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REPORT OF THE <br /> COMMITTEE ON FOOD AND ENERGY SUSTAINABILITY ' <br /> DATE: September 9, 2008 RE: Comm. 1416/Res. 731-08 <br /> PLACE: Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort and Spa <br /> 78-128 Ehukai Street <br /> Kailua-Kona, Hawaii <br /> TIME: 8:30 a.m. <br /> Council Chair and Members ' <br /> Hawaii County Council <br /> Hilo, Hawaii 96720 <br /> Your Committee on Food and Energy Sustainability, to which was referred Resolution 731-08, <br /> reports as follows: <br /> Resolution 731-08, transmitted by Council Chair Pete Hoffmann via Communication 1416, dated <br /> August 20, 2008, encourages the Administration to research the application process to obtain <br /> funding for an energy worker-related training program, as established through the Green Jobs <br /> Act 2007. <br /> The Green Jobs Act 2007 was signed into law on December 19, 2007, and provides a funding <br /> source to establish an Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Worker Training Program. This <br /> legislation established up to $125 million in grant funding to initiate national and state job <br /> training programs to help address job shortages that are impairing growth in green industries. <br /> On January 31, 2008, Governor Linda Lingle signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the <br /> U.S. Department of Energy for the Hawaii-DOE Clean Energy Initiative (HCEI) that not only <br /> assists in building a path towards a strong energy self-sustainable future, but also helps our <br /> workforce reply to the increasing demand for green jobs. <br /> This resolution requests the Administration to do the following: <br /> • Look into establishing acounty-wide Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy- Worker <br /> Training Program <br /> • Research the application process to obtain Federal funding provided by the Green Jobs <br /> Act 2007 <br /> • Prepare a list ofgreen-collar jobs that might be needed for Hawaii County <br /> • Update the Council on these efforts by March 1, 2009. <br /> <br /> Brent Norris of Green Collar Technologies testified from Hilo in support of Resolution 731-08. <br /> <br /> He stated that research is needed to connect the dots between the need for green jobs on the Big , <br /> <br /> Island and the funding opportunities that exist at the Federal level. <br /> <br /> Jon Olson also testified from Hilo in support of Resolution 731-08. He stated that it is important <br /> <br /> for local government to focus more on this area. He also explained that green-collar jobs are <br /> <br /> created when energy dollars create local jobs on the island. <br /> FESC Report No. 06 <br /> <br />