Section 43.330.310. Comprehensive green economy jobs growth initiative—Establishment.

(1) The legislature establishes a comprehensive green economy jobs growth initiative based on the goal of, by 2020, increasing the number of green economy jobs to twenty-five thousand from the eight thousand four hundred green economy jobs the state had in 2004.

(2) The department, in consultation with the employment security department, the state workforce training and education coordinating board, and the state board for community and technical colleges, shall develop a defined list of terms, consistent with current workforce and economic development terms, associated with green economy industries and jobs.

(3)(a) The employment security department, in consultation with the department, the state workforce training and education coordinating board, the state board for community and technical colleges, Washington State University small business development center, and the Washington State University extension energy program, shall conduct labor market research to analyze the current labor market and projected job growth in the green economy, the current and projected recruitment and skill requirement of green economy industry employers, the wage and benefits ranges of jobs within green economy industries, and the education and training requirements of entry-level and incumbent workers in those industries.

(i) The employment security department shall conduct an analysis of occupations in the forest products industry to: (A) Determine key growth factors and employment projections in the industry; and (B) define the education and skill standards required for current and emerging green occupations in the industry.

(ii) The term "forest products industry" must be given a broad interpretation when implementing (a)(i) of this subsection and includes, but is not limited to, businesses that grow, manage, harvest, transport, and process forest, wood, and paper products.

(b) The University of Washington business and economic development center shall: Analyze the current opportunities for and participation in the green economy by minority and women-owned business enterprises in Washington; identify existing barriers to their successful participation in the green economy; and develop strategies with specific policy recommendations to improve their successful participation in the green economy. The research may be informed by the research of the Puget Sound regional council prosperity partnership, as well as other entities. The University of Washington business and economic development center shall report to the appropriate committees of the house of representatives and the senate on their research, analysis, and recommendations by December 1, 2008.

(4) Based on the findings from subsection (3) of this section, the employment security department, in consultation with the department and taking into account the requirements and goals of chapter 14, Laws of 2008 and other state clean energy and energy efficiency policies, shall propose which industries will be considered high-demand green industries, based on current and projected job creation and their strategic importance to the development of the state's green economy. The employment security department and the department shall take into account which jobs within green economy industries will be considered high-wage occupations and occupations that are part of career pathways to the same, based on family-sustaining wage and benefits ranges. These designations, and the results of the employment security department's broader labor market research, shall inform the planning and strategic direction of the department, the state workforce training and education coordinating board, and the state board for community and technical colleges.

(5) The department shall identify emerging technologies and innovations that are likely to contribute to advancements in the green economy, including the activities in designated innovation partnership zones established in RCW 43.330.270.

(6) The department shall:

(a) Develop targeting criteria for existing investments, and make recommendations for new or expanded financial incentives and comprehensive strategies, to recruit, retain, and expand green economy industries and small businesses; and

(b) Make recommendations for new or expanded financial incentives and comprehensive strategies to stimulate research and development of green technology and innovation, including designating innovation partnership zones linked to the green economy.

(7) For the purposes of this section, "target populations" means (a) entry-level or incumbent workers in high-demand green industries who are in, or are preparing for, high-wage occupations; (b) dislocated workers in declining industries who may be retrained for high-wage occupations in high-demand green industries; (c) dislocated agriculture, timber, or energy sector workers who may be retrained for high-wage occupations in high-demand green industries; (d) eligible veterans or national guard members; (e) disadvantaged populations; or (f) anyone eligible to participate in the state opportunity grant program under RCW 28B.50.271.

(8) The legislature directs the state workforce training and education coordinating board to create and pilot green industry skill panels. These panels shall consist of business representatives from: Green industry sectors, including but not limited to forest product companies, companies engaged in energy efficiency and renewable energy production, companies engaged in pollution prevention, reduction, and mitigation, and companies engaged in green building work and green transportation; labor unions representing workers in those industries or labor affiliates administering state-approved, joint apprenticeship programs or labor-management partnership programs that train workers for these industries; state and local veterans agencies; employer associations; educational institutions; and local workforce development councils within the region that the panels propose to operate; and other key stakeholders as determined by the applicant. Any of these stakeholder organizations are eligible to receive grants under this section and serve as the intermediary that convenes and leads the panel. Panel applicants must provide labor market and industry analysis that demonstrates high demand, or demand of strategic importance to the development of the state's clean energy economy as identified in this section, for high-wage occupations, or occupations that are part of career pathways to the same, within the relevant industry sector. The panel shall:

(a) Conduct labor market and industry analyses, in consultation with the employment security department, and drawing on the findings of its research when available;

(b) Plan strategies to meet the recruitment and training needs of the industry and small businesses; and

(c) Leverage and align other public and private funding sources.

[ 2014 c 112 § 117. Prior: 2012 c 229 § 590; 2012 c 198 § 12; 2010 c 187 § 2; 2008 c 14 § 9.]

NOTES:

Effective date—2012 c 229 §§ 101, 117, 401, 402, 501 through 594, 601 through 609, 701 through 708, 801 through 821, 902, and 904: See note following RCW 28B.77.005.

Effective date—2012 c 198: See note following RCW 70.94.6532.

Findings—2010 c 187: "(1) The legislature finds that:

(a) Washington's forest products industry plays a critical economic and environmental role in the state. The industry provides a wide range of services and goods both to Washingtonians and people around the world and is vital to the well-being and lifestyle of the people of the state of Washington; and

(b) It is in the best interest of the state to support and enhance the forest products industry.

(2) The legislature further finds that the state's forest practices are sustainably managed according to some of the most stringent riparian growing and harvest rules of any state in the nation or in the world, and that the state of Washington has received fifty-year assurances from the federal government that the state's forest practices satisfy the requirements of the federal endangered species act for aquatic species. As part of their environmental stewardship, forest landowners in Washington have repaired or removed nearly three thousand fish passage barriers, returned nearly twenty-five hundred miles of forest roads to their natural condition, and opened up nearly fifteen hundred miles of riparian salmonid habitat.

(3) The legislature further finds that Washington's forests naturally create habitat for fish and wildlife, clean water, and carbon storage; all environmental benefits that are lost when land is converted out of working forestry into another use. In recognition of forestry's benefits, the international panel on climate change has reported that a sustainable forest management strategy aimed at maintaining or increasing forest carbon stocks, while producing an annual sustained yield of timber, fiber, wood products, or energy from the forest, will generate the largest sustained carbon mitigation benefit.

(4) The legislature further finds that the forest products industry is a seventeen billion dollar industry, making it Washington's second largest manufacturing industry. The forest products industry alone provides nearly forty-five thousand direct jobs and one hundred sixty-two thousand indirect jobs, many located in rural areas.

(5) The legislature further finds that working forests help generate wealth through recreation and tourism, the retention and creation of green jobs, and through the production of wood products and energy, a finding supported by the United States secretary of agriculture." [ 2010 c 187 § 1.]

Findings—Intent—Scope of chapter 14, Laws of 2008—2008 c 14: See RCW 70.235.005 and 70.235.900.

2014 c 112 § 117. Prior: 2012 c 229 § 590; 2012 c 198 § 12; 2010 c 187 § 2; 2008 c 14 § 9.