WASHINGTON, DC (August 3, 2012) Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released the July unemployment statistics, showing the economy gained 163,000 jobs, and the unemployment rate went up to 8.3 percent. The following is a statement from BlueGreen Alliance Executive Director David Foster:

“Today, despite adding 163,000 jobs, the unemployment rate unfortunately went up demanding fast action on these and other job creation measures. In a strong showing of bipartisan support, a Senate committee approved, with a 19-5 vote yesterday, vitally important clean energy tax credits — the Production Tax Credit (PTC) for wind power and the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) for offshore wind – that could create nearly a half a million jobs by 2030, and — in the case of the PTC — prevent 37,000 Americans from losing their jobs in the wind industry.

“Clean energy jobs are the kinds of good-paying jobs we need to jumpstart economic growth in the short and the long term. The BlueGreen Alliance urges the House to follow the Senate’s lead and take a vote on these important clean energy tax credits right away. We need a bipartisan effort to save thousands of jobs and create thousands more because too much is at stake for too many American families.  We also urge both the Senate and House to pass the Advanced Energy Project Credit (48c) which is critical to clean energy manufacturing deployment.”

“We have put forward a strong jobs agenda in the form of Jobs21!, and we believe there is still time this year to implement many of these smart policies, strategic investments, and common-sense tax incentives to create and save good jobs in our country.”