Apollo Weekly Update, 12/8/08: Economic Recovery and Clean Energy Stimulus

This week, as the clean energy, good jobs economy again attained prominence at the top levels of national policy making, the Apollo Alliance introduced the Apollo Economic Recovery Act. Our one-year, $50 billion proposal is a comprehensive quick start, clean energy economic recovery strategy to immediately create or retain 650,000 direct green-collar jobs and an additional 1.3 million indirect jobs in communities across the country. Look for the full proposal on our Web site here.

This week we also applauded the introduction of the Green Jobs and Infrastructure Act of 2008, sponsored by Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow and co-sponsored by Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown. (http://apolloalliance.org/news/clean-energy/stabenow-outlines-clean-energy-path-to-1-million-new-jobs/).

And we welcomed the Boston Green Justice Coalition as the newest member of the Apollo Alliance.

The Apollo Economic Recovery Act and the Green Jobs and Infrastructure Act respond directly to President-elect Barack Obama’s call this month for a “big stimulus package” in January to “jolt” the economy and “lay the groundwork for long- term, sustained economic growth.”

As you know the Apollo Alliance is all about that. In September we introduced The New Apollo Program, which proposed to spend $50 billion annually over ten years to create 5 million good-paying jobs while helping to solve the climate crisis, the energy crisis, and the economic crisis. Our economic development strategy calls for a sweeping set of actions. They include big commitments to energy efficiency, transit and electrical grid expansion and modernization, road and bridge repair, dramatic increases in the use of renewable energy, and a major investment to reinvigorate manufacturing for clean energy equipment and advanced fuel-efficient vehicles.

House and Senate leaders frame the steps needed to scale up the clean energy economy in terms that are consistent with what Apollo has proposed and at the same magnitude of investment. The president-elect and members of his transition team indicate they are prepared to introduce and pass an economic recovery plan likely to cost $400 billion to $700 billion over two years. And they say that much of the spending will focus on accelerating the transition to cleaner sources of energy as well as more efficient energy use in buildings, homes, vehicles, industry, and communities.

The Apollo Alliance has been busy since the election in making this case in Congress and with the incoming administration. For example, investing in any or all of the more than 30 energy-efficient, cost-effective light and heavy rail transit projects that are ready to go around the country would put thousands to work immediately in high wage electrical, steel, concrete, carpenter, and other jobs in the construction trades.

Investing in other infrastructure projects can boost a sagging economy by adding an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 new jobs for every $1 billion invested. Moreover, such projects occur in communities, giving local workers a competitive edge and producing untold ripple effects in local economies.

Elena Foshay, a researcher on our staff, reports that an aggressive program to promote domestic manufacturing of renewable energy products alone could help create or retain 85,000 permanent green-collar jobs on the factory floor, not to mention hundreds of thousands more indirect jobs in the local economy. It also would benefit up to 70,000 U.S. firms capable of making the required components, most located in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, California, and the 16 other states hardest hit by manufacturing job losses.

Speaking of Michigan, the leaders of the Big Three American auto companies were back in Washington to ask Congress for $34 billion in loans. Lawmakers are as skeptical of the American auto industry as you are. In response to our last Apollo Weekly Update on the auto industry bailout, we received a torrent of views, which you can read in our Apollo Feedback feature here.

Knowing what you know now, is rejecting an auto bailout a sound decision? Is clean energy the way to go for rebuilding the economy? Do you like or dislike what you’re hearing from Washington and the new administration? Let me know and we’ll post your comment in our next Apollo Feedback feature. Send to keith@apolloalliance.org.

Apollo Feedback: What Comes First For New President? Green-Collar Jobs, Economy, Clean Energy, Says Apollo Nation

When we asked what comes first for President-elect Barack Obama, almost 100 of you responded. The Economy. The War. Green-collar jobs. Sun. Wind. Zero-emission vehicles. Transit. One writer suggested Just For Men, to cover the new president’s sure-to-gray-hair. Take a look. So many of you replied that we divided the responses into two Feedback features. This is part one. Part two is here. Thanks so much.

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