The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has had a measurable positive impact on populations of color, including Latinos, starting with the development of pro-climate and clean energy projects, in addition to the creation of thousands of jobs.
“Clean energy companies have announced or moved forward with 272 projects representing more than 170,600 new clean energy jobs for electricians, mechanics, construction workers, technicians, support personnel and many others,” indicates a Climate Power report.
He adds that 201 of the projects in process are located in areas of communities with populations of color, where 111,700 jobs have been generated, that is, 66% of new jobs.
Georgia is the state that leads with the highest job creation with 15,051; followed by South Carolina with 13,443; Arizona with 12,720 and Nevada with 11,500.
Other states exceed 5,000 jobs created with these environmental projects, such as Texas with 8,843; Michigan with 8,764, and California with 5,288.
While others exceeded 3,000 new jobs, such as in New York with 3,805; Oklahoma with 3,515; Colorado with 3,482, and Tennessee with 2,277.
The report, based on data from the Census Bureau, finds that since August 2022 – when President Joe Biden signed the IRA – projects of various types have been promoted, such as wind energy, solar energy, batteries and electric vehicles.
“In Latino communities, there are 61 new clean energy projects, generating $41.08 billion in investment and 46,660 new jobs in clean energy since the approval of the IRA,” it stands out. “Arizona, Nevada, Texas, California and Colorado are home to the largest number of new clean energy jobs.”
Democratic Senator Catherine Cortez-Masto (Nevada) highlighted investments in her state under the Inflation Reduction Act.
“It is creating tens of thousands of good-paying jobs for workers in every corner of our state,” Cortez-Masto said.
Georgia Senator Rafael Warnock, also a Democrat, celebrated the creation of jobs in his state and investments in clean energy.
“With more than $17,000 million in investments and the creation of more than 15,000 clean and well-paying jobs, the impact of the law in Georgia has been profound, particularly in our communities of color,” he defended. “From Savannah to Dalton, Augusta to Atlanta, and everywhere in between, we’re seeing a clean energy boom that holds the promise of a more sustainable future.”
Democratic Senator Michael Bennet (Colorado) also highlighted investments under IRA, especially its contribution to the transition to clean energy, including in homes.
“This legislation includes tax credits to help American workers make energy-efficient improvements to their homes, as well as provisions to attract investment in clean energy and protect public health in low-income and traditionally underserved communities,” he noted.
In communities with high black populations, there are 124 new clean energy projects, which will generate $53.52 billion in investment, in addition to the creation of 58,473 jobs in states such as Georgia, South Carolina, Michigan, New York and Tennessee .
The report highlights that in Native American communities, there are 56 new projects, which allow investments of $38,020 million dollars and the creation of 37,498 jobs, with the states of Arizona, Nevada, Oklahoma, California and Texas being the most benefited.
Asian/Asian American populations benefit from 49 new projects with investments of $17.64 billion and the creation of 16,623 jobs, focused on states such as Nevada, California, Michigan, Texas and New York.
Meanwhile, in Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Island communities, there are 57 energy projects with investments of $69.07 billion in investments.
The investments under the Inflation Reduction Act focused on clean energy are varied and have given new impetus to projects already underway, such as the one announced by Toyota in 2021, which would invest $1.29 billion dollars to build an electric vehicle at its plant in Liberty, North Carolina, where 18.6% of the population is black. With the IRA, that company tripled the investment to $3.4 billion.
Another example is EVelution Energy’s $200 million investment in a solar-powered cobalt sulfate plant, the first in the US, located in Yuma, Arizona, where 63.8% of the population is Hispanic/Latino. .
The company will also offer free training programs for workers at Arizona Western
University campus in Wellton, where 35.4% is Hispanic/Latino, the report indicates.
In Southern California’s Imperial Valley, where 85.2% of the population is Hispanic/Latino, in January 2023, Statevolt committed to supporting growth and regeneration in the area by adopting a “Hyperlocal Business Model ”, in order to provide direct employment to up to 2,500 people.
The Inflation Reduction Act offers investment incentives to companies, as highlighted by Lars Carlstrom, founder and CEO of Statevolt, a battery producer.
“The Inflation Reduction Act has opened new opportunities and incentives for strategic investments in sectors like ours, helping the United States establish itself as a world leader in clean energy,” he stated.
Source: La Opinion
