Special Series
Economic Turnaround
In a Series
Progress on Retrofits for All
SustainableWorks, the intriguing green-collar jobs program I profiled in November and January, is on a tear.
The state house passed a bill (SB 5649) last week to match the state senate’s approval of spending some $20 million of federal stimulus on large-scale neighborhood-based energy upgrades on the model of SustainableWorks. House and Senate versions still need reconciliation, but that seems likely to happen.
Meanwhile, SustainableWorks has cut deals with labor unions for apprenticeship slots and Washington State University’s energy extension program for worker training.
The promise of the program – which aligns the interests of unions, contractors, workforce development programs, utilities, public agencies, and home and building owners—appears poised to get a full-scale test in the months ahead.
5:00 pm 4/21/2009 Update: Moments ago, the state senate gave final approval to the house's version of the bill. Governor Gregoire is expected to sign the bill. Chalk up a victory for green jobs innovation.
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