Matsui: Sacramento Among First Cities to Benefit from Obama Energy Upgrades
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, December 2, 2011
CONTACT: ALANA JUTEAU
(202) 225-7163
Matsui: Sacramento Among First Cities to Benefit from Obama Energy Upgrades
Plan Will Help Advance Sacramento as Clean Tech Capital , Create 50,000-plus Jobs Nationally
Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-Sacramento) applauded President Barack Obama's announcement that Sacramento, CA will be one of the first five cities to benefit from $4 billion in federal and private green building investments. The investment comes as part of the President's Better Building Initiative to increase the energy efficiency in commercial buildings by 20 percent by 2020.
I applaud President Obama's announcement of this private-public partnership that will create thousands of new jobs, help move our country's clean energy sector forward, provide long-term savings for the federal government, and not cost taxpayers a dime, said Congresswoman Matsui. This is the exact type of forward-thinking and innovative approach that will get our country back on the right track and ensure that we remain competitive in the future. And I am very pleased that the Administration has chosen Sacramento, which is itself a clean energy leader, to help kick-off the program. This deal will get our region's construction sector back to work and help further position us as the Clean Tech Capital .
The President signed a memorandum for a minimum $2 billion commitment from federal agencies over the next two years, which will be paid for in the energy savings the upgrades will provide. Funds will be used to hire contractors to perform energy retrofits and green upgrades at federal facilities. Additionally, sixty private companies, municipal leaders, and labor organizations have agreed to invest $2 billion in private capital to upgrade 300 manufacturing plants and 1.6 billion square feet of commercial and industrial property.
Because of the public-private partnership and the fact that the federal upgrades pay for themselves, this plan will not cost taxpayers a cent. Additionally, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has estimated that the federal investment alone could create 35,000 jobs nationally. The University of Massachusetts at Amherst's Political Economy Research Institute also released statistics today showing the plan could create more than 50,000 jobs.
Matsui added, Through energy upgrades, our country can save money, reduce our carbon footprint, and compete globally. This plan is a win-win for America and for Sacramento. I hope that Congress will follow the President's lead and get to work creating jobs soon.
Sacramento is a Better Buildings Challenge Community Partner, and, through its Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program, has committed to making energy upgrades that reduce energy use by 20% by 2020 in over 12 million square feet of building space. The additional federal support will help advance Sacramento's clean energy goals and create much-needed jobs in the capital region.
To read more about Congresswoman Matsui's work on clean energy jobs, click here.
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