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Model legislation calls for green jobs in New York State
Model legislation calls for green jobs in New York State
Published 04-21-09
Submitted by LUCITé€
New York, NY. - April 22, 2009 - Lawyers for Green Jobs (L4GJ) announced today the release of an innovative green jobs model legislation to serve as a non-partisan framework for a statewide green workforce development initiative in the State of New York. The legislation calls for an efficient statewide framework that provides green jobs education and training, stimulating the state's economy while protecting the environment.
Lawyers for Green Jobs was formed in 2008 by a group of young environmental attorneys who met while attending the New York City Environmental Law Leadership Institute (NYCELLI) and shared a strong passion for the economic implications of environmental and social issues. Their idea to propose green jobs legislation for New York State grew in part from their coursework in NYCELLI and in part due to the fact that there currently exists no such law. Since that time, L4GJ has been engaging national and New York-based green jobs advocacy organizations, such as Green For All, the New York Apollo Alliance, and several environmental justice groups, to foster a statewide policy for green jobs in New York.
According to Jason Wiener, L4GJ Media Outreach Coordinator, Our overarching goal is for the state to develop and administer a comprehensive green workforce development program that trains a green workforce and stimulates the state’s green economy."
As L4GJ State Policy Coordinator Cullen Howe explained,"What we are primarily pushing for is to have the state come up with a systematic program to develop education and training programs to prepare people for these jobs, particularly low income and underserved communities. We envision a future that actively includes the entire workforce in the clean energy revolution that's beginning to unfold."
"Green jobs are critical to a revitalized New York State economy," said Jeff Jones, Director of New York State Apollo Alliance. "For stimulus investments in clean energy to work, New York needs a trained green workforce. This plan, proposed by Lawyers for Green Jobs, helps bring us closer than ever to New York's clean energy future, while protecting the environment and opening new career paths to tens of thousands of New Yorkers."
While intended for adoption in New York State, L4GJ's model legislation is also appropriate for use by other states, municipalities and regions throughout the nation that are planning to implement their own green workforce legislation and programs.
"We wanted to draft a green jobs bill because we believe in the promise of the new green economy, not only to turn our economy around from its deep recession, but to provide people with meaningful work that helps them better their lives while helping to fight climate change," said Giselle Vigneron, L4GJ's National Policy Coordinator. "Other states, like Massachusetts, California and Washington, already have their own green jobs policies, but New York has no legislation on this issue. Drafting a green jobs training bill for New York is a first step that we can take to promote a healthy transition to a clean energy economy."
L4GJ invites interested organizations and the general public to learn more about the proposed bill and express support for statewide green jobs legislation by sending an email to lawyersforgreenjobs@gmail.com. L4GJ also encourages all New Yorkers to call their state representatives to demand statewide green jobs legislation. Log on to L4GJ's website at http://www.lawyers4greenjobs.wordpress.com for more information.
About Lawyers for Green Jobs
Lawyers for Green Jobs (L4GJ) is a non partisan group of young environmental attorneys passionate about the synergistic link between the economy and the environment. The group's primary goal is to urge the New York Legislature to pass an effective green jobs bill in New York State. L4GJ believes that legislative and policy advocacy holds the key to a long-term green workforce development program which would provide people with well-paying, family-supporting jobs in the new clean energy economy, and build pathways out of poverty for traditionally underserved and disadvantaged sectors of the workforce. Formed in 2008 when its members were attending a seminar at the New York City Environmental Law Leadership Institute (NYCELLI), the group is run on a completely pro bono basis and is not affiliated with any legal, political or business interests. Learn more about Lawyers for Green Jobs at http://lawyers4greenjobs.wordpress.com.
