Seattle – The Solar Foundation (TSF), an independent nonprofit solar research and education organization, today released its fourth annual National Solar Jobs Census, which found that the U.S. solar industry employed 142,698 Americans in 2013. That figure includes the addition of 23,682 solar jobs over the previous year, representing 19.9 percent growth in employment since September 2012. Solar employment grew 10 times faster than the national average employment growth rate of 1.9 percent in the same period.
As Congress approaches another deadline on the federal budget, a new Environment Washington Research & Policy Center analysis, entitled Death by a Thousand Cuts, exposes the challenges facing Olympic National Park and Mt. Rainier National Park as a result of mounting funding cuts to the National Park Service.
Last week Gov. Inslee signed his first bill into law, one that is aimed at tackling climate change in Washington. One solution the governor has often touted is solar energy. Today, Environment Washington, industry leaders, and city officials joined together to show that solar energy is a viable, yet under-utilized, energy source for Washington. They asked Gov. Inslee to set a goal for Washington of installing the solar capacity equivalent to 150,000 solar roofs in Washington by 2020.
Yesterday, elected officials, conservation groups, business leaders, and community members celebrated Washington’s newest national monument, the San Juan Islands National Monument. The monument will permanently protect close to 1,000 acres of land in the San Juans, on Monday with the designation of the San Juan Islands National Monument. The region, which will continue to be managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), encompasses nesting grounds for bald eagles, shorelines where visitors can spot passing seals and orcas, and stands of old growth forest.
President Obama is expected to permanently protected close to 1,000 acres of land in the San Juans, on Monday with the designation of the San Juan Islands National Monument. The region, which will continue to be managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), encompasses nesting grounds for bald eagles, shorelines where visitors can spot passing seals and orcas, and stands of old growth forest.
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