A handful of northwest businesses urged congress this week to approve comprehensive climate legislation, citing it as an opportunity to jumpstart thousands of jobs and support a healthier environment.
Mark Edlen, a managing principal of Gerding Edlen, said a combination of extended tax credits and other incentives could produce thousands of jobs. In Portland alone, perhaps half of 75 million square feet of commercial office space needs to be retrofitted with efficient electrical, water and sewage systems, he said.
He proposed increasing the gas tax and dedicating a portion of it to energy efficiency projects, saying there is “a generation’s worth of work” for laborers, electricians, architects, engineers and those who arrange financing for such projects.
Continue reading The Oregonian’s coverage of Tuesday’s news conference.
Also present at Tuesdays conference were representatives from Nike, Starbucks, local unions & youthgroups, and more.
