RELEASE: Pennsylvania Leaders Highlight Biden’s Infrastructure Announcement and Impacts on Climate and Jobs in Pennsylvania
Washington D.C. – Today, in a press call, Representative Susan Wild, State Representative Malcom Kenyatta, State Representative Sara Innamorato, and CASA Member José Diaz, discussed the positive impacts of President Biden’s American Jobs Plan and its implications for the future of Pennsylvania’s infrastructure and economic development.
During the call hosted by Climate Power, Pennsylvania leaders noted that these investments will have significant positive impacts for the state, boosting the economy, creating thousands of good-paying union jobs, and improving the quality of life for hard-working families throughout the state.
Biden recently announced the American Jobs Plan, part of his administration’s Build Back Better agenda, which includes a historic $2+ trillion investment in clean energy and infrastructure. The plan outlines ambitious investments that will create millions of good-paying union jobs, spur a clean energy economy, and prevent the worst consequences of the climate crisis.
“The multitude of crises that this country faces, from the economic downturn to the pandemic to climate change, have all put enormous pressure on our national infrastructure, exposing existing inefficiencies that have left us especially vulnerable to disaster,” said Representative Susan Wild. “We urgently need a massive public investment into infrastructure and the American Jobs Plan does just that. By fixing our roads and bridges, modernizing our schools, and delivering clean drinking water, a renewed electric grid, and high-speed broadband to all Americans, the American Jobs Plan isn’t just an infrastructure package — it will turbocharge the creation of good-paying jobs in communities exactly like mine.”
“Pennsylvania is eleventh right now in terms of clean energy jobs, but I’m excited because I think Pennsylvania can be first,” said State Representative Malcom Kenyatta. “Pennsylvania can lead the way. We have the knowhow, we have the hardworking unions that are ready to take full advantage of the historic moment that we find ourselves in.”
State Representative Sara Innamorato rejected the false narrative that we must choose between the environment and jobs, noting that Biden’s plan achieves both. “When we’re thinking about reinvesting in neighborhoods and systems that have been long-forgotten, we’re having a win-win, where we can move towards a more sustainable, less carbon-intensive future, and also create all these wonderful well-paying jobs that will support our economy in the future.”
“The American Jobs Plan has the unique opportunity to address environmental justice needs and environmental disasters while bringing, at the same time, training and employment and needed infrastructure overhaul,” CASA member José Diaz noted. “The American Jobs Plan is the first step to initiate the bold transformation and renewal of our economy that we, communities of color and working class communities seek.”
Biden’s American Jobs Plan presents a great opportunity for a state like Pennsylvania, which is already a leader in clean energy, with nearly 94,000 clean energy jobs. Pennsylvania ranks 11th among all states for clean energy employment, as of 2019.
For a copy of the call’s recording email Meghan Schneider at [email protected].