[SPN-Discussion] Announcing new model green jobs bill on Earth Day

[Birgitte Rasine]

**Apologies for x-postings**

Dear colleagues,

It is my great pleasure to announce a very special green jobs  
initiative we are working on with an absolutely fantastic group of  
young attorneys in New York.  See the press release below or click on http://www.csrwire.com/News/15198.html 
.

Also see the L4GJ page on our site: http://www.lucita.net/projects/l4gj

Any questions or comments please contact us!

May this Earth Day bring the environment ever closer together with  
people and an ever greener economy.

Cheers,
Birgitte


Model legislation calls for green jobs in New York State

Lawyers for Green Jobs propose a new bill to support an inclusive  
green economy in their state



New York, NY—April 22, 2009—Lawyers for Green Jobs (L4GJ) announced  
today the release of an innovative green jobs model legislation to  
serve as a non-partisan framework for a statewide green workforce  
development initiative in the State of New York. The legislation calls  
for an efficient statewide framework that provides green jobs  
education and training, stimulating the state’s economy while  
protecting the environment.

Lawyers for Green Jobs was formed in 2008 by a group of young  
environmental attorneys who met while attending the New York City  
Environmental Law Leadership Institute (NYCELLI) and shared a strong  
passion for the economic implications of environmental and social  
issues.  Their idea to propose green jobs legislation for New York  
State grew in part from their coursework in NYCELLI and in part due to  
the fact that there currently exists no such law.  Since that time,  
L4GJ has been engaging national and New York-based green jobs advocacy  
organizations, such as Green For All, the New York Apollo Alliance,  
and several environmental justice groups, to foster a statewide policy  
for green jobs in New York.



According to Jason Wiener, L4GJ Media Outreach Coordinator, “Our  
overarching goal is for the state to develop and administer a  
comprehensive green workforce development program that trains a green  
workforce and stimulates the state’s green economy.”



As L4GJ State Policy Coordinator Cullen Howe explained, “What we are  
primarily pushing for is to have the state come up with a systematic  
program to develop education and training programs to prepare people  
for these jobs, particularly low income and underserved communities.   
We envision a future that actively includes the entire workforce in  
the clean energy revolution that’s beginning to unfold.”


“Green jobs are critical to a revitalized New York State economy,”  
said Jeff Jones, Director of New York State Apollo Alliance. “For  
stimulus investments in clean energy to work, New York needs a trained  
green workforce. This plan, proposed by Lawyers for Green Jobs, helps  
bring us closer than ever to New York’s clean energy future, while  
protecting the environment and opening new career paths to tens of  
thousands of New Yorkers.”



While intended for adoption in New York State, L4GJ’s model  
legislation is also appropriate for use by other states,  
municipalities and regions throughout the nation that are planning to  
implement their own green workforce legislation and programs.


“We wanted to draft a green jobs bill because we believe in the  
promise of the new green economy, not only to turn our economy around  
from its deep recession, but to provide people with meaningful work  
that helps them better their lives while helping to fight climate  
change,” said Giselle Vigneron, L4GJ’s National Policy Coordinator.   
“Other states, like Massachusetts, California and Washington, already  
have their own green jobs policies, but New York has no legislation on  
this issue.  Drafting a green jobs training bill for New York is a  
first step that we can take to promote a healthy transition to a clean  
energy economy.”



L4GJ invites interested organizations and the general public to learn  
more about the proposed bill and express support for statewide green  
jobs legislation by sending an email to  
lawyersforgreenjobs at gmail.com.  L4GJ also encourages all New Yorkers  
to call their state representatives to demand statewide green jobs  
legislation.  Log on to L4GJ’s website at http://www.lawyers4greenjobs.wordpress.com 
  for more information.



About Lawyers for Green Jobs

Lawyers for Green Jobs (L4GJ) is a non partisan group of young  
environmental attorneys passionate about the synergistic link between  
the economy and the environment. The group’s primary goal is to urge  
the New York Legislature to pass an effective green jobs bill in New  
York State.  L4GJ believes that legislative and policy advocacy holds  
the key to a long-term green workforce development program which would  
provide people with well-paying, family-supporting jobs in the new  
clean energy economy, and build pathways out of poverty for  
traditionally underserved and disadvantaged sectors of the workforce.   
Formed in 2008 when its members were attending a seminar at the New  
York City Environmental Law Leadership Institute (NYCELLI), the group  
is run on a completely pro bono basis and is not affiliated with any  
legal, political or business interests. Learn more about Lawyers for  
Green Jobs at http://lawyers4greenjobs.wordpress.com.



Media Contacts

LUCITÀ

Birgitte Rasine

Tel: 203-878-2137

Email: birgitte at lucita.net





Lawyers for Green Jobs

Jason Wiener

Tel: 845-216-3624

Email: jrwiener at gmail.com





–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Birgitte Rasine
chief evolution officer
LUCITÀ
www.lucita.net
tel: +1 203.878.2137
fax: + 1203.345.0796
email: birgitte at lucita.net
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
..illuminate your world..



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