Coalition Rallies for Green Jobs in Pittsburgh

Groups Promote Job Growth through Investment in Renewables, Environmental Initiatives

PITTSBURGH, May 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Blue Green Alliance, a partnership of the United Steelworkers (USW) and the Sierra Club with the Natural Resources Defense Council today co-sponsored a rally in Braddock to promote the creation of green jobs by increasing investments in renewable energy as part of its Green Jobs for America campaign.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080131/DC12982LOGO )

The Green Jobs for America campaign focuses on a commitment to clean, renewable energy to make the U.S. more energy-independent, to help end our nation's dependence on fossil fuels and to create hundreds of thousands of green jobs nationwide.

A wide variety of local labor, environmental, community, government and faith based organizations participated in the rally and picnic lunch in Braddock, held in anticipation of the upcoming release of a study that details the economic benefits of a "green" economy.

USW District 10 Director John DeFazio remarked that solutions to environmental challenges are already driving economic development and creating successful and profitable businesses in Allegheny County and across the state of Pennsylvania.

"With so many activists and resources in the state, Pittsburgh is a natural fit for the Blue Green Alliance's green jobs initiative," DeFazio said. "Our union will continue working with the coalition to promote policies and investment that will help rebuild America's manufacturing base while combating global climate change."

"From the solar companies of California to the steelworkers making wind turbines right here in Pennsylvania, we can already see the beginnings of the clean energy future," said Sierra Club Regional Representative Rachel Martin. "The clean energy economy will be fueled by clean, affordable and homegrown energy and will revitalize America with hundreds of thousands of good-paying clean energy jobs that can't be outsourced. We need to start building that economy right here in Pittsburgh."

In addition to DeFazio and Martin, other guest speakers at the rally were Allegheny County AFL-CIO Central Labor Council President Jack Shea and Allen Kukovich, director of Governor Ed Rendell's Southwest Regional Office.

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080131/DC12982LOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Blue Green Alliance

CONTACT: Randy Francisco, Blue Green Alliance, +1-412-802-6161; Tony
Montana, USW, +1-412-562-2592

2008-05-31 13:02:55 0374128 PRNEWSWIRE