Union Construction Workers Busy on Clean Energy Projects Thanks to Infrastructure & Investment Act

Union construction workers in Maine have been very busy this year on several clean energy projects thanks to federal energy credits in the Infrastructure and Investment Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, both of which were signed by President Joe Biden in 2021. Recently News Center featured IBEW 567 journeyman and Maine House candidate Kilton Webb in a story about how construction workers are building out the state’s clean energy infrastructure to meet Maine's climate change goals.

Speaking to News Center, Webb said that the local investments in solar have allowed he and his coworkers to have steady work closer to home.

"Thankfully, we've been so busy that a lot of us have been able to stay here employed all through the year,” said Webb, who is currently working on a solar site in Leeds.

"This is tremendously exciting," Francis Eanes, the Executive Director of the Maine Labor Climate Council, told News Center. "This is one of the best opportunities to really grow our local economies."

Eanes said he has seen more than 100 projects launched employing mainly local workers.

"This is a chance for their families to see the benefit of a good paycheck again, to have them closer to home where they can see their kids growing up, go to the baseball games..." said Eanes.