Western Governors Encourage Wind Energy Producers to Help the Region Achieve Cleaner and More Diverse Energy Portfolio (7/18/06)
Governors Encourage Wind Energy Producers to Help FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Karen Deike at 303-623-9378 or Doug Larson at 303-573-8910 (Broomfield, Colo.) Wyoming Governor and Western Governors' Association Vice Chairman Dave Freudenthal today challenged leading wind energy companies to help the region develop new clean and diverse energy resources. Governor Freudenthal was speaking before the National Wind Coordinating Committee Leadership Forum. Western Governors have established a goal of generating 30,000 megawatts of new clean and diverse electricity generating capacity by 2015 from a combination of wind, solar, geothermal, biomass and clean coal resources. Some of you may wonder why the Governor of the largest coal producing state and the fifth largest and fastest growing gas producing state in the nation cares about wind energy. Wyoming cares because the market is demanding cleaner and more diversified electricity generating resources to help stabilize energy prices said Governor Freudenthal. The National Wind Coordinating Committee is a consensus-based collaborative formed in 1994 to identifies issues that affect the use of wind power, establish dialogue among key stakeholders, and catalyze appropriate activities to support the development of environmentally, economically, and politically sustainable commercial markets for wind power. Western Governors adopted a broad set of policy recommendations in June to encourage the region to work together to ensure a cleaner and more diverse energy portfolio. But Freudenthal indicated that while Governors can make recommendations, it will take action by federal agencies, state regulators, developers of clean generation resources, county officials, environmental organizations and new transmission line developers to implement them. The Governors ratified the notion that more diversity in electric generation would be good for their citizens and their states' economies, including developing a lot more wind power and the transmission lines and reforms that wind needs to serve more consumers, said Ron Lehr from the American Wind Energy Association. The Governors asked for help to implement their recommendations to make it happen, and this forum will do just that. Implementing the action plans you will be considering at this meeting will require a degree of collaboration among governments and the private sector we have not often seen. Western Governors solicit your participation and will lend our support to the actions needed to achieve a clean and diversified energy system in the West said Governor Freudenthal. The National Wind Coordinating Committee Leadership Forum continues tomorrow. The Western Governors' Association is an independent, nonprofit organization representing the governors of 19 states and three U.S.-Flag islands in the Pacific. Through their Association, the Western governors identify and address key policy and governance issues in natural resources, the environment, human services, economic development, international relations and public management. # # # # #
the Region Achieve Cleaner and More Diverse Energy Portfolio
July 18, 2006