Newark and Elizabeth, NJ (June 18, 2009) - As clean energy and climate legislation moves through Congress, new data show that a $1.2 billion investment would create 11,525 new jobs in Newark and Elizabeth, NJ. According to the analysis, shifting to a clean-energy economy will help millions of low-income Americans by creating more accessible job opportunities ─ with the potential for advancement ─ and by lowering utility bills and transportation costs.

NJ Environmental Federation (NJ Chapter of Clean Water Action, in coordination with the Garden State Alliance for a New Economy (GANE) and Laborers 55, helped co-release two complementary reports today. The reports, which were prepared by the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (PERI), Center for American Progress (CAP), Green For All, and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), outline how investment in a clean-energy economy will produce significant economic and job creation benefits.

"These reports show that investing in the clean-energy economy will create new jobs right here in Newark and Elizabeth and provide opportunities for lower-income families," said Wayne Richardson, President, Laborers 55, (a new Newark-based labor union). "We can create jobs while we reduce global warming pollution and cut our dependence on foreign oil."

"Green Prosperity: How Clean-Energy Policies Can Fight Poverty and Raise Living Standards in the United States" from the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (PERI), Natural Resources Defense Council, and Green For All shows that shifting from traditional fossil fuel to clean energy will improve the standard of living for millions of Americans across all skill and education levels, especially among lower-income families.

"It's clearer than ever that investment in a clean energy economy will create pathways to prosperity for millions of Americans, especially in low-income communities," said Kim Gaddy, Environmental Justice Organizer, NJ Environmental Federation (NJ Chapter of Clean Water Action). "Moving to clean energy can be a driving force for economic growth and protecting the environment."

"Economic Benefits of Investing in Clean Energy" from PERI and CAP explains how the combination of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES) could serve as the foundation for bringing total clean-energy investments in the United States to approximately $150 billion per year, producing a net gain of 1.7 million new jobs nationally.

According to "Green Prosperity", investment in clean energy will produce a new total of 11,525 new jobs in Newark and Elizabeth of which over 6,200 would be for workers with high school degrees or less. This investment will also significantly contribute to improvements in energy efficiency in buildings and homes, lowering overall energy costs for consumers and especially benefiting lower-income households. These savings could be as high as 4 percent of household incomes for some families. Moving to clean energy would also improve public transportation, especially in urban areas, which could lead to an average reduction in living costs by 1 to 4 percent per family. In Newark, homeowners and renters could save up to 4 percent of their income through improvements in energy efficiency and about 1-2 percent of their living costs through increased access to public transportation.

For the full reports, national data, state and regional fact sheets go to: www.greenforall.org/report, www.peri.umass.edu, www.americanprogress.org, and www.nrdc.org/greenjobs.