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AGC Highlights Construction's Importance in a Green Economy

In a letter sent to Rep. Lynn Woolsey, Chairwoman of the House Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, and Rep. Tom Price, the Subcommittee' Ranking Member, AGC CEO Steve Sandherr made the point that construction jobs meet all the criteria of the loosely defined "green job." This criteria includes:
  • Improving the environment;
  • Offering good-paying jobs;
  • Offering opportunities for advancement;
  • Are jobs that cannot be outsourced; and
  • Encouraging participation by a diverse population.
The letter was sent to the subcommittee in response to a March 31 hearing it held to "examine green jobs and their role in our nation's economic recovery." AGC's letter emphasized how large a role the construction industry plays in a green economy, how important it is to capture all of the green work that the industry does - including recycling at the highest levels of any industry - and the need to provide training for traditional crafts that may "benefit by, but do not need, training in green practices in order to work successfully on a green project." Further, AGC stressed the need for the federal government to avoid over-defining "green jobs" so that it excludes large segments of the industry and highlighted the many ways that AGC, its members and Chapters promote training and construction in environmentally sound and "green" practices. To read AGC's letter, click here. For more information, contact Liz Elvin at (703) 837-5389 or elvinl@agc.org.