We’ve been writing quite a bit about the $110-plus billion for clean energy in the stimulus bill.  It’s great stuff, but it’s not perfect – which we’ve been writing about, too. One of the missing parts is funding for planning grants.  Many communities that have the greatest infrastructure deficits and great need for stimulus dollars may be left out of the bonanza because they don’t have “shovel ready” plans.  To ensure regional equity and no community is left behind in the economic recovery, these communities need special attention and support to get their projects off the ground within the two-year time frame.

Ruben Lizardo, the Associate Director of Policy Link, works with low income San Joaquin Valley unincorporated communities in California.  Their focus is for water related infrastructure, which the stimulus package funds.  He says, “[These] communities have asked for our help in pushing for the federal stimulus package to accommodate the fact that these communities would need money for planning in 2009, in order to get their projects “shovel ready” by 2010.” Lizardo wants the federal government to acknowledge these special needs.  He says, “Encourage the states to provide the support needed for fast-track planning and approvals, and provide the states the flexibility to ensure the projects can start in 2010.”

It is possible that local groups could get creative with the stimulus package.  For example, the Green Jobs Act includes $12.5 million for the State Labor Market Research, Information and Labor Exchange Research Program.  This program offers competitive grants through the Department of Labor, which will funnel money to local workforce development agencies to do labor market research and coordinate information and planning.  The stimulus package includes lots of money for administration and oversight. It is possible that money can be eked out from these pots for planning “shovel ready” projects. It is also possible that given the competitive nature of these grants that the money will go to other projects that don’t need planning and can start tomorrow. The former is kind of like trying to dress up a macintosh as a granny smith and compete on crispness. The mac’s at a disadvantage. Maybe it’ll compete against a mush granny, but most likely the bushel has plenty of crisp grannies to offer up.

It would be much better not to mix fruits and provide funding that will let communities that need planning grants to vie for planning grants and communities that have “shovel ready” projects compete for separate money. It’s too late for the recovery act, but there’s still time in the energy bill.

– Heidi Pickman

“President-elect Obama’s sobering but optimistic speech on the nation’s economy struck exactly the right chord.  It is now time for all Americans to join the President-elect and the Apollo Alliance’s chorus of leaders from business, labor, environmental and community organizations in fighting to build a clean energy economy, end our dependence on foreign oil, and create millions of new green jobs.

“The Apollo Alliance is proud to answer President-elect Obama’s call for solutions that will leave our children better economic opportunities and a healthier planet. We have put forward a comprehensive plan  - The New Apollo Program - to transform the nation’s economy and we are thrilled with the President-elect’s call to double the production of alternative energy over three years, make 75% of our federal buildings more energy efficient, and give 2 million homes an energy makeover. This is an ambitious starting point toward achieving the goals we have laid out.

“While the specifics of the President-elect’s plan are still forthcoming,  we believe that in a reported $775 billion plan, there is room for significant investments in upgrading our transmission grid, retooling our manufacturing sector and retraining America’s workforce to put our people and our economy on firm footing.

“The president-elect is exactly right when he says that irresponsible and short-sighted decisions brought the nation to its economic knees.  We look forward to working with the President-elect and our leaders in Congress to write a new chapter in our country’s history by building a clean energy, good jobs, made in America economy.”

As the Obama transition team gears up to take over in January, the clean energy, good job community hopes that they will consider an economic stimulus package that is green and equitable.  The Apollo Alliance and its allies, including youth groups and environmental justice organizations, sent a memo to the transition team today suggesting principles to follow that will ensure the stimulus package is just and inclusive.

“This letter reflects Apollo’s deep commitment to catalyzing a green economy that creates good jobs and broadly shared prosperity,” says Apollo co-director Kate Gordon. ” We are particularly pleased to be signing
onto the letter with such a diverse group of environmental, social justice, and state and local organizations.”

The memo calls for an economic stimulus package that calls for maximum investment in the clean energy, good job economy such as retrofits and fixing infrastructure that create family-supporting jobs, provides funding to local municipalities, and opportunities for underserved communities to climb out of poverty.

The memo that was send follows.

MEMORANDUM

To: Melody Barnes, Carol Browner, Michael Strautmanis, Dan Reicher, Greg Nelson, Joe Aldy, Brian Deese, Heather Zichal, Jason Grumet

From: The Undersigned Organizations

Subject: Principles for a Green & Equitable Stimulus and Recovery

Date: December 11, 2008

As you draft and debate proposals to stimulate the American economy, we strongly urge you to make the recovery package as green and as equitable as possible. We propose these principles as benchmarks against which all stimulus proposals – indeed, all energy-related proposals coming out of the new administration and Congress – should be measured. The stimulus must:

· Maximize investments in the transition to a green, inclusive economy.

· Focus on fixing, improving efficiency, and lowering energy costs for our existing infrastructure – our buildings, roads and bridges, transmission grid, public transit systems, and manufacturing plants – rather than on new development.

· Promote high quality, family-supporting jobs here at home.

· Provide opportunities for under-served communities to access these high quality jobs, through investments in training programs and partnerships that promote career ladders and “pathways out of poverty.”

· Drive funding to states, cities, tribes and communities, and allow them some freedom to decide where and how they invest in their own economies.

We have in this time of crisis an historic opportunity to incorporate principles of sustainability, fairness, and equity directly into programs to grow our national economy. And we have an opportunity to make fundamental choices about the kind of economy we want to create for the 21^st century. We can build a green economy that lifts all boats and puts America on a path to true prosperity, but only if we start now by demonstrating the political will to do so at this critical juncture.

Sincerely,

1Sky

1,000 Friends of Wisconsin

350.org

Alliance for Climate Protection

Apollo Alliance

Campus Progress

Center for American Progress Action Fund

Center for Neighborhood Technology

Center for State Innovation

Center on Wisconsin Strategy

Ceres

Chesapeake Climate Action Network

Citizens Utility Board of Wisconsin

Clean Water Action

Clean Wisconsin

Climate Crisis Coalition

Climate Solutions

Coalition on Human Needs

Color of Change

Common Cause

Deep South Center for Environmental Justice at Dillard University

Democracia USA

Earth Ministry

EcoAmerica

Ecology Center

Ella Baker Center for Human Rights

Energize America

Energy Action Coalition

Environmental Justice and Climate Change Initiative

Environmental and Energy Study Institute

Fresh Energy

Future Majority

Global Exchange

Green For All

Greenpeace USA

Hip Hop Caucus

Illinois Environmental Council

Interfaith Power and Light

Iowa Environmental Council

IowaGlobalWarming.Org

Kyoto USA

League of Young Voters Education Fund

Michigan Energy Alternatives Project

Michigan Land Use Institute

Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy

MoveOn.org Political Action

National Hispanic Environmental Council

NYC Apollo Alliance

Oil Change International

PolicyLink

Policy Matters Ohio

Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada

Rainforest Action Network

Restoring Eden

Rock the Vote

Sierra Club

Sierra Club, Cascade Chapter

Sierra Student Coalition

Southern Alliance for Clean Energy

Urban Agenda

Valley Watch, Inc

Windustry

Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters