Six months ago I wrote a column suggesting that we reinvent the tri-county economy as a “Green Coast” for energy research and innovation. Now there are signs this idea is becoming a reality.

On Sept. 30, a broad-based coalition of business, government, major universities and nonprofit groups applied to the California Department of Housing and Community Development to create a Green Coast Innovation Zone for Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.

Authored largely by Bill Buratto at the Ventura County Economic Development Association, innovation zone, or GCiZ, would look for ways to incubate new businesses, strengthen existing companies and train our workforce for these opportunities.

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