Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, congratulated the Consortium for Worker Education (CWE) for winning the 2012 Environmental Quality Award. The non-profit agency, which Senator Gillibrand nominated this past February, is partnering with Sustainable South Bronx and the Osborne Association to recruit and train Bronx residents for city jobs in emerging green industries. The organization is set to receive the Environmental Protection Agency’s prestigious honor for their commitment and significant contributions to greening New York City.
“I congratulate the Consortium for Worker Education for their dedication to securing a cleaner New York,” said Senator Gillibrand. “From creating new local green jobs to improving the city’s quality of life, this environmental champion will help lead the way towards a green energy future for our city.”
“The Consortium for Worker Education along with our community, union and industry partners are delighted to be a recipient of the EPA’s Environmental Quality Award,” said John McDermott, Assistant to the Chairman for the Consortium for Worker Education. “Through cooperative and innovative approaches to workforce and business development, we are ensuring that the emerging and critical green energy industry results in quality employment and a cleaner environment for all New Yorkers. The award stands as a recognition of the efforts of the women and men who give their time and hard work to obtain the skills needed to green our city and state. We’d especially like to thank Senator Gillibrand and her staff for their unwavering support and proactive leadership in these efforts.”
“The Consortium for Worker Education, one I have been proud to support during my years as an elected official,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “The Consortium for Worker Education provides much-needed training programs that offer individuals the chance to develop skills in the burgeoning green economy, and I congratulate them on receiving the 2012 Environmental Quality Award. The green economy is the future, and organizations like the Consortium for Worker Education are leading the way not just in the Bronx and New York City, but across the nation.”
Partnering with Sustainable South Bronx and the Osborne Association, the CWE’s Center for Environmental Workforce Training is implementing a $4 million federal “Pathways Out of Poverty” grant aimed to recruit and train Bronx residents for jobs in emerging green industries. This initiative, supported by the Bronx Borough President's office and the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation (BOEDC), will boost local green businesses involved in clean energy, energy-saving retrofitting, environmental manufacturing, and materials recycling.
Awards, which recognize individuals and organizations that have improved the environment and public health in EPA Region 2 (New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and seven federally-recognized Indian Nations), will be formally presented to New York organizations in a ceremony on Friday, April 27th at the EPA Regional Headquarters in Lower Manhattan.