Energy and Environment
John recognizes the immediate, worldwide threat posed by global warming and the inherent threat to our national security spawned by our dependence on foreign oil. To this end he voted to pass the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (H.R. 2454) on June 26, 2009. This landmark legislation takes steps to revitalize our economy by creating new jobs, increasing our national security by reducing our dependence on foreign oil, preserving our planet and protecting our delicate wildlife by reducing the pollution that causes global warming.
Additionally, this bill included an allocation to fund the Green Jobs Act, an initiative John co-authored, and which became law as part of last year's Energy Independence and Security Act, that will help to educate, train and raise skill levels to create a workforce prepared to work at all aspects of new American clean energy jobs like those installing solar panels, manufacturing wind turbines, or renovating homes for greater energy efficiency - jobs which cannot be shipped overseas. The first investments in Congressman Tierney's Green Jobs Act are already paying off for the 6th Distrct and other Massachusetts workers as they gain the skills necessary to take jobs that actually exist in our economy.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, passed in early 2009 to help revitalize our troubled economy by strengthening our national capacity, also made historic investments in clean energy, leading to: modernizing the electricity grid to make it more efficient and reliable; tax incentives to spur energy savings and create clean energy jobs; and a significant commitment to clean energy research, and to develop advanced battery technology. These provisions are estimated to create more than 700,000 jobs by 2012, nearly double renewable electricity over four years (instead of increasing only 6 percent), and save consumers up to $98 a year in energy costs.
