Connecticut might waive student loans for ‘green’ job workers

Paul Goulet hopes Connecticut will help him get from under nearly $8,000 he’s borrowed for college after losing his job in a paper manufacturing plant. Goulet, 55, is a student in environmental studies at Goodwin College, aiming to find work in wastewater treatment. State legislation that would waive thousands of dollars in loans would benefit him and other students who earn degrees or certificates in green technology and other jobs, reports the Associated Press. Loan forgiveness programs aren’t new—states use them to entice medical professionals to rural areas, steer teachers to certain subject areas, and attract farmers to local agriculture. But Connecticut’s proposal could break new ground. Trying to boost its work force in high-growth green technology, the state would annually forgive as much as $2,500 of federal and state education loans for up to four years, or 5 percent of loans, whichever is less. The legislation comes as the White House is emphasizing the importance of green works and job creation. President Barack Obama announced in January $2.3 billion in tax credits, to be paid for from last year’s $787 billion stimulus package, that he said would create 17,000 green jobs…

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