University of Oregon professor wants rural green jobs through economic stimulus package

EUGENE, Ore. -- (Dec. 10, 2008) -- How public land management agencies can use green job development to stimulate the economy now and create the foundation for a long-term sustainable economy was a topic of discussion on Capitol Hill today.

Cassandra Moseley, director of the Ecosystem Workforce Program in the Institute for a Sustainable Environment at the University of Oregon, testified before the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the U.S. Senate at a hearing regarding investments in clean energy and natural resources projects and programs to create green jobs and to stimulate the economy.

"With our country in one of the most severe recessions in decades, we need a large infusion of government spending to stimulate the economy and dampen the effects of its rapid contraction on families, businesses and communities. It is critical that Congress act now to prevent a prolonged recession by focusing on spending that can employ workers and businesses quickly," said Moseley.

Moseley’s testimony focused on the restoration and stewardship of our nation’s forests, grasslands and rivers; sustainable wood-based energy development; and the greening of federal facilities. According to Moseley, funding these activities offers significant opportunities to stimulate the economy in the short term by providing jobs, particularly in isolated, rural public lands communities that are likely to be hit particularly hard by this deep recession.

“By making these investments today, we can provide an immediate economic stimulus while also creating the foundations of a sustainable economy," she said. "Our public lands and rural communities play a vital role in providing our nation with a wide array of ecosystem services ranging from carbon sequestration, clean air and clean water to renewable wood products and low-carbon energy.”

Moseley made recommendations to the committee on how the government could create the building blocks of a green economy by investing in forest and watershed restoration, wood-based energy and the greening of federal facilities. She recommended funding for land management activities including fire hazard reduction, restoration of watersheds and wetlands, wildlife habit improvements, control of noxious weeds and invasive species, range restoration, remediation of orphaned wells, abandoned mine reclamation, trail and recreation site maintenance, wildlife surveys, and the planting and maintaining of riparian and urban trees.

She also called for "ready-to-go" capital improvements projects including: road decommissioning and maintenance that will reduce the risk of catastrophic road failures during storms and reduce stream sedimentation; replacing decaying bridges with modern timber bridges; and other related activities. Facilities improvements could include weatherizing buildings and replacing aging heating and cooling systems with more efficient wood heat boilers, solar panel insulation and energy-efficient equipment and lighting.

The Ecosystem Workforce Program in the Institute for a Sustainable Environment at the University of Oregon seeks to build ecological health, economic vitality and democratic governance in rural forest communities in the American West. The Ecosystem Workforce Program is a partner in the Rural Voices for Conservation Coalition (RVCC). RVCC is a coalition of organizations that have joined together to promote balanced conservation-based approaches to the ecological and economic problems facing the West.

About the University of Oregon
The University of Oregon is a world-class teaching and research institution and Oregon's flagship public university. The UO is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), an organization made up of 62 of the leading public and private research institutions in the United States and Canada. Membership in the AAU is by invitation only. The University of Oregon is one of only two AAU members in the Pacific Northwest.

Media contact: Julie Brown, 541-346-3185, julbrown@uoregon.edu

Source: Cassandra Moseley, 541-914-4641 (cell), cmoseley@uoregon.edu

Links: Moseley’s testimony is posted at: www.sustainablenorthwest.org/quick-links/resources/Testimony/testimony

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