Nebraska environmental leader Jane Kleeb has received the largest environmental award offered to an individual, a $3 million Climate Breakthrough Award.

Kleeb is founding director and president of Bold Alliance, formerly Bold Nebraska.

She said after 13 years of fighting pipelines, they are moving into being energy builders. Energy Builders is also the name of the project the award money will fund. Kleeb pointed out the "unlikely alliance" of farmers, ranchers, tribal nations and climate advocates fighting pipelines has, unfortunately, often been on the other side of unions. She expects it to change as they begin a "new chapter."

"Because a lot of those jobs are not union jobs right now," Kleeb explained. "Workers that I talk to that are building wind and solar talk about how they wish that they were union jobs because they know that the pay they're getting is not fair and equitable to what is happening in fossil-fuel jobs."

Kleeb noted they are excited about working in solidarity with unions because in addition to developing clean energy projects they will be creating good-paying jobs for young people who want to stay and raise their families in rural communities.

The other 2023 Climate Breakthrough winner is from Indonesia, and Kleeb is only the third U.S. recipient among the 19 awardees so far.

Kleeb added they also will work to bring more "parity" to state and national energy policy.

"Pipelines get away with leaving their pipe in the ground, not having decommissioning plans, using eminent domain, and wind and solar have much stronger regulations," Kleeb outlined. "Some of this work is going to be us working at the ground level in the states to make sure that all energy projects are actually living up to the same standards as clean energy."

Another major focus will be ensuring the people and communities affected by new energy projects receive their fair share of the profits.

"I'm excited about not only making sure we are building more clean energy for climate change, but making sure that individuals are building wealth, not just energy corporations," Kleeb emphasized. "And that we are getting out of this box of only fossil fuels dominating our energy."

Savanna Ferguson, executive director of the group Climate Breakthrough, called Kleeb a "remarkable leader," and said the amount of wind, sun and land in the Midwest make it a prime location.

"There's an incredible opportunity in the Midwest to expand renewable energy," Ferguson asserted. "It's not just about stopping fossil fuels; it's about where do we go from here. How do we have a healthy and robust energy system that benefits the people in rural America?"

Dozens of union members rallied Wednesday in Sacramento, calling on lawmakers to pass a set of bills called the California Worker Climate Bill of Rights. The bills are intended to integrate worker's rights into the clean-energy transition.

The Climate Resilient Schools Act would create the first master plan to make sure our schools have clean, cool air, adequate shade and energy-efficient buildings and buses.

Jeff Freitas, president of the California Federation of Teachers, explained the importance of the bill.

"The bill also looks at everything that is needed," Freitas emphasized. "In terms of how it can help the state, how it can help the school environment and how it can help the students creating not only a more welcome space but a healthier space for our students and the workers there."

A second bill would require safety measures for workers at biofuel facilities. A third proposal would create a permanent fund for workforce development training -- with federal climate infrastructure monies coming -- and create labor standards for programs receiving federal dollars.

Amber Parrish, executive director of the Western States Council of the United Food and Commercial Workers union, said if we leave things to big business, the transition will mean unplanned layoffs, the creation of low-wage jobs and the decimation of the public sector.

"If we win strong labor standards in every emerging and shifting energy industry, we can ensure we have high-road jobs with family-sustaining wages and good benefits in green industries," Parrish contended.

The group is also calling for full funding in the new state budget to support workers displaced from the oil and gas industry. And the coalition opposes a measure on the November ballot called the "Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act," which would put any future statewide tax increase on the ballot.

New research from the University of New Hampshire could help dairy farmers increase profits while reducing their effect on the climate.

Scientists said adding a plant-based essential oil blend to cow feed can improve a cow's digestion and reduce the release of methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

Andre Brito, associate professor of dairy cattle nutrition and management at the University of New Hampshire, said the findings are especially true for pasture grazing cows and shows a happy cow makes for a healthier environment.

"If those animals are provided those conditions, they'll be more productive," Brito pointed out. "Then the amount of methane that's being emitted by those animals is diluted because they're producing more product."

Brito reported adding the plant oils led to a more than 6% increase in milk production, which is good news for the majority of New Hampshire dairies, especially small to mid-size operations with smaller profit margins and higher equipment costs.

Still, Brito noted the research findings could translate to larger, industrial-size dairies. The factory farms often hold thousands of cows, generating significant methane emissions through their hearty burps and manure, which is often stored in large, polluting lagoons.

Brito acknowledged although the plant-based oils are readily available for use, farmers must weigh the economic benefits and overall environmental impact.

"Any investment that the farmers would make in a product has to be tied to economics," Brito stressed. "Even though farmers overall, they are conscious about the environment and they want to make sure that there is less carbon, nitrogen footprint out of their farms."

Brito's research was conducted on cows as they transitioned from the winter indoor-feeding schedule to eating their favorite plants in the pasture, a diet change which can increase the cow's emissions.

Brito added he hopes the research can help farmers better understand when to add the oils to the cow feed to potentially reduce the cow's overall climate effect.


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State officials in Maine are highlighting apprenticeships as a way to earn a living wage and contribute to the state's growing green economy.

They'll kick off the first-ever Youth Apprenticeship Week by exposing high school students to the numerous ways they can learn and earn in offshore wind energy development, passive home construction, aquaculture, and more.

Maine Department of Labor Apprenticeship Program Manager Kristine McCallister said about 90% of apprentices choose to stay with their employer after their training is complete.

"Apprentices have a mentor and they're earning wages and they're earning pay increases as they go," said McCallister, "so it's a really great way to attract talent to Maine and to keep talent here."

McCallister said apprentices will earn $300,000 more over their lifetime. The state aims to add 75,000 more workers to the economy over the next five years by growing career training pipelines.

A report by the Maine Labor Climate Council finds the state can create tens of thousands of jobs by building a zero-carbon transportation system.

Workers will be needed to install EV charging stations, electrify school bus fleets, and potentially build a high-speed rail line from Bangor to Boston.

McCallister said new Mainers, like those studying with Portland Adult Education, are using apprenticeships to fill these roles and other clean-energy jobs.

"Those pre-apprentices just graduated and have interviewed with some of our apprenticeship programs," said McCallister, "so we're really hoping they're going to help feed that pipeline as this economy is booming in Maine in terms of the renewable-energy sector."

McCallister said some companies are even offering on-the-spot interviews and job offers this week. All apprenticeship events are listed on the Department of Labor's website.




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