Regional Op-Ed | The Sierra Fund: What do "Green Jobs" mean for rural California? Cleaning up abandoned mines will bring jobs for Sierra workers, and protect community health Published on Feb 17, 2009 - 10:36:43 AM
Feb. 17, 2009 - Regardless of political party and position, when it comes to economic stimulus and the hundreds of billions of dollars that the federal government is getting ready to pump into the system, everyone agrees that if the money doesn't result in massive job creation the economy will likely sink from crisis into catastrophe.
When it comes to what type of jobs need to be created to not only stop the current bleeding, but to set the stage for long term recovery and growth, the term we rightly hear is "Green Jobs."
But what does "Green" mean for rural California?
In Sacramento a lot of talk about "Green Jobs" focuses on alternative energy and solar-power installation jobs for inner city workers, but there is little discussion of how to get some of those jobs into rural and remote areas of the State.
There is no doubt that our energy production and distribution grid needs to be modernized and moved from fossil fuels to cleaner energy sources and that chronic poverty and the lack of meaningful employment that pays a living wage has devastated inner city communities across the country. The current crisis sets the stage for making meaningful inroads to changing the dynamics that have led to such an intolerable situation.
However, we can't ignore the fact that there is also crushing poverty and hopelessness in rural areas of the country and California that need to be addressed. In the Sierra Nevada in particular, the "boom and bust" cycles of the timber and mining economy have left many families in poverty. Over a century of mining in the Sierra has left these same families exposed to excessive amounts of environmental pollution, including arsenic in water and mercury in fish.
It's time to put the people who live in the Sierra back to work. Cleaning up the nearly 50,000 abandoned mines in California can't be outsourced. This work will bring high-paying, "green" jobs to local workers who already have the needed skills, so they can protect the health of their families and local communities. Cleaning up "Mining's Toxic Legacy" will provide income to rural areas of California that need those jobs every bit as much as the State's cities do.
We're happy to report that California's senior Senator Diane Feinstein agrees and has worked to get $105 million for abandoned mine cleanup included in the final version of the economic stimulus plan.
California gold sustained the US economy through two World Wars and the Great Depression. Since the US bought the gold of California at a fixed price (well below the market at that time), there is ample justification for bringing "special earmarked" money home for the Sierra Nevada.
As Elizabeth "Izzy" Martin, Sierra Fund CEO says; "There is systemic rural poverty in California and economic stimulus is desperately needed here. We are encouraged that Senator Feinstein is such a champion in addressing what we call 'Mining's Toxic Legacy,' and we want to do whatever we can to assist her in that endeavor."
Targeting economic stimulus money to rural communities in the form of abandoned mine cleanup funding is good "green" economic policy. We encourage elected officials and decision makers at all levels of government representing rural California and particularly those representing the Sierra Nevada to support Senator Feinstein in protecting our health and attracting reliable jobs.
