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PRESS RELEASE: Gifford Announces Green Jobs Plan

Policies seek to spur economic development, address climate change

March 13, 2018

LOWELL—Rufus Gifford, candidate for Congress in Massachusetts’ third congressional district, today unveiled a green jobs plan, citing it as a boon to the local economy and a vital part of combatting the effects of climate change. 

“One of my top priorities is to bring thousands of clean energy jobs to the third district,” said Gifford. “As Massachusetts and the country transition to a renewable energy economy, I believe the third district can, and should, become a hub of green manufacturing jobs, whether it’s producing parts for wind turbines, solar panels, or other innovative technologies.”

Gifford continued: “Addressing the effects of climate change is an environmental and moral imperative, but it’s also an economic opportunity. If we can bring more green jobs to the district, it could be transformational for our economy.”

Gifford’s plan focuses on four key areas: Workforce Development, Tax Incentives, Coalition Building, and Funding for Department of Energy Programs

The full plan can be found here.

As U.S. Ambassador to Denmark, Gifford spent four years working on issues surrounding green jobs in the United States and Denmark and other climate change priorities. His efforts brought together multiple stakeholders—European companies, the Danish government, and U.S. and state officials—to collaborate and help spur interest in Massachusetts’ clean energy sector. He also saw firsthand how a country’s bold bet on clean energy can pay off. Forty percent of Denmark’s energy comes from renewable sources and the sector has become a key driver of economic growth.

Gifford pointed to Massachusetts’ current efforts to build the nation’s first commercial, off-shore wind farm as a promising step and prime opportunity.

“The wind farm is an excellent project, another example of Massachusetts leading the country on climate change. But there’s a major missing piece. We don’t manufacture the components to build the wind turbines themselves and have to import those parts from Europe,” he said. “In my view, we should be manufacturing those components ourselves, right here in the third district.”

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