Green Jobs

Executive Summary of Recommendations

Connecticut House Speaker Christopher Donovan convened a panel of informed stakeholders that met in January 2010. The Panel was charged with reviewing current efforts in Connecticut related to green jobs and making recommendations to promote development of green jobs for consideration by the legislature. After a series of meetings, the following recommendations were offered by individual stakeholders.

  1. Definitions
    • Establish a clear, working definition of "green collar jobs."
    • Post the definition and related materials on a Connecticut Green Jobs website.
    • Define green jobs career ladders to provide a clear track and opportunities for mobility.
  2. Organize and Coordinate Green Jobs Initiatives
    • Centralize responsibility for and coordination of green collar jobs.
    • Establish a state energy office as a central clean-energy authority and a conduit for federal funds.
    • Foster collaboration between regional research entities.
  3. Financing Green Collar Initiatives
    • Maintain current funding for energy efficiency and renewable energy programs.
    • Emphasize innovative financing mechanisms to make capital available at low-interest rates.
    • Improve ability to access and utilize federal funding for clean-energy initiatives.
  4. Design of Efficiency and Renewable Energy Programs
    • Create financially sustainable programs structured to withstand market fluctuations and able to ultimately exist independent of public or ratepayer subsidies.
    • Work towards more effective public messaging and marketing strategies to increase awareness and investment statewide.
  5. Training and Workforce Development
    • Ensure green jobs meet the needs of employees and are tailored to account for market and societal demands.
    • Increase investment in knowledge base through training facility innovations and upgrades, faculty education, and dissemination of information statewide.
    • Encourage system-wide uniformity in certifications between trade schools, community colleges, unions, state agencies and employers.
  6. Other
    • Streamline regulatory and agency procedures.
    • Consider all cost effective energy efficiency investments before investing in other resources.

Panel Membership:

Panel members represented government, education, labor, the environmental community and the investor owned electric utilities.

Legislators:
Rep. Vickie Nardello, Chair
Rep. Elizabeth Esty
Rep. Henry Genga
Rep. Susan Johnson
Rep. Matt Lesser
Rep. James O'Rourke
Rep. Lonnie Reed

Connecticut Clean Energy Fund
Lisa Dondy

Workforce Development Boards
Joe Carbone

University of Connecticut
Prabakhar Singh
Dr. Cameron Faustman

Institute for Sustainable Energy
Eastern Connecticut State University
William Leahy

Connecticut Community Colleges
Shelly Jewell

Connecticut Technical Schools
Patricia Ciccone

Grow Jobs Connecticut
John Harrity

Connecticut Trades
Frank DaCato

Environmental Energy Solutions
Joel Gordes

Environment Connecticut
Christopher Phelps

Greater New Haven Clean Cities Coalition
Lee Grannis

Northeast Utilities
James Ferrentino

United Illuminating
Chris Ehlert