Letter: Let’s push for more clean energy jobs

In a recent column, Steven Ashby described how Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s research will discover ways to make fuel more efficiently, saving our country billions of dollars, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. That story is just a small example of the huge economic value of PNNL’s work.

Rep. Dan Newhouse understands the value of investing in clean energy. During a recent House budget hearing, he challenged Energy Secretary Rick Perry about reports that President Trump’s proposed budget could eliminate many of the jobs at PNNL. Eliminating these jobs under the pretext of saving money would do the opposite, costing our economy more than any budgetary savings.

The U.S. already has 2.2 million jobs focused on making energy efficiency improvements of the sort that PNNL develops — 62,000 of these jobs are in Washington state. I was surprised to learn from the DOE website that we already have here 14 percent more clean energy jobs than traditional ones. What great news! This is a double win: these jobs help improve our economy today and help our planet remain livable for future generations.

Let’s push for even more clean energy jobs in our country and our community. Thanks to Rep. Newhouse for supporting clean energy.

This story was originally published July 22, 2017 at 10:43 AM with the headline "Letter: Let’s push for more clean energy jobs."