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President Obama has declared this week as "Clean Energy Week". His key Cabinet Secretaries will spread out across the country to host a series of Clean Energy Week events.
From the White House press release: "Clean Energy Week events will highlight the President's commitment to passing comprehensive energy and climate legislation that will generate millions of jobs, break our dependence on foreign oil, reduce the threat of deadly pollution and restore America's role as a global leader in the clean energy industry".
One such event took place in Charlottesville this morning as Nancy Sutley, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality and Van Jones, Obama's Special Advisor for Green Jobs (aka the Green Jobs Czar), joined Rep. Tom Perriello and other electeds highlighting a revolving loan program for energy efficiency programs which was first created through legislation authored by Creigh Deeds this past session.
Through the program, which is in development, the City of Charlottesville and County of Albemarle would be able to lend funds from federal and other grant sources to area residents to make their homes more energy efficient. The loans would be paid back from the energy savings that are generated by the efficiency upgrades. The federal funds would also be used to train area workers in retrofitting and energy efficiency upgrading at the local community college. Those newly skilled workers can seek employment with the local companies participating in the program. Through this innovative program, Charlottesville and Albemarle are trying to unleash the potential of clean energy jobs by not just training people for them, but by helping to create a market that will employ those who have been trained.
Creigh Deeds' legislation, SB1212, allowed the City of Charlottesville the authority to create its own clean energy financing program. This bill couched with Federal programs could provide the model for other Virginia local jurisdictions to finance development of their own renewable energy and efficiency programs.
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President Obama has declared this week as "Clean Energy Week". His key Cabinet Secretaries will spread out across the country to host a series of Clean Energy Week events.
