A proposed bill for the upcoming Texas legislative session calls for the creation of green jobs, which may improve the state’s economy as well as its environment.
State Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, pre-filed the Texas Green Job Skills Development Program, which he said is meant to take advantage of Texas’ potential for growth in the renewable energy and energy efficiency markets, bringing thousands of new green jobs to Texas.
“In these difficult economic times, students coming out of college are facing a weakened job market,” Ellis said. “We need to do whatever we can in the Legislature to promote job creation. This bill would make Texas a more attractive state for clean energy companies, which are very likely to grow in coming years.”
Three other bills proposed for the upcoming session give tax breaks for green buildings, hybrid and electric cars and renewable energy devices such as solar panels and geothermal heat pumps.
A study conducted by the University of California, Berkeley, concluded that environmental and economic policies correlate. California passed legislation beginning in 2004 that encouraged the growth of green jobs and energy efficiency. According to the study, the state’s policy lowered employee compensation in the electric power industry but improved compensation in the state by $45 billion.
Doug Lewin, an Ellis staff member, said the bill would encourage Texas job makers to do things they haven’t done before and will allow the development of less-publicized renewable sources, such as the development of solar energy and biofuels.
Lewin said their intention in filing the bill is to encourage industries that help the environment succeed and gave the example of a wind farm in West Texas, which he said was struggling because of a lack of manpower in the engineering and maintenance departments.
The Texas Workforce Commission gave the wind farm a grant that allowed for the continuation of wind production in the area. The proposed program would allow the commission to grant other companies and businesses the funds to encourage job growth in the industry.
Robert Borowski, a UT community and regional planning graduate student, said there are never enough jobs for enhancing good environmental practices, and every job in the state can benefit the environment.
“The Texas Workforce Commission is a good place to start,” Borowski said. “Eventually, local economic development, private and nonprofit [organizations] need to work together to enhance the green economy.”
Before starting graduate work at UT, Borowski worked for many environmental companies and said there is great potential in Texas for growth. He said the need for green workers does not only apply to geology or geography majors, but in areas including sales, marketing and communication.
“There is a tremendous need for green design and energy programs,” Borowski said. “Texas is the leading wind producer in the country, and there is no reason why we can’t be the leading solar producer. We just need more people.”
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