Blue Collar to Green Collar Jobs Development Act of 2021

To amend title II of the Department of Energy Organization Act to reauthorize an office within the Department of Energy, to direct the Secretary of Energy to establish and carry out a comprehensive, nationwide energy-related industries jobs program, and for other purposes. 1. Short title; table of contents (a) Short title This Act may be cited as the Blue Collar to Green Collar Jobs Development Act of 2021 (b) Table of contents The table of contents for this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. Title I—Office of Economic Impact, Diversity, and Employment Sec. 101. Name of office. Sec. 102. Energy workforce development programs. Sec. 103. Authorization. Title II—Energy Workforce Development Sec. 201. Energy workforce development. Sec. 202. Energy workforce grant program. Sec. 203. Definitions. I Office of Economic Impact, Diversity, and Employment 101. Name of office (a) In general Section 211 of the Department of Energy Organization Act ( 42 U.S.C. 7141 (1) in the section heading, by striking Minority Economic Impact Economic Impact, Diversity, and Employment (2) in subsection (a), by striking Office of Minority Economic Impact Office of Economic Impact, Diversity, and Employment (b) Conforming amendment The table of contents for the Department of Energy Organization Act is amended by amending the item relating to section 211 to read as follows: Sec. 211. Office of Economic Impact, Diversity, and Employment. . 102. Energy workforce development programs Section 211 of the Department of Energy Organization Act ( 42 U.S.C. 7141 (1) by redesignating subsections (f) and (g) as subsections (g) and (h), respectively; and (2) by inserting after subsection (e) the following: (f) The Secretary, acting through the Director, shall establish and carry out the programs described in sections 201 and 202 of the Blue Collar to Green Collar Jobs Development Act of 2021 . 103. Authorization Subsection (h) of section 211 of the Department of Energy Organization Act ( 42 U.S.C. 7141 not to exceed $3,000,000 for fiscal year 1979, not to exceed $5,000,000 for fiscal year 1980, and not to exceed $6,000,000 for fiscal year 1981. Of the amounts so appropriated each fiscal year, not less than 50 percent shall be available for purposes of financial assistance under subsection (e). $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025. II Energy Workforce Development 201. Energy workforce development (a) In general Subject to the availability of appropriations for such purpose, the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Office of Economic Impact, Diversity, and Employment, shall establish and carry out a comprehensive, nationwide program to improve education and training for jobs in energy-related industries in order to increase the number of skilled workers trained for such jobs. (b) Direct assistance (1) In general In carrying out the program established under subsection (a), the Secretary may provide— (A) financial assistance awards, technical assistance, and other assistance the Secretary determines appropriate, to educational institutions and covered organizations and programs, including those serving unemployed energy workers; and (B) internships, fellowships, traineeships, and apprenticeships at the Department of Energy, including at the Department of Energy national laboratories. (2) Distribution Subject to subsection (c), the Secretary shall distribute assistance described in paragraph (1) in a manner proportional to the needs of energy-related industries and demand for jobs in energy-related industries, consistent with information developed under subsection (e). (c) Priority In carrying out the program established under subsection (a), the Secretary shall— (1) prioritize the education and training of individuals from underrepresented communities for jobs in energy-related industries, including in providing internships, fellowships, traineeships, apprenticeships, and employment at the Department of Energy, including at the Department of Energy national laboratories; and (2) in providing research grants and technical assistance to educational institutions, give priority to minority-serving institutions. (d) Collaboration and outreach In carrying out the program established under subsection (a), the Secretary shall— (1) collaborate with— (A) to the maximum extent possible, State workforce development boards, to maximize program efficiency; (B) educational institutions and covered organizations and programs; (C) energy-related industries and covered organizations and programs to increase the opportunities for, and enrollment of, students and other candidates, including students of minority-serving institutions and unemployed energy workers, to participate in industry internships, fellowships, traineeships, and apprenticeships; and (D) Federal-State Regional Commissions, including the Appalachia Regional Commission, the Delta Regional Authority, the Denali Commission, the Northern Border Regional Commission, the Northern Great Plains Regional Commission, and the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission; and (2) conduct outreach activities to— (A) encourage individuals from underrepresented communities and unemployed energy workers to enter into the STEM fields; and (B) encourage and foster collaboration, mentorships, and partnerships among energy-related industries, and covered organizations and programs, that provide effective training programs for jobs in energy-related industries and educational institutions that seek to establish these types of programs in order to share best practices and approaches that best suit local, State, and national needs. (e) Clearinghouse (1) Establishment In carrying out the program established under subsection (a), the Secretary, in collaboration with the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Secretary of Commerce, the Director of the Bureau of the Census, and energy-related industries, shall establish a clearinghouse to— (A) develop, maintain, and update information and other resources, by State and by region, on— (i) training programs for jobs in energy-related industries; and (ii) the current and future workforce needs of energy-related industries, and job opportunities in such energy-related industries, including identification of jobs in energy-related industries for which there is the greatest demand; and (B) act as a resource for educational institutions and covered organizations and programs that would like to develop and implement training programs for such jobs. (2) Report The Secretary shall annually publish a report on the information and other resources developed, maintained, and updated on the clearinghouse established under paragraph (1). (f) Guidelines To develop skills for an energy industry workforce (1) In general In carrying out the program established under subsection (a), the Secretary, in collaboration with the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Labor, and the National Science Foundation, shall develop voluntary guidelines or best practices for educational institutions to help provide students with the skills necessary for jobs in energy-related industries, including jobs in— (A) the energy efficiency industry, including jobs in energy efficiency (including architecture, design, and construction of new energy efficient buildings), conservation, weatherization, retrofitting, inspecting, auditing, and software development; (B) the renewable energy industry, including jobs in the development, engineering, manufacturing, and production of energy from renewable energy sources (such as solar, hydropower, wind, and geothermal energy); (C) the community energy resiliency industry, including jobs in the installation of rooftop solar, in battery storage, and in microgrid technologies; (D) the fuel cell and hydrogen energy industry; (E) the advanced automotive technology industry, including jobs relating to electric vehicle batteries, connectivity and automation, and advanced combustion engines; (F) the manufacturing industry, including jobs as operations technicians, in operations and design in additive manufacturing, 3-D printing, and advanced composites and advanced aluminum and other metal alloys, and in industrial energy efficiency management systems, including power electronics, and other innovative technologies; (G) the chemical manufacturing industry, including jobs in construction (such as welders, pipefitters, and tool and die makers), as instrument and electrical technicians, machinists, chemical process operators, engineers, quality and safety professionals, and reliability engineers; (H) the utility industry, including jobs in smart grid technology, cybersecurity management, and the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity and natural gas, such as electricians and utility dispatchers, technicians, operators, lineworkers, engineers, scientists, and information technology specialists; (I) the alternative fuels industry, including jobs in biofuel and bioproducts development and production; (J) the pipeline industry, including jobs in pipeline construction and maintenance and jobs as engineers and technical advisors; (K) the nuclear energy industry, including jobs as scientists, engineers, technicians, mathematicians, and security personnel; (L) the oil and gas industry, including jobs as scientists, engineers, technicians, mathematicians, petrochemical engineers, and geologists; and (M) the coal industry, including jobs as coal miners, engineers, developers and manufacturers of state-of-the-art coal facilities, technology vendors, coal transportation workers and operators, and mining equipment vendors. (2) Input The Secretary shall solicit input from energy-related industries in developing guidelines or best practices under paragraph (1). (3) Energy efficiency and conservation initiatives The guidelines or best practices developed under paragraph (1) shall include grade-specific guidelines for elementary schools and secondary schools for teaching energy efficiency technology, architecture, design, and construction of new energy-efficient buildings and building energy retrofits, manufacturing efficiency technology, community energy resiliency, and conservation initiatives. (4) STEM education The guidelines or best practices developed under paragraph (1) shall promote STEM education in educational institutions as it relates to job opportunities in energy-related industries listed under such paragraph. (5) Prohibition Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to authorize the Secretary or any other officer or employee of the Federal Government to require or coerce a State, local educational agency, or educational institution to adopt or carry out the guidelines or best practices developed under paragraph (1). (g) Consolidation To the extent practicable, the Secretary shall, to avoid duplication of efforts, carry out the Equity in Energy Initiative of the Department of Energy, the Minority Educational Institution Student Partnership Program of the Department of Energy, and any other program of the Department of Energy that the Secretary determines appropriate, through the program established under subsection (a). (h) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025. 202. Energy workforce grant program (a) Program (1) Establishment Subject to the availability of appropriations for such purpose, the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Office of Economic Impact, Diversity, and Employment, shall establish and carry out a program to provide grants to eligible entities to pay the eligible wages of, or eligible stipends for, individuals during the time period that such individuals are receiving training to work for an eligible business. (2) Guidelines Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with eligible businesses, shall establish guidelines that identify— (A) criteria for wages and stipends to meet to be eligible for purposes of the program established pursuant to paragraph (1); and (B) training that is eligible for purposes of the program established pursuant to paragraph (1). (b) Eligibility For purposes of this section: (1) Eligible business The term eligible business (A) renewable electric energy generation, including solar, wind, geothermal, hydropower, and other renewable electric energy generation technologies; (B) energy efficiency, including energy-efficient lighting, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, air source heat pumps, advanced building materials, insulation and air sealing, and other high-efficiency products and services, including auditing and inspection, architecture, design, and construction of new energy efficient buildings and building energy retrofits; (C) grid modernization or energy storage, including smart grid, microgrid and other distributed energy solutions, demand response management, and home energy management technology; (D) advanced fossil energy technology, including— (i) advanced resource development; (ii) carbon capture, storage, and use; (iii) low-carbon power systems; (iv) efficiency improvements that substantially reduce emissions; and (v) direct air capture; (E) nuclear energy, including research, development, demonstration, and commercial application relating to nuclear energy; (F) cybersecurity for the energy sector, including infrastructure, emergency planning, coordination, response, and restoration; (G) alternative fuels, including biofuel and bioproduct development and production; (H) advanced automotive technology, including electric vehicle batteries, connectivity and automation, and advanced combustion engines; or (I) fuel cell and hybrid fuel cell generation. (2) Eligible entity The term eligible entity (A) an eligible business; or (B) a labor organization, nonprofit organization, or qualified youth or conservation corps, that provides training to individuals to work for an eligible business, or works on behalf of any such eligible business. (3) Eligible stipend The term eligible stipend (4) Eligible wages The term eligible wages (c) Use of grants (1) Eligible wages An eligible business with— (A) 20 or fewer employees may use a grant provided under the program established under subsection (a) to pay up to— (i) 45 percent of an employee’s eligible wages for the duration of the applicable training for such employee, if the training is provided by the eligible business; and (ii) 90 percent of an employee’s eligible wages for the duration of the applicable training for such employee, if the training is provided by an entity other than the eligible business; (B) 21 to 99 employees may use a grant provided under the program established under subsection (a) to pay up to— (i) 37.5 percent of an employee’s eligible wages for the duration of the applicable training for such employee, if the training is provided by the eligible business; and (ii) 75 percent of an employee’s eligible wages for the duration of the applicable training for such employee, if the training is provided by an entity other than the eligible business; and (C) 100 employees or more may use a grant provided under the program established under subsection (a) to pay up to— (i) 25 percent of an employee’s eligible wages for the duration of the applicable training for such employee, if the training is provided by the eligible business; and (ii) 50 percent of an employee’s eligible wages for the duration of the applicable training for such employee, if the training is provided by an entity other than the eligible business. (2) Stipend An eligible entity may use a grant provided under the program established under subsection (a) to pay up to 100 percent of an eligible stipend for an individual for the duration of the applicable training for such individual. (d) Priority for targeted communities In providing grants under the program established under subsection (a), the Secretary shall give priority to an eligible entity that— (1) recruits or trains individuals who are— (A) from the community that the eligible entity serves; and (B) (i) from underrepresented communities; or (ii) unemployed energy workers; and (2) will provide individuals receiving training with the opportunity to obtain or retain employment at an eligible business. (e) Limit An eligible entity may not receive more than $100,000 under the program established under subsection (a) per fiscal year. (f) Report The Secretary shall submit to Congress, annually for each year the program established under subsection (a) is carried out, a report on such program, including— (1) an assessment of such program for the previous year, including the number of jobs filled by individuals trained pursuant to such program; and (2) recommendations on how to improve such program. (g) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $70,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025. 203. Definitions In this Act: (1) Apprenticeship The term apprenticeship National Apprenticeship Act 29 U.S.C. 50 (2) Covered organizations and programs The term covered organizations and programs (3) Educational institution The term educational institution (4) Elementary school and secondary school The terms elementary school secondary school 20 U.S.C. 7801 (5) Energy-related industry The term energy-related industry (6) Institution of higher education The term institution of higher education 20 U.S.C. 1002 (7) Jobs in energy-related industries The term jobs in energy-related industries (8) Labor organization The term labor organization 29 U.S.C. 152 (9) Local workforce development board The term local workforce development board 29 U.S.C. 3102 (10) Minority-serving institution The term minority-serving institution (A) A Hispanic-serving institution (as defined in section 502(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1101a(a) (B) A Tribal College or University (as defined in section 316(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1059c(b) (C) An Alaska Native-serving institution (as defined in section 317(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1059d(b) (D) A Native Hawaiian-serving institution (as defined in section 317(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1059d(b) (E) A Predominantly Black Institution (as defined in section 318(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1059e(b) (F) A Native American-serving nontribal institution (as defined in section 319(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1059f(b) (G) An Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institution (as defined in section 320(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1059g(b) (H) A part B institution (as defined in section 322 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1061 (11) Pre-apprenticeship program The term pre-apprenticeship program (A) means a program or set of strategies that is designed to prepare individuals to enter and succeed in an apprenticeship program; and (B) includes training and training curriculum aligned with apprenticeship and industry standards to teach participants necessary industry-related skills and competencies. (12) Qualified youth or conservation corps The term qualified youth or conservation corps 16 U.S.C. 1722(11) (13) Secretary The term Secretary (14) State workforce development board The term State workforce development board 29 U.S.C. 3102 (15) STEM The term STEM (16) Underrepresented communities The term underrepresented communities

Summary: Blue Collar to Green Collar Jobs Development Act of 2021 This bill reauthorizes and modifies the Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Minority Economic Impact. Specifically, the bill (1) renames the office as the Office of Economic Impact, Diversity, and Employment; and (2) directs the office to establish and carry out a comprehensive nationwide program to improve education and training for jobs in energy-related industries, with emphasis on increasing the number of skilled individuals from underrepresented communities trained to work in those jobs. DOE, in collaboration with the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Department of Commerce, the Bureau of the Census, and energy-related industries, shall establish a clearinghouse to develop resources training programs for jobs in energy-related industries and act as a resource for educational institutions and covered organizations and programs that seek to develop and implement training programs for such jobs. In carrying out the program, DOE, in collaboration with the Department of Education, Commerce, the Department of Labor, and the National Science Foundation, shall develop voluntary guidelines or best practices for educational institutions to help provide students with the skills necessary for jobs in energy-related industries. The office shall establish and carry out a program to provide grants to certain businesses, labor organizations, nonprofit organizations, or qualified youth or conservation corps to pay the eligible wages or stipends for individuals receiving training to work for businesses that provide services related to renewable electric energy generation and energy efficiency.