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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Pat Harkins |
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Harkins participates in Green Economy Forum
ERIE, March 3 – State Rep. Pat Harkins, D-Erie, recently joined leaders from the business, academic, government, labor and environmental communities during PennEnvironment's Green Economy Forum to discuss implementing clean energy technologies in Erie that would help create "green-collar" jobs.
Held at Gannon University, the forum was attended by area residents, the Clean Air Council and PennEnvironment to learn about opportunities to repower the economy in the Commonwealth through continued investment in renewable energy technologies, passing comprehensive climate-change legislation and other local, state and federal efforts to create new green-collar jobs.
"The Erie region is in the early stages of looking at ways to implement green technologies," Harkins said. "We need to repower, refuel and rebuild Erie with clean energy. This will foster economic recovery, bolster our manufacturing sector, cut our dependence on foreign oil, and meet the climate crisis head-on."
Harkins also is working with state Rep. Flo Fabrizio, D-Erie, and General Electric Transportation Systems to explore the use of clean-burning locomotives at its plant located in Lawrence Park. The plant operates a 3-mile track for the testing of new or experimental locomotives, convenient for testing new clean-burning trains, Harkins said.
Gov. Ed Rendell last year signed into law the Energy Independence Fund (Special Session Act 1 of 2008), which established a $650 million bond to help fund business and consumer projects for the development of clean, green energy. This includes investments in major alternative energy manufacturing projects, promoting the development of solar and wind power, and providing tax credits for installing alternative energy production systems in homes and small businesses.
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