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. 

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.

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.

A federal Buy Clean policy that prioritizes transparency, invests in innovation, and ties public dollars to low-carbon emissions materials holds the promise of transforming some of the most pollution-intensive and economically vital sectors in our economy—allowing us to confront climate change while rebuilding the middle class and advancing environmental justice.

The BlueGreen Alliance, a national partnership of labor unions and environmental organizations, announced today that the organization has endorsed 44 candidates in U.S. House and Senate races across the country. The endorsement is a recognition that the incumbents and challengers are leaders in the efforts to create good-paying union jobs, fight economic and racial injustice, and reduce pollution that harms communities and workers as well as drives climate change.

The White House yesterday hosted a convening with National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi, Council on Environmental Quality Chair Brenda Mallory, and leaders from 20 states to discuss advancing Buy Clean initiatives. Alongside the convening, the White House released a fact sheet on Buy Clean efforts. The fact sheet outlines new federal support, private sector commitments, and state and local action.

The BlueGreen Alliance, a national partnership of labor unions and environmental organizations, today announced the organization has endorsed Speaker Nancy Pelosi for California’s 12th Congressional District. 

U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh and U.S. Rep Cindy Axne (D-IA) joined local labor and environmental leaders this week at Plumbers and Steamfitters Local Union 33 Training Center in Des Moines for a tour of the facility and a roundtable discussion focused on growing Iowa’s clean energy economy with good jobs and strong labor standards.