Harrisburg - The environmentalist group Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future, state officials, renewable energy producers and other organizations have formed a coalition to urge passage of massive alternative energy subsidies and conservation requirements.

The effort dubs itself the "Great Green Jobs Campaign" and emphasizes the plentiful employment positions that will ostensibly open up in the alternative energy sector if two major pieces of legislation make it to Gov. Ed Rendell's (D) desk.

"These are excellent, good-paying jobs that will stay here for a long time," Rep. Brian Lentz (D-Delaware) said.

House Bill 2200, a resolution setting goals to reduce energy use and lower peak demand for electricity, passed the state House of Representatives on Feb. 12. The bill would also require that, within a decade, all electricity consumers receive smart meters allowing them to calibrate their energy use. It would also let them opt for a pricing plan allowing them to save money based on when and how sparingly they use electricity.

Proponents believe the bill will create jobs by encouraging the construction of energy-efficient facilities across the commonwealth.

The other bill the coalition is supporting, Special Session House Bill 1, which allocates taxpayer money to entities producing solar and wind energy, passed the House on Tuesday. The $850 million measure also financially assists property owners who make their buildings more energy-efficient.

Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Kathleen McGinty said that the creation of jobs in the renewable energy sector - so-called "green jobs" - is important because the state is able to spend what she deems relatively little money to leverage several billion in private investment in Pennsylvania, thereby increasing manifold the value of the state taxpayers' dollars.

"There is plenty of private sector money out there," she said.

But critics of the initiative find it curious that the state feels it needs to directly pay wind, solar and other alternative energy companies to decide to headquarter in Pennsylvania. A state with high business taxes and favoritism toward union labor, argues Nathan Benefield of the Commonwealth Foundation, would naturally find outside businesses reluctant to move to the state without financial enticement.

"How much 'outside investment' would we get if we didn't have these grant programs?" Mr. Benefield said. "A lot of businesses would invest in Pennsylvania if Pennsylvania had a good tax climate."

Pennsylvania is one of the few states that taxes both corporate income and corporate assets. Many economists argue that such a tax structure stifles more jobs growth than subsidies can stimulate.

Bradley Vasoli can be reached at bvasoli@thebulletin.us