Today the Maryland General Assembly passed the Promoting Offshore Wind Energy Resources (POWER) Act. This legislation increases Maryland’s offshore wind (OSW) goals to 8.5 gigawatts by 2031 and establishes high-road labor standards across OSW manufacturing, construction, operations, and maintenance through the requirement for Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) and Labor Peace Agreements (LPAs). The POWER Act also initiates a state process to coordinate transmission infrastructure and prioritize in-state manufacturing. 

The Biden administration announced several initiatives today as leaders from across the country gathered to acknowledge the second anniversary of the founding of the Interagency Working Group (IWG) on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization.

The BlueGreen Alliance prepared a fact sheet to showcase the available investments to energy communities in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the Inflation Reduction Act.

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.

In comments to the U.S. Department of the Interior, the BlueGreen Alliance welcome the continued rollout of DOI’s orphaned well remediation program and appreciate the opportunity to provide further comments on how that program can be implemented in ways that create high-quality, family-sustaining jobs, reduce methane emissions and pollution, and leave behind healthier and cleaner communities.

Steamfitters Pipefitters Local 455, Fresh Energy, and the BlueGreen Alliance today hosted a tour of a cutting-edge geothermal energy system with Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter and local labor, environment, and civic leaders and local community members.

At a hearing of the Minnesota House of Representatives Labor and Industry Finance and Policy Committee today, Minnesota Policy Organizer Abby Hornberger testified in favor of HF 2336.

Our nation’s drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure is vital to the protection, treatment, and distribution of clean water. However, age, strain from population growth, lack of investment, the pervasiveness of lead pipes, and emerging threats from climate change have increased the burden on the current water infrastructure system and health risks to communities. The nation’s wastewater and drinking water infrastructure received grades of “C-” by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), respectively. 

The resiliency of America’s buildings relies on a robust ecosystem of codes and standards developed by standards developing organizations. Today’s buildings are more resilient because of this ecosystem, and the increased involvement of stakeholders interested in improving efficiency and resiliency.

The Michigan State Senate yesterday passed two measures to make it easier for workers to unionize and ensure that workers on state projects are paid a fair wage. The first measure overturns the state’s “right-to-work” law, which hinders the ability of workers to unionize. The second measure reinstates prevailing wage requirements for construction workers on state-funded projects.

The Biden administration today opened the first application round of funding for the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program. The program is a Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) investment supporting state and local governments and public entities to build electric vehicle (EV) charging and other alternative fuel infrastructure in their communities.