspired by the Apollo space program, we promote investments in energy efficiency, clean power, mass transit, next-generation vehicles, and emerging technology, as well as in education and training. Working together, we will reduce carbon emissions and oil imports, spur domestic job growth, and position America to thrive in the 21st century economy.