Pocono News Section

'Green Job' Investment Idea Unveiled in Scranton

'Green Job' Investment Idea Unveiled in Scranton - Tuesday, September 9, 2008 at 3:16PM EST

Reported by: David DeCosmo
Tuesday, Sep 9, 2008 @ 03:16pm EST
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY- Representatives of an environmental group called "Clean Air Council" held a news conference in Scranton Tuesday to talk about a report calling for investments in new energy sources.

The report was prepared by the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts. It models the impact of a $100 billion dollar program that would combine tax credits and loan guarantees for private businesses along with direct public investment spending.

Katie Feeney of Clean Air Council said that such an investment opportunity could create two million new jobs nationwide and 86,000 or more in Pennsylvania.

Ed Shoener is an Environmental Consultant from Northeastern Pennsylvania. He said the investments envisioned in the report could give a big boost to the development of wind generated power in the area.

Those thoughts were echoed by Jim Sovaiko who is involved with the development of geo-thermal power. He said the mine water pools found throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania are a unique source of potential power located in an area which could serve a large population.

Sovaiko said the technology is ready but requires investment dollars to become a common energy source in the region.