A Senate committee on Tuesday focused on the plight of the energy conservation and renewables workforce, which has declined by more than 17 percent during the pandemic. U.S. Sen. Angus King of Maine, who serves on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, says he’s very worried about the potential long-term effects.
King says efforts to reduce energy consumption and protect the environment could be jeopardized if the job losses continue and are never restored.
“Are these jobs — we talk about them being lost — are they being lost or are they merely on hiatus for some period of time?” he says.
Since the start of the pandemic, the number of workers in the weatherization industry has declined by more than 18 percent. The renewable energy sector has seen a drop of nearly 17 percent. King says some of those jobs will be lost as workers look for other ways to make a living.
