Reducing methane emissions in the United States is yet another example of how the nation’s environmental challenges can also be economic opportunities. Methane is a greenhouse gas (GHG) that is many times more potent than carbon dioxide (CO2) and one of the largest contributors to climate change. Reducing methane emissions can reap economic benefits for…

The Colorado BlueGreen Alliance Coalition secured high road labor protections for a variety of clean energy solutions including landmark legislation to ensure that all large energy-sector projects will include labor standards in line with eligibility requirements outlined in the Inflation Reduction Act’s enhanced tax credits.

The Inflation Reduction Act extended and strengthened tax credits for investment in and production of a range of clean energy technologies—including solar, geothermal, wind, heat pumps, clean hydrogen, electric vehicles (EVs) and charging infrastructure—and energy storage technology. Critically, tax-exempt entities, such as public schools, non-profit hospitals, and Tribal, local, and state governments can now claim the tax credits in the form of “direct pay.”

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today signed memoranda of understanding (MOUs) pledging to work together to ensure the use of high-road labor standards on DOI and EPA funded projects. Lee Geisse, Ohio Regional Program Manager for the BlueGreen Alliance, joined the event, participating in a fireside chat about the importance of bringing together diverse stakeholders with Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su.

The Inflation Reduction Act makes a historic investment in clean energy deployment and reducing our climate pollution, while coupling both labor and domestic content standards with clean energy tax credits. For the first time ever, an additional ‘bonus’ tax credit is available for taxpayers utilizing domestically-sourced components and materials. To find out more, read our User Guide to Domestic Content to find out more about the Domestic Content bonus credit. 

The passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL)—previously known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)—and the Inflation Reduction Act means more federal funding is available to upgrade and retrofit our public-serving institutions. In particular, Municipal, University, School, and Hospital (MUSH) buildings that serve as essential community assets represent a significant opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve health outcomes, build climate resilience, and support and create good, local jobs all while addressing equity and environmental justice. 

The 117th Congress passed historic infrastructure legislation that can be utilized to retrofit buildings, including Municipal, University, School, and Hospital (MUSH) buildings. MUSH buildings are particularly important, serving as essential community assets that represent significant opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve health outcomes, build climate resilience, and support and create good, local jobs all while addressing equity and environmental justice. The objective of this roadmap is to identify the federal funding opportunities available through the Inflation Reduction Act, The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and, in the case of schools, the American Rescue Plan, that can be used to upgrade MUSH buildings. 

It’s critical that regulators, policymakers, and advocates coordinate standards, policies, investments, and infrastructure projects that engage and benefit all people—from the manufacturing workers who build the vehicles of the future, to the people who drive them, to the communities they drive through. Strong vehicle emissions standards—accompanied by policies to rebuild manufacturing, protect and create good family supporting jobs, and revitalize communities—are critical to achieving these aims.

The BlueGreen Alliance today released Aluminum, Revitalized: Strengthening the Backbone of Our Clean Economy, a comprehensive report on how to reverse the recent decline of the U.S. aluminum industry to meet rising aluminum demand for clean energy while creating good-paying jobs, strengthening national security, and reducing industrial emissions.

As one of the most important metals for modern life, aluminum is all around us. From our bridges and high-rise buildings to our smartphones and kitchen appliances, this highly durable, lightweight, and conductive material is essential. It’s also a key ingredient for achieving our climate, jobs, and national security goals. As a primary component of solar panels, power lines, electric vehicles (EVs), and other clean technologies, aluminum is a building block of our clean energy solutions.1 At the same time, producing aluminum requires a tremendous amount of energy, and globally, the sector is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. As the world produces increasing amounts of this material for the clean energy economy, we must simultaneously decrease the emissions from its production in order to achieve global climate targets.

 The Oregon State Senate today approved a transformative “Buy America” bill (HB 3332), which will retool the state’s procurement practices and greater align state buying power with current robust federal domestic standards.

Empowering workers, whether they are in the private sector or in the public sector, to band together to negotiate better wages and safer working conditions is the best path forward to protecting our workers and rebuilding America’s middle class.