SACRAMENTO /California Newswire/ — Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today issued the following statement after Next 10 released a report showing that green jobs and businesses are growing in our state. The report shows California’s green businesses have increased by 45 percent while adding 36 percent of new jobs from 1995 to 2008:
“From our landmark Global Warming Solutions Act to our first-in-the-world Low Carbon Fuel Standard, California has been a pioneer in fighting climate change and improving our energy security while building a green economy and expanding green jobs. This study shows that we can grow green jobs and stimulate our economy while addressing important environmental issues at the same time.”
Additionally, Labor and Workforce Development Agency Secretary Victoria Bradshaw issued the following statement:
“Green jobs are the wave of the future for California’s economy and this report shows a strong foundation for green economic development across the state. We must now build on this momentum and we are committed to ensuring that we a have a trained workforce ready and available to meet the needs of a growing clean technology industry.”
Under Governor Schwarzenegger’s leadership, California has consistently led the nation and the world in enacting policies that protect the environment and promote green jobs, including:
· Clean Energy Workforce Training Program: In August, Governor Schwarzenegger launched a $75 million investment establishing the nation’s largest state-sponsored green jobs training program. The program leverages federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds, public-private partnerships and state and local funding, to train more than 20,000 new or re-skilled clean energy workers to build a workforce capable of performing the jobs necessary to meet the state’s goals of renewable energy development, climate change reduction, clean transportation and green building construction for a new green economy.
· California Green Corps: In March, the Governor launched the California Green Corps. Building up communities and the state’s green workforce, the California Green Corps will place at-risk young adults aged 16-24 into jobs in California’s emerging green economy.
· Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32): AB 32 established a first-in-the-world comprehensive program of regulatory and market mechanisms to achieve real, quantifiable, cost-effective reductions of greenhouse gas emissions. The law will reduce carbon emissions in California to 1990 levels by 2020.
· Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS): Governor Schwarzenegger signed an Executive Order directing California Air Resources Board to adopt regulations increasing California’s RPS to 33 percent by 2020.
· Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS): California’s LCFS requires fuel providers to reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels sold in the state, dramatically expanding the market for alternative fuels. To start, the LCFS will reduce carbon content in all passenger vehicle fuels sold in California by at least 10 percent by 2020 and more thereafter.
· Sales Tax Exemption for Zero Emission Vehicle Equipment: Last year, the Governor and Treasurer Bill Lockyer created a program to exempt manufacturing equipment for zero emission vehicle manufacturers from sales tax. This exemption is administered through the California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority.
· California Solar Initiative: In August 2006, the Governor signed his Million Solar Roofs Plan into law. Now known as the California Solar Initiative, it will provide 3,000 megawatts of additional clean energy and reduce the output of greenhouse gases by three million tons, equivalent to taking one million cars off the road. The $2.9 billion incentive plan for homeowners and building owners who install solar electric systems will lead to one million solar roofs in California by the year 2018.
· Alternative and Renewable Fuels Vehicle Technology Program: In 2007, Governor Schwarzenegger signed AB 118 by Former Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez which established the Alternative and Renewable Fuels Vehicle Technology Program to fund the Research and Development of new technologies.
