February 27, 2007
U.S.

Western states tackle warming

Fed up with federal inaction and convinced of the dangers from global warming, five governors from Western states agreed Monday to work together to reduce greenhouse gases.

Their promise to target global warming was the latest of a rush of new ideas shared this week as states push ahead on climate change and clean or alternative energy.

“Thankfully the country has reached a tipping point on this issue. I wish we had done it 20 years ago,” said Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a Republican who last week signed into law a requirement that utilities generate a quarter of their power from renewable sources such as wind, water and the sun by 2025. “Governors, members of Congress and others are now scrambling to be bold.”

The twin challenges of global warming and energy were some of the dominant points of discussion over four days at the annual winter meeting of the National Governors Association.

Others discussed legislation to encourage “clean coal” technology; the economic growth that would come from industries in windmills, solar panels and the like; and tax incentives to spur more renewable energy.

But out West, increasingly common droughts and bad fire seasons added urgency. The governors of Arizona, California, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington state agreed to develop a regional target to lower greenhouse gases and create a market-based program aimed at helping businesses reach the still-undecided goals.

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a Democrat seeking his party’s presidential nomination, said the five-state agreement should spur other states ahead. “You’re going to see a domino effect with more and more states taking action,” Richardson said.

On everyone’s lips was Sunday night’s Oscar for former Vice President Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” – a documentary that illustrated the changes to the nation’s climate and the dangers ahead.

“We must encourage all the governors to sign onto these partnerships,” said California GOP Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has pursued some of the most aggressive efforts in the country. “I just want to make sure that everyone works together and fights global warming.”

By Robert Tanner
The Associated Press

theolympian.com

27 February 2007


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2007/02/27/western-states-tackle-warming/