Sente Passes Legislation to Invest in Environmental Job Creation

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Carol Sente, D-Vernon Hills, passed bi-partisan legislation last Wednesday which would make new investments in education and training for people interested in working in the expanding “green energy” economy.

“As the former owner of an architectural firm specializing in environmental design, I take enormous pride in the work I do in Springfield to help make Illinois more environmentally-friendly,” said Sente. “Illinois cannot back away as a leader in workforce education for renewable energy even as Washington takes major steps in the opposite direction.”

Senate Bill 518 provides grants to the Illinois Green Economy Network (IGEN), a group of 39 Illinois community colleges working to expand the deployment of clean energy technologies. IGEN would use the grants to train students on how to deploy and operate renewable energy and energy efficiency technology such as the growing solar industry.

Our community colleges have developed programs to educate the local workforce on renewable energy and other energy technology, and many of these are growing rapidly,” said Dr. Jerry Weber, President of the College of Lake County, “I applaud Rep. Carol Sente for helping our colleges obtain the resources to provide our students with clean energy jobs that also create a sustainable future.”