Connecticut May Forgive Student Loans for Green Jobs

Connecticut lawmakers have proposed a bill that would dedicate $6 million to fund a green jobs loan forgiveness program.

The program would provide incentive for Connecticut residents looking for work in fields like renewable energy, alternative fuels, or hazard-free product design, awarding as much as $2,500 annually (for up to four years or five percent of the loans, whichever is lesser) to students who earn an associate’s or bachelor’s degree from a Connecticut institution and then work for at least two years in the field in that state.

Similar loan forgiveness programs have been in place for years to entice new doctors to practice in rural areas and to encourage teachers to pursue math and science degrees or take positions in struggling urban districts, but Connecticut’s proposed program is believed to be the first of its kind for green jobs.

– Andrea Ward