Clean Energy
The consequences of our energy use have been dire. Pollution and climate change threaten our health and the lives of future generations. Our national security is compromised by our dependence on foreign oil. But most importantly for the average American during this economic downturn, we are pumping billions of dollars a day to the other side of the world while unemployment skyrockets and our industries struggle to survive.
The Building and Construction Trades Department supports a diverse energy portfolio, such as advanced coal, nuclear and renewables, as well as an economy-wide program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and avoid catastrophic climate change impacts. Our nation must make strategic investments in clean energy technology that promote good jobs and energy security.
We believe the following elements are an essential part of comprehensive climate policy.
- Achievable emissions reductions goals that avoid severe economic disruptions - particularly in the early years of a program - and discourage widespread fuel switching.
- Cost-containment provisions that prevent volatility in allowace prices and mitigate economic impact.
- Revenue from any sale of emissions allowances should be reinvested in job-creating climate solutions, such as carbon capture and storage, advanced vehicle technology, and renewable energy. Any construction activities assisted through auction revenue should include standards that promote high-quality employment and fair competition.
- The enactment of an economy-wide program to reduce emissons must preempt the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate emissions from stationary sources under the Clean Air Act.
- Preferences for the domestic manufacturing of new and emerging carbon reducing technologies to revitalize the American industrial base.
- Provisions that seek to ensure responsible climate action does not result in the offshoring of both jobs and pollution to countries that fail to act. This should include some free allocation of allowances to industries particularly vulnerable to competitiveness impacts, as well as border adjustment mechanisms impposed on major emitting nations - such as China - should they fail to make reduction commitments.
- Encourage incentives for energy efficiency and building retrofits.
- Promote energy security by enabling Americans to take advantage of vast energy reserves by responsibly expanding access to resources off our coasts.
Click below to read how Building Trades members are working with Clean Energy
Federal Stimulus Boosts Photovoltaic Work in San Diego
Mountaineer Plant is First to Capture and Store CO2 Onsite
Plant Vogtle
The Building Trades Unions announced on April 15, 2010, an agreement with Stone & Webster Construction Inc., a subsidiary of the The Shaw Group Inc., to construct Units 3 and 4 at the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant in Waynesboro, Georgia under the Nuclear Power Construction Labor Agreement.
Georgia Power (a Southern Company), Oglethorpe Power, MEAG Power, and Dalton Utilities are adding Unites 3 and 4 at Plant Vogtle to meet the ever-increasing power needs of its custromers in that region. SHaw is providing engineering and construction services for the two proposed nuclear power units.
The two new units represent a $14 billion capital investment in Georgia and will create approximately 3,000 construction jobs and 800 high-paying permanent jobs.
A significant component of this agreement will be the utilization of the Building Trades' skille craft apprenticeship programs - an $800 million per year, privately-funded, training infrastructure. These training programs will be utilized for the workforce development needs of this particular project, which will translate into career training opportunities for residents in the Burke, George area. Similarly, these programs have an important role to play in the revitalization of the American nuclear power industry as a whole. At every step of the way, agreements such as this one with Shaw will be the catalyst for career training opportunities for communities across the nation.
In total, this is an unparalleled, no-nonsense agreement...one that recognizes and makes a committment to the national importance of nuclear power. Further, the agreement implicitly addresses the unique challenges associated with nuclear power plant construction, and tackles problems previously encountered in the construction of nuclear power generation facilities.
Perhaps most importantly, the agreement is structured to maximize efficiencies and contain costs.
Construction began March, 2010, with the first placement of backfill soil into the area excavated for Unit 3.
Commerical operation is not expected to begin until 2016 and 2017.
Building STAR
Building STAR is a package of rebates and financing provisions that would create jobs in 2010 and 2011 by putting people back to work conducting energy efficiency retrofits of commerical and large, multi-family residential buildings.
By the end of 2011, Building STAR retrofits would result in $3.3 billion in energy savings for consumers annually and would avoid the need to build 33 300-megawatt peaking plants. It also would reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to removing 3.95 million cars from the road. Because retrofits often replace failed building components that degrade the interior environment, such upgrades also would help improve air quality and the health of the building's occupants.
We have posted an article on the website that was written by Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) and Congressman Peter Welch (D-VT) on this important program that has the support of America's Building Trades Unions.
Click here to read the article.