Green Jobs and Opportunity Act

The 21st century has some of the highest recorded temperatures in known history.

Scientists have high confidence that global temperatures will continue to rise for decades to come, largely due to greenhouse gases produced by human activities.

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which includes more than 1,300 scientists from the United States and other countries, there will likely be a temperature rise of 2.5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit over the next century.

With only around 4.4 percent of the Earth’s population, World Bank studies have found that the United States is the second largest contributor of carbon dioxide emissions at 14.6 metric tons of CO₂ per capita.

When the world gets hotter, it can fuel the proliferation of drought, typhoons, hurricanes, wild­fires, and general habitat change, and can affect the availability of food and water, among other issues.

IPCC findings have revealed that the United States is projected to lose more than $500,000,000,000 in annual economic output by the year 2100 from global warming.

Additionally, the IPCC discovered that to avoid the most severe impacts of a changing climate, net-zero global emissions by 2050 will be required.

According to the Brookings Institution, a clean economy would encompass a vast array of industries and jobs directly involved in producing goods and providing services with an environmental benefit.

Under the 2019 Clean Jobs America report by E2 (Environmental Entrepreneurs), it is estimated that 3.26 million workers are currently employed in, or are engaged in closely related activities, to the clean economy.

According to the International Labor Organization, by 2030, it is projected that over 24 million new clean energy jobs will be needed globally to transition to a clean economy.

To meet this clean energy agenda, investing in job training will be crucial to ensuring the United States has a readied workforce.

the agriculture and forestry industry;

the electric utility industry;

the manufacturing industry;

the wholesale trade industry;

the professional and business services industry; and

the manufacturing and operation and maintenance industries for component parts of clean energy technologies.

trends and shortages as of the date of such report and trends and shortages projected in the next 10 years;

recommendations to prepare the workforce to address such trends and shortages to meet the demands of a clean energy economy, or prepare the workforce to meet such demands; and

other recommendations the Secretary determines appropriate.

an institution of higher education (as such term is defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))), including a junior or community college (as such term is defined in section 312(f) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1058(f)));

a postsecondary vocational institution (as such term is defined in section 102(c) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002(c)));

an elementary school (as such term is defined in section 8101 of the Elementary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801));

a secondary school (as such term is defined in section 8101 of the Elementary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801));

a Bureau-funded school (as such term is defined in section 1141 of the Education Amendments of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 2021));

a labor organization or joint labor-management organization;

an entity that is registered under the Act of August 16, 1937 (commonly known as the National Apprenticeship Act; 50 Stat. 664, chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.) that pays all participants of an apprenticeship program compensation at least the higher of $15 an hour or the applicable Federal, State, or local minimum wage in the location of the program;

an area career and technical education school (as such term is defined in section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302)); and

an education and training provider that is listed as an eligible provider of training services for a program under section 122(d) of the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3152 (d)) that pays all participants of an apprenticeship or on-the-job-training program compensation at least the higher of $15 an hour or the applicable Federal, State, or local minimum wage in the location of the program.

a description of the training the entity would provide with funds from such a grant, how such training fulfills the workforce needs described in subsection (b) or (c) of section 3, and that the workforce need being met is in an industry or occupation in the region in which the training is conducted;

evidence of experience in conducting training programs in the clean energy technology sector;

evidence that the program funded by such a grant will aid a participating individual in finding new or more advanced employment or training opportunities in the clean energy technology sector and that such employment or training will help the individual achieve economic self-sufficiency; and

information about the entity and any relevant partnerships with the Federal Government, other worker training entities, employers or employer-sponsored organizations, State or local agencies, labor or joint labor-management organizations, institutions of higher education, community-based organizations, or faith-based organizations.

Displaced workers (particularly workers from the fossil fuel industry).

Individuals with a barrier to employment (as such term is defined in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102)).

Veterans, members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces, or former members of such reserve components.

Members of underrepresented populations.

Frontline and vulnerable communities.

Any other identified group the Secretary determines appropriate.

a description of each eligible entity awarded a grant under this section;

the amount of each such grant;

the activities for which such grant was used;

policy recommendations; and

any other information the Secretary determines appropriate.