Governors Kick Off Bipartisan Clean Energy Initiative
WASHINGTON, DC, September 12, 2007 (ENS) - The National Governors Association, NGA, is enlisting the efforts of all governors to enact meaningful clean energy policies at the state level.
NGA Chair Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, a Republican, and Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, a Democrat, today officially launched the Securing a Clean Energy Future initiative at a press conference in Washington.
By tradition, each incoming NGA chair selects an initiative to accomplish during his one-year term of office. When Governor Pawlenty took over as NGA chair in July, he announced that his chair's initiative would be Securing a Clean Energy Future.
'Our nation has enjoyed more than a hundred years of inexpensive energy, seemingly inexhaustible oil and a relatively forgiving environment,' said Pawlenty. 'But America can no longer rely on business-as-usual to meet its energy needs, and the nation's governors are prepared to lead the way in crafting a sensible, sustainable clean energy future.'
He says the initiative has the potential to 'significantly alter the landscape of clean energy policy in the United States by serving as the first bipartisan, governor-led effort of this magnitude to address these critical issues.'
The initiative will be guided by a task force of governors from across the country, who share a common desire to advance clean energy ideas. In addition to Pawlenty and Sebelius, the task force is made up of three Democrats - Governors Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania, Brian Schweitzer of Montana, and Chris Gregoire of Washington; and three Republicans - Jodi Rell of Connecticut, Linda Lingle of Hawaii, and Charlie Crist of Florida.
Securing a Clean Energy Future will promote policies at the state level that:
- Use existing energy resources more wisely through efficiency and conservation
- Promote non-petroleum based fuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel
- Take 'reasonable steps' to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
- Accelerate the research and development of advanced, clean energy technologies
As part of this initiative, NGA will develop and distribute guides and reports, and will convene regional workshops and national summits to help governors understand the specific energy challenges in their states and implement policy solutions that address these challenges.
The initiative also will emphasize the role of public-private partnerships to generate increased use of clean energy and advanced energy technologies.
In addition to seeking public-private partnerships, U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman joined Pawlenty and Sebelius today to announce that the Department of Energy will provide $610,000 to support the new NGA initiative.
'The Bush administration shares the NGA's sense of urgency about increasing our nation's energy security, and we are eager to jointly advance bold energy policies at the state level,' Secretary Bodman said.
'States provide the necessary and critical link to ensuring clean, reliable and affordable supplies of energy and the Energy Department challenges local governments to take similar action,' he said.
The governors launched a new Securing a Clean Energy Future website to serve as a clearinghouse of all initiative news, activities and published materials; show videos and photos of initiative events; publicize upcoming events; and document clean energy news from across the states. www.nga.org/ci
'The challenges are not new, and the solutions are within our reach,' Governor Pawlenty said. 'It's time for a new direction, with new leadership and devotion, to solve these challenges. Together I believe we can find and follow a pathway to a better, cleaner, more secure energy future.'
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