NOV. 7, 2008
:NWLP
11/5/08
10:04 AM
Page 4
New Apollo program calls for massive investment in green jobs
Labor, business, political
and environmental leaders
discuss plan to create
clean energy, good jobs
The Oregon AFL-CIO and Con-
gressman Earl Blumenauer have
thrown their support behind an Apollo
Alliance plan calling for the federal
government to invest $500 billion over
the next decade to create more than 5
million “green collar” jobs in the
United States.
“The New Apollo Program offers a
unique vision for reinvesting in Amer-
ica and building our nation’s clean en-
ergy future,” Blumenauer said at a
press conference Oct. 17 to roll out the
proposal. The gathering was held at the
future Northeast Portland headquarters
of McKinstry Co., a unionized con-
struction contractor.
In addition to Blumenauer, round-
table participants included Tom Cham-
berlain, president of the Oregon AFL-
CIO; Cameron Hilton, business
development manager for McKinstry
Co.; Kate Gordon, co-director of the
Apollo Alliance; Sallie Schullinger-
Krause, program director for the Ore-
gon Environmental Council; and Con-
nie Ashbrook, executive director of
Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc.
The Apollo Alliance is a five-year-
old coalition of union, business and en-
vironmental groups that is calling for
major government investment in alter-
native energy as a way to create new
high-paying jobs for American work-
ers. The group’s Oregon chapter was
formed last year. Barbara Byrd, secre-
tary-treasurer of the Oregon AFL-CIO,
is the chapter’s chairperson.
“If implemented, the New Apollo
Program would do more than create
solid job growth,” Chamberlain said.
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“It will lead to quality jobs that can’t be
shipped overseas.”
Gordon, co-chair of the Apollo Al-
liance, said that given the current infra-
structure crisis, climate crisis, and eco-
nomic crisis, “the time is clearly now
to make this happen”
The Apollo program will encourage
the next president and Congress to in-
vest $50 billion a year for 10 years to
produce a “clean-energy, good-job”
economy, Gordon said.
Given the current economic situa-
tion, some question the ability of the
government to invest in the plan, but
Gordon dismissed the argument that
it’s not affordable.
“If we can afford to give AIG $85
billion — one company to bail it out —
we can do $50 billion a year to invest in
our future and in our workforce and in
our people and in our environment. It
suddenly seems doable. And it is the
time to do it,” she said.
Apollo’s blueprint includes five key
initiatives:
• Produce 25 percent of the nation’s
power from renewable sources and up-
grade the energy efficiency of buildings
by at least 30 percent by 2025; mod-
ernize the power grid; and improve
transit systems.
• Retool American factories to build
renewable energy systems and high-ef-
ficiency and alternative fuel vehicles.
• Double national investment in
clean energy research and develop-
ment.
• Invest in green-collar job training
initiatives — including job readiness
and service programs, union appren-
Kate Gordon, co-director of the Apollo Alliance, introduces Oregon
Congressman Earl Blumenauer during rollout of the Alliances’ new proposal
to generate cleaner power and improve energy efficiency while creating high
quality jobs. The event was held at McKinstry Co.’s “green” headquarters
building under construction in NE Portland.
ticeships, and community and techni-
cal college courses — to provide better
jobs and the workforce needed to build
the clean energy future.
• Establish a “cap and invest” pro-
gram to reduce carbon emissions and
reinvest resources to build the new
clean energy economy.
David Allen, executive VP of mar-
keting for McKinstry, is encouraged
by what Apollo Alliance is proposing.
“As a business, we are very happy
with what the Apollo Projects is trying
to do and has done,” he said.
Allen said McKinstry spends $150
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Apollo Alliance values,” Allen said.
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NOVEMBER 7, 2008