I’m glad to see folks letting the Senate know that an energy bill without a cap on emissions and a price on carbon is not acceptable.

BGA Letter to Senate FINAL –

Press release via PR Newswire.

Jobs tour highlights benefits of transitioning to a clean energy economy

WASHINGTON, Aug. 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The Alliance for Climate Protection’s Repower America campaign, in partnership with the Blue Green Alliance and its labor and environmental partners, today embarked on a nationwide Made in America Jobs tour, highlighting the benefits to American workers and businesses of transitioning to a clean energy economy that will create millions of jobs.

“American workers and their families need jobs, and a clean energy economy is a sure-fire way to put our country back to work and on a path toward long-term economic prosperity,” said Maggie L. Fox, President and CEO of the Alliance for Climate Protection. “The Alliance for Climate Protection and the Blue Green Alliance are crossing the country to show Americans – through tours of clean energy businesses, conversations with workers making the parts that harness clean energy and rallies with local residents – that the benefits of transitioning to a clean energy economy are available today through good-paying jobs which are giving new meaning to the term Made in America.”

A recent Blue Green Alliance report found if the U.S. instituted a national renewable energy standard, more than 850,000 manufacturing jobs at firms already in existence across all 50 states could be created manufacturing the parts for wind, solar, geothermal and biomass power. A Center for American Progress report also found that investing $150 billion a year in America’s clean energy economy could create 1.7 million jobs, which could include jobs like retrofitting and constructing new energy efficient buildings and manufacturing next-generation, plug-in hybrid and electric cars.

“We can create millions of jobs building the clean energy economy — whether it’s manufacturing the parts for windmills, building hybrid car batteries or weatherizing homes to make them more efficient,” said David Foster, executive director of the Blue Green Alliance. “Now we’re combining our efforts to spread the message that by transitioning to a clean energy economy, we can revitalize America’s manufacturing sector and boost our economy for the long run — and create jobs Made in America.”

The Made in America Jobs Tour will kick off Thursday, August 20 in Cleveland, Ohio, and consists of more than 50 events in 22 states, including St. Louis, Missouri; Detroit, Michigan; Gary, Indiana and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and will stress the job-creation benefits of clean energy policies.

“Building a clean energy economy can revitalize American manufacturing, but only if we commit to using domestically produced components,” said United Steelworkers International President Leo W. Gerard. “In confronting the challenges of recession, global warming and energy independence, we have an opportunity to transform our economy and create good jobs that truly are ‘made in America.’”

“These events show the groundswell of support for action on clean energy and climate solutions that will help move our country in a new direction,” said Frances Beinecke, President of the Natural Resources Defense Council. “At this critical moment–when Americans need to get back to work and the impacts of global warming are already being felt–we need our elected officials to act on legislation that will unleash investments that will create jobs and move America to a clean energy future.”

Washington, D.C.—A diverse coalition of groups representing more than 10 million Americans launched a major television, print, and online advertising campaign this week urging Congress to pass and strengthen the American Clean Energy & Security Act, which is likely to come up for a vote on the House floor next week. Groups taking part in the effort include Sierra Club, VoteVets.org, the League of Conservation Voters, America’s Building Trades Unions, Democracia Ahora, the Blue Green Alliance, the National Wildlife Federation Action Fund, and the Service Employees International Union. These groups have collectively spent approximately $5 million in recent weeks in support of a strong clean energy jobs plan.

“We want Congress to hear that millions of Americans want to get America running on clean energy and rebuild our economy with clean energy jobs,” said Carl Pope, Sierra Club Executive Director. “It’s time for Congress to answer President Obama’s call for a comprehensive clean energy and climate plan. Congress needs to strengthen and pass the American Clean Energy & Security Act without delay.”

“We believe this is the most important energy vote that members of the House have ever cast, and we urge Congress to strengthen and pass this comprehensive clean energy legislation,” said Gene Karpinski, president of the League of Conservation Voters. “When the roll is called, lawmakers can vote to build a clean energy economy or risk being on the wrong side of history.”

Here is the TV ad:

Here is the print ad, which is running in a variety of Capitol Hill publications:

SierraClubLCVPrintv2 –

They are also running a variety of Internet ads.

How to Revitalize America’s Middle Class with the Clean Energy Economy –

Context

Blue Green Alliance:

More than 850,000 manufacturing jobs at firms already in existence across all 50 states could be created with the enactment of a national Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) of 25 percent by 2025, according to a report issued by the Blue Green Alliance.

The report, which is an update of an earlier analysis, estimates state-by-state the number of jobs that could be created with the installation of 18,500 megawatts (MW) per year of wind, solar, geothermal and biomass plants, which is the rough equivalent to the supply delivered under a 25 percent by 2025 RES. The report also details the potential job growth in all 50 states in each of four renewable industries.

Via Kate Sheppard at Grist:

Environmental Defense Action Fund, United Steelworkers, and the Blue Green Alliance unveiled new television ads this week in support of a cap on carbon and a comprehensive green energy and jobs bill.The ads focus on the disappearance of steel-industry jobs from Braddock, Pa., and the mayor’s hope that new green jobs will replace them. The ads are part of a campaign with its own website: The Cap Solution.

“Towns like Braddock need Congress to cap carbon so we can get to work,” says John Fetterman, Braddock’s young, tattooed, Harvard-educated mayor. “It takes 250 tons of steel to make a wind turbine, and we’re ready to make as many as we can. We’ve lost 250,000 jobs in Monongahela Valley, and I want to bring them back for the next big business built on steel.”

The ads are running in Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia through early May