Today, BlueGreen Alliance and Third Way hosted a summit at the Hamilton Live to discuss the future of Buy Clean and industrial policy and the importance of worker-centered policies. Policies that will not only help create a more affordable, reliable, and secure clean economy, but will create good-paying jobs for middle-class families in every American community.

The BlueGreen Alliance’s Minnesota Policy Organizer Abby Hornberger testified in support the inclusion of SF 2156 (Murphy), the Buy Clean Buy Fair Minnesota Act, in the Minnesota State Senate Energy, Utilities, Environment, and Climate Committee’s omnibus bill.

The Biden administration today announced a suite of advancements related to industrial investment and Buy Clean procurement policies.

On February 24, 2023 the White House announced a 200% tariff on aluminum imports from Russia in response to its war in Ukraine. Currently, the U.S. imports more than 6 million tons of aluminum per year. The domestic industry has been on the decline for over a decade and currently only five aluminum smelters are operational within the country. 

As DOE develops its demand-side strategy, it should view it as part of a holistic industrial strategy. Awards should reflect the value-added role of demand-side support for target sectors and technologies as part of a comprehensive strategy. We urge DOE—and other relevant agencies and offices—to publicly outline such a strategy after incorporating stakeholder input, building on DOE’s Industrial Decarbonization Roadmap.

Congress and President Biden have passed major landmark legislation that will dramatically address climate change as well as racial and economic inequality. In addition to significant executive action, we expect President Biden to tout three pieces of legislation in his State of the Union address: the CHIPS and Science Act, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and the Inflation Reduction Act. These bills will support and create millions of good union jobs, rebuild and modernize our infrastructure, revitalize domestic manufacturing, and make our planet, our workers, and our communities safer and healthier.

Together they will revitalize U.S. manufacturing, grow clean energy, and support and create good union jobs in Minnesota and around the country. They will also significantly reduce climate emissions. The Inflation Reduction Act alone will tackle climate change by reducing emissions up to 42% by 2030.

Blue Wolf Capital Partners announced today that they would no longer pursue the purchase of the idled Alcoa Intalco smelter in Ferndale, WA, after it was clear the company would not be able to affordably purchase the clean power needed to run the facility. In response to the announcement, the BlueGreen Alliance released the following statement from Executive Director Jason Walsh.

The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) today completed the first-ever lease sale for offshore wind rights on the West Coast. The sale represents the first U.S. offshore wind lease sale in the Pacific Ocean and is the first to support the potential for commercial-scale floating offshore wind.

Our Policy Advisor, Ben Davis, responded to questions on Direct Air Capture and on the use of CCUS for industrial facilities, calling for the inclusion of high-road labor standards and strong protections for land, air, and water to be included as the IRS implements the 45Q tax credit.

BlueGreen Alliance Washington held their Apprenticeships 101 workshop where members of several prominent environmental and climate advocacy groups, along with representatives of key trade unions, learned about the role of apprenticeships in building Washington’s skilled, clean energy workforce.

As the U.S. Department of Energy develops its implementation strategy, it should view DPA funding as part of a holistic industrial strategy.