Western Governors Leading the Way on Energy, Not Waiting on Washington
SALT LAKE CITY - When it comes to developing a cogent, bipartisan national energy strategy, Western governors are not leaving it to Washington. That was one of the key messages today at the Utah Energy Development Summit hosted by Gov. Gary R. Herbert, Chairman of the Western Governors' Association.
"From each employee who brings home a paycheck, to the millions of dollars in economic impact, the energy industry is a vital component of a strong and growing economy," Governor Herbert said. "In all our efforts working together to advance the energy future of western states, our ultimate goal is responsible, balanced development of the energy resources."
In his keynote address, James D. Ogsbury, Executive Director of the Western Governors' Association, emphasized the states' leadership role on energy issues and the ability of governors to get things done.
"Western governors are stepping in to fill the power vacuum created by Washington gridlock," Ogsbury said. "They can reach across the aisle and across state lines to develop sensible regional policy. Western governors are stepping up to the plate and making a real difference with respect to development of energy sources, implementation of efficiency measures and conservation of resources."
Ogsbury said Governor Herbert is at the very vanguard of this movement and Utah is a model other states could follow.
"Gov. Herbert's 10-Year Strategic Energy Plan represents a legitimate all-of-the-above energy strategy," Ogsbury said. "The plan -- which includes specific proposals, policies and recommendations -- synthesizes and balances Utah's economic development objectives and its critical environmental protection goals.
"His 10-year plan has been so well received that Governor Herbert, in his capacity as Chairman of the Western Governors' Association, has charged the WGA to develop a similar 10-year energy plan for the West. We'll have such a plan by June, and our objective is not to produce a well written document that will look pretty on a bureaucrat's shelf, but to create a dynamic and useful template for the pursuit of rational energy polices in the West."
Ogsbury noted that the governors are not waiting on the report to charge ahead with initiatives and projects and improve the West's energy landscape. He cited several examples of what some states are already doing.
* Gov. Matt Mead of Wyoming is developing an energy plan that calls for streamlined energy regulations and a program of energy education in the public schools.
* Gov. John Kitzhaber of Oregon released his 10-Year Energy Action Plan last month. It calls on the state to meet all new electric load growth through efficiency and conservation measures over the next 10 years and calls for the conversion of 20 percent of large fleets to alternative-fuel vehicles in that same time frame.
* Gov. Mary Fallin of Oklahoma has teamed with Gov. John Hickenlooper and other governors on an innovative project to catalyze the development of new energy-smart vehicles by the automobile manufacturing industry. By committing to purchase thousands of Compressed Natural Gas sedans, they hope to create demand for such vehicles and spur their design and development by industry.
* Gov. Butch Otter of Idaho, when he was chairman of the WGA, directed the WGA to develop a policy paper on the future role of nuclear energy in the West. The finished product includes state strategies for the pursuit of new methods for advanced nuclear energy production in promotion of energy production and security.
* Arizona Governor Jan Brewer's Office of Energy Policy is administering the Arizona Renewable Energy Tax Incentive Program. It is designed to stimulate new investments in manufacturing and headquarter operations of renewable energy companies.
"The West truly is the nation's energy breadbasket, and we will use these resources - along with Western ingenuity, gubernatorial leadership and hard work - to create jobs, support our military, help the third world develop and improve our own nation's fiscal outlook," Ogsbury said. "With our Governors in charge, I am nothing if not optimistic about the future."
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