Renewable Energy Jobs Act

To provide for the establishment of a pilot program to train individuals for employment in the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries. 1. Short title This Act may be cited to as the Renewable Energy Jobs Act 2. Alternative Energy Training and Employment Program (a) Pilot program The Secretary of Labor shall carry out a pilot program to award competitive grants to States to train individuals for careers in the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries. (b) Grant awards The Secretary shall award grants under the pilot program to the five States with the highest installed alternative energy power capacity. (c) Application (1) In general A State that desires a grant under the pilot program shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary may reasonably require. (2) Contents A grant application under the pilot program shall include the following: (A) Evidence of the installed alternative energy power capacity for wind, solar, and geothermal facilities in that State. (B) A description of how the funds will be used to establish and administer a program designed to provide skills training or on-the-job training for a significant number of individuals and ensure lasting and sustainable employment in the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries. (C) A description of the State’s option to coordinate with its State and local workforce investment boards and Energy Efficiency Industry Councils in carrying out a program funded by a grant under this Act, including through partnerships of local boards with renewable energy and energy efficiency employers and other appropriate providers of training services. (D) A description of the skills training, on-the-job training, or both that may be offered to individuals by grant recipients, and how this training will lead to an industry-recognized certificate or similar credential. (E) A description of how the State plans to prioritize grants among grant recipients. (F) A description of how the grant may be used to support existing programs focused on renewable energy job creation. (d) Grant amount The Secretary shall ensure that grants are of sufficient size to enable States to carry out all required activities. (e) Duration of grant A grant under this section shall be for a period of 3 years. (f) Use of funds A State receiving a grant under this section shall use the grant funds to— (1) reimburse a renewable energy and energy efficiency employer for the cost of providing on-the-job training; (2) reimburse any of the following entities for the cost of providing skills training (or on-the-job training if in partnership with an energy efficient employer)— (A) a labor organization; (B) a postsecondary educational institution; or (C) nonprofit organizations; and (3) conduct outreach to inform renewable energy and energy efficiency employers, labor organizations, postsecondary educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and the general public, including individuals in rural areas and Indian tribes, of their eligibility or potential eligibility for participation in the program. (g) Conditions Under the pilot program, a grant to a State shall be subject to the following conditions: (1) The State shall repay to the Secretary, on such date as shall be determined by the Secretary, any amount received under the pilot program that is not used for the purposes described in subsection (f). (2) The State shall submit to the Secretary, at such times and containing such information as the Secretary shall require, reports on the use of grant funds. (3) The State shall ensure that any employer or other entity receiving a grant under this Act shall pay each individual receiving on-the-job training provided by such employer or entity not less than the applicable minimum wage for the State or locality in which such training is provided. (h) Requirements of grant recipients In order to receive a grant made by a State under the pilot program, an entity described in subsection (f) shall— (1) submit an application to the State that includes such other information and assurances as the State may require; and (2) agree to submit to the State, for each quarter, a report containing such information as the Secretary may specify. (i) Limitation on administrative costs (1) Federal administration Of the amounts appropriated pursuant to the authorization of appropriations under subsection (l), 2 percent shall be made available to the Secretary for administrative costs associated with implementing and evaluating the pilot program under this section and for preparing and submitting the report required under subsection (j). (2) State administration The Secretary shall determine the appropriate maximum amount of each grant awarded under this section that may be used by the recipient for administrative and reporting costs. (j) Report to Congress The Secretary shall submit to Congress an annual report on the pilot program for each year of the grant period. The report on the pilot program shall include a detailed description of activities carried out under this section and an evaluation of the program, and how many participants were employed by renewable energy and energy efficiency employers within 6 months of completing the training. (k) Appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2015 through 2017, for the purpose of carrying out the pilot program. (l) Definitions For purposes of this section: (1) The term Indian tribe 25 U.S.C. 479a (2) The term installed alternative energy power capacity (3) The term labor organization (4) The term on-the-job training (A) provides knowledge or skills essential to the full and adequate performance of the job; (B) provides reimbursement to the employer for the costs of providing the training and additional supervision related to the training; and (C) is limited in duration as appropriate to the occupation for which the participant is being trained, taking into account the content of the training, the prior work experience of the participant, and the service strategy of the participant, as appropriate. (5) The term postsecondary educational institution 29 U.S.C. 2801 (6) The term renewable energy and energy efficiency employer (7) The term renewable energy and energy efficiency industries (A) The energy-efficient building, construction, or retrofits industry. (B) The renewable electric power industry, including the wind, solar, and geothermal energy industries. (C) The energy efficiency assessment industry that serves the residential, commercial, or industrial sectors. (8) The term skills training (9) The term State (10) The term workforce investment board 20 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.

Summary: Renewable Energy Jobs Act This bill requires the Department of Labor to carry out a pilot program to train individuals for careers in renewable energy and energy efficiency industries, specifically: the energy-efficient building, construction, or retrofits industry; the renewable electric power industry, including the wind, solar, and geothermal energy industries; or the energy efficiency assessment industry that serves the residential, commercial, or industrial sectors. Labor must also award grants under the program to the five states with the highest installed alternative energy power capacity, which is the amount of wind, solar, and geothermal power generation installed in a state.