FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
Bill Midcap, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union
(303) 283-3528 or bill.midcap@rmfu.org
John Nielsen, Western Resource Advocates
(303) 885-8099 or jnielsen@westernresources.org
Pamela Campos, Environmental Defense Fund
(303) 447-7216 or pcampos@edf.org

(Denver, CO – October 1, 2009). Yesterday, Colorado Governor Bill Ritter, Jr. joined leaders in Colorado's community college system to announce a new "Green Advantage" certification program offered by Red Rocks and Arapahoe Community Colleges, to provide expansive training opportunities in green building practices and technologies. An interactive map highlights these new programs and other community colleges across the Rocky Mountain West that offer training programs to prepare students for opportunities in the West's clean energy economy. Soon, all 13 community colleges in Colorado will offer the Green Advantage training and certification.

"Community colleges across the Rocky Mountain West are providing valuable training opportunities for jobs in the clean energy economy," said Bill Midcap, Director of Renewable Energy Development for the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union.

The Rocky Mountain West has abundant clean energy resources including wind, solar and geothermal resources. Over the past five years, 2300 megawatts of new wind projects have been deployed in the region, generating enough electrical power to serve the needs of about 1.7 million homes.

"The West has big clean energy resources and that means big job opportunities for students with the right training," said John Nielsen, Western Resource Advocates Energy Program Director.

Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, EDF, and Western Resource Advocates are partners in the multi-media Clean Energy Pioneers Project chronicling important developments and opportunities in the West's clean energy economy.

"The new Green Advantage training programs at Red Rocks and Arapahoe Community Colleges will help provide a foundation for job opportunities in building Colorado's New Energy Economy," said Pamela Campos, Environmental Defense Fund Staff Attorney.

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Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, is a progressive, grassroots organization dedicated to achieving profitability for family farmers and ranchers, promoting stewardship of land and water resources, delivering safe, healthy food to consumers, and strengthening rural communities through education, legislation, and cooperation.

Environmental Defense Fund, a leading national nonprofit organization, represents more than 500,000 members. Since 1967, Environmental Defense Fund has linked science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships to create breakthrough solutions to the most serious environmental problems.

Western Resource Advocates, protects the West's land, air, and water recognizing that success can only come from working collaboratively with other conservation groups, hunters and fishermen, ranchers, American Indians, and all those who seek a sustainable future for this remarkable part of the country.