Survey: Montanans Believe Clean Energy = Jobs
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August 24, 2009
BILLINGS, Mont. - More than two-thirds of Americans believe the federal government's push for clean energy development will mean new jobs, according to a new Zogby poll that mirrors a Montana state poll conducted last year by Lee Newspapers.
Rhyno Stinchfield, CEO of Montana Wind Resources, Billings, has no doubt thousands of jobs are on the way.
"There are a number of wind farm developments that are just in the early stages. It can easily be $2 billion or $3 billion worth of development."
Stinchfield says the catch is that many of those projects are waiting for incentives included in the U.S. Clean Energy Act passed by the House. That legislation is now before the Senate. Opponents claim it will result in increased prices for consumers and job losses.
A University of Massachusetts-Amherst study shows Montana is set to gain 6,000 clean energy jobs under the federal legislation. Stinchfield says the bill will help shift more wind tower component development to the United States, which will mean even more jobs.
"There is a lot more being developed in this country, and Montana holds a tremendous amount of promise."
The Zogby poll is available at http://zogby.com.