Bert Green on April 15, 2009, at 11:03AM – #2

I see your point, Rich, but I don't see it as so fragmented. It's not a bad thing that downtown has different uses in different zones, but what it lacks is strong transit connectivity.

The proposed Green Tech corridor is just south of Union Station. How about extending the Red or Purple Line south along the river (the tracks are already there in some places) to serve this new project area. Workers and customers could get there on foot. That's green.

With the proper incentives, firms could relocate here, but to assume only a truck-based model is not green. The Alameda Corridor freight line is adjacent to this site. That can provide freight access and easy port access, no trucks needed.

tim o'connell on April 15, 2009, at 02:44PM – #3

The nonprofit Apollo Alliance group Phil Angelides leads just sent out a message that was pretty discouraging. The point is, and our green energy future is currently dependent on overseas manufacturing. If we are going to get the jobs and economic stimulus of green industry, then the funding has to have a strong "Buy America" provision, or the energy companies are going to spend the money where the wind turbines, solar panels and other green energy stuff is made - and that isn't Detroit.

Even Robert Hertzberg, once Speaker of the California State Assembly, went to Wales to start up a photovoltaic manufacturing plant instead of South LA or someplace else in the US.

Whether another ex-Speaker can pull it off - well, I will wait and see, but I hope he is ready to roll up his sleeves and stick to it for more than one press conference and photo-op.

Congress is about to make the biggest investment in clean energy and green jobs in history. But will all those new jobs stay on American soil, or will they go overseas? Congress should be creating new jobs right here in America where we need them. But unless we act now, the new energy bill could end up pouring money into other countries' economies.

We've created a highly effective TV ad to hit key senators where they live – literally. We're starting with Ohio Senator George Voinovich, whose swing vote could make or break this bill.

Watch our new TV ad. If you help us get it on the air, your gift will be DOUBLED by a generous donor.

The energy bill is moving...fast. And it will generate unprecedented demand for clean energy technologies. That demand could create millions of jobs in America. But there's one big problem: we don't make most of the clean energy systems and components here in the U.S. Fully half of America's wind turbines were made overseas.

We MUST retool factories and retrain workers so we can take advantage of this new market. Otherwise the energy bill will actually create new jobs overseas, even though we have the know-how, the facilities, and the hard workers right here. America can't afford that. That's the message of our new ad – and it's one that Senator Voinovich needs to hear.

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David Kennedy on April 17, 2009, at 09:35AM – #6

I'm no economist, but this article about Madrid's experience is food for thought.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123992109862226959.html

David Kennedy on June 25, 2009, at 03:11PM – #7

Here's another interesting article on this topic with some very helpful links.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/24/AR2009062403012.html?hpid=opinionsbox1