STATE of CONNECTICUT

BY HER EXCELLENCY

M. JODI RELL

GOVERNOR

Executive Order No. 23

WHEREAS, Connecticut’s economic competitiveness is vital to preserving the quality of life that Connecticut residents have come to expect; and

WHEREAS, economic growth must be balanced with the protection of our environment and natural resources and can be achieved through the advancement and implementation of environmentally and economically sound technologies, techniques and practices; and

WHEREAS, the supply and quality of energy is critical to future economic growth and the maintenance of quality of life, and the development of renewable energies is a key component of the state’s energy security; and

WHEREAS, the state’s proven talent, innovation and entrepreneurship can and should be leveraged to usher in a greener future for all and maintain the state’s competitive advantage and economic success that will, in turn, lead to new company formation and job growth; and

WHEREAS, it is critical that education and workforce training in 21^st century skills be developed and offered to students and workers to create a talent pipeline that will be necessary for the emerging green economy and creation of green jobs; and

WHEREAS, growing 21^st century talent for green collar jobs is not the province of any single agency, but necessarily involves multiple entities functioning in collaborative ways with a unified purpose;  

NOW, THEREFORE,  I, M. Jodi Rell, Governor of the State of Connecticut, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and Statutes of the State of Connecticut, do hereby ORDER and DIRECT:

1. The Commissioners of the Department of Economic and Community Development and the Department of Labor shall jointly plan for the development and growth of green industries and green jobs in the State of Connecticut and identify those jobs that will qualify as “green jobs.”  Such plan shall facilitate the administration of federal funds received by the State to ensure expeditious implementation of programs and initiatives designed to spur the growth of green collar jobs in Connecticut and coordinate such efforts with the Executive Director of the Office for Workforce Competitiveness, the Commissioners of Education, Higher Education, and Environmental Protection, and the Chancellor of the Community College System.  Upon completion, the plan shall be presented to the Connecticut Employment and Training Commission.

2. The Connecticut Employment and Training Commission shall create and chair a Green Collar Jobs Council comprised of the Departments of Education, Higher Education, Environmental Protection, Labor and Economic and Community Development, the Energy Workforce Development Consortium and representatives of business and industry.  The Council shall develop green collar job opportunities, public-private partnerships and job training programs.

3. The Office of Workforce Competitiveness shall provide administrative support and coordinate efforts among state agencies, public and private colleges and universities and quasi-public agencies whose mission relates to green collar industries and jobs.

4. The Commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development shall work with the Energy Workforce Development Consortium, a public-private partnership, to identify challenges and develop solutions to meet the current and future workforce needs of traditional and alternative energy and energy-related companies in Connecticut.  The consortium, the first to be developed east of the Hudson River, will develop a plan for growing green energy jobs in Connecticut.  The Connecticut Business and Industry Association will staff the Consortium.  The Energy Workforce Development Consortium shall coordinate its plan with the Connecticut Employment and Training Commission.

5. The Labor Commissioner shall establish a 21^st Century Green Jobs Training Initiative which shall provide training to meet the needs of the energy industry and other green industry workforce needs as identified by the Energy Workforce Development Consortium. 

6. The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management may reallocate existing job training funds, from a source and in an amount to be determined within the Secretary’s discretion,  to the new comprehensive 21st Century Green Jobs Training Initiative administered by the Department of Labor.  These funds shall be used for the replication of best practice models including but not limited to jobs funnels and brownfield remediation training programs and shall be delivered statewide through education and training institutions based on geographic need.

7. The Community College System shall expeditiously implement the $2 million grant received from the United States Department of Labor for its “Sustainable Operations: Alternative and Renewable Energy” (SOAR) Initiative.   The Community College System shall collaborate with its public and private partners, including the Energy Workforce Development Consortium, to expedite the creation of 8 certificate credit programs and training of 320 students within the next two years. 

8. The Community College System shall aggressively pursue National Science Foundation grants and funding through its private partners, with a goal of  submitting up to six funding proposals, 3 planning grant applications and 3 applications to support student scholarships for funding in 2010.

9. To the extent permitted by federal law, state agencies that receive funding from the federal economic stimulus package of 2009 shall allocate up to 25% of such funding for green, shovel-ready projects. 

10. With respect to applications for grants from the Small Manufacturers Competitiveness Fund, the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development shall give priority to projects incorporating clean and green energy.   

11. The Commissioner of the Department of Transportation, in consultation with the Commissioners of Economic and Community Development and Administrative Services, shall develop a plan to implement a green transportation corridor along interstate routes 91 and 95.  The plan shall identify opportunities to require green improvements, including the use and distribution of alternative energy sources, along said corridor.

12. Connecticut Innovations shall expand the Accelerator at Science Park in New Haven to include green technology companies and shall provide services to foster the growth of such companies.

13. The Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection shall develop a plan for the installation of green technology at all state park restroom facilities within two years.

14. The Commissioner of Education shall create a Green Collar Corps to teach the public, focusing primarily on high school students, skills to help their communities reduce their environmental and energy footprint. The Corps will be trained to perform energy audits for residential and commercial establishments; conduct outreach and promote energy efficiency and conservation in support of Connecticut’s “OneThing” initiative; assist local decision-makers in adopting and following “green” principles when pursuing development opportunities and in the overall administration of their municipality; and train others in the community on the basics of green collar technology.  The Commissioner shall give priority to the enhancement and expansion of the Connecticut Technical High School System’s  model green jobs programs.

15. The Office of Workforce Competitiveness shall establish a Green Science and Engineering Advisory Group to develop strategies for introducing green principles into education, manufacturing, engineering and other aspects of business and industry, and to leverage the resources available to Connecticut through its universities.

This order shall take effect immediately.

Dated at Hartford this 2nd day of February 2009.

________________________________

M. Jodi Rell

Governor

By Her Excellency’s Command:

________________________________

Susan Bysiewicz

Secretary of the State