READOUT: Acting Secretary Su, Secretary of the Interior Haaland, EPA Chief of Staff Utech discuss ‘Good Jobs in the Clean Economy’

WASHINGTON – At the Department of Labor today, Acting Secretary Julie Su joined Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, Environmental Protection Agency Chief of Staff Dan Utech and other key stakeholders to discuss good jobs in the clean economy and how their agencies will collaborate to create good quality jobs in infrastructure, clean energy, manufacturing and technology as part of the Biden-Harris administration’s “Investing in America” agenda.

“The benefits made possible by our partnership will show we don’t need to choose between good jobs and climate action when, in fact, we can achieve both,” said Acting Secretary Julie Su. “The Investing in America agenda gives us an historic opportunity to put workers first and act to address climate change and other environmental concerns. It also allows us to include workers and communities historically left behind.”

Memorandums of understanding signed between the Departments of Labor and the Interior and between the Department of Labor and the EPA will enable all three departments to share resources and expertise to guide their actions to meet their shared goals to expand an equitable and diverse workforce while taking significant action to combat climate change.

“With funding from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, we are putting historic resources into the American workforce throughout our nation that support conservation, legacy pollution cleanup, outdoor recreation, and our collective effort to address the climate crisis,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. “I’m thrilled that our new Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Labor will support continued cooperative efforts that help us draw on the strength and creativity of every worker in America.”

The participants also discussed their collaborative effort to make federal infrastructure, regional economic development and workforce development priorities while creating good-paying, high-quality jobs that offer workers the free and fair choice to form or join a union.

“From day one President Biden promised a whole-of-government approach to tackle the climate crisis and grow our clean energy economy, and thanks to his Investing in America Agenda, we are matching historic resources with community driven solutions to do just that,” said Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Under this Memorandum of Understanding with our partners at the Department of Labor, we’re going to ensure that all communities can participate in this clean energy transition and that we create good paying jobs in the process.”

During the event, Acting Secretary Su also moderated a panel discussion with Lee Geisse, regional program manager with the BlueGreen Alliance in Canton, Ohio; Frank Howard III of Howard Concrete Pumping Inc. in Cleveland; and Wayne L. Richardson, president of the Essex County Board of County Commissioners in New Jersey on how federal collaboration can help workers and local communities.

Read the department’s MOU with the Department of the Interior.

Read the department’s MOU with the Environmental Protection Agency.