State Actions Helping Move Nation Toward A Clean Energy Future

New NGA Center Report Highlights Progress, Provides State-by-State Breakdown of Clean Energy Actions

Over the past two years, states have continued to lead the nation on a path to a cleaner and more secure energy future – especially in the areas of energy efficiency and clean electricity – according to a new report released recently by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center), Clean and Secure State Energy Actions: 2010 Update.

"This report shows that every state and territory is working to advance clean energy in some way," said John Thomasian, director of the NGA Center. "Most states are developing clean energy not only as an environmental strategy but also as an economic development strategy – to reduce state energy costs and even create jobs in some instances."

According to the report, since 2008:

• Forty-nine states adopted or updated policies relating to clean electricity;
• Forty-seven states took action to expand their energy efficiency measures; and
• Thirty-nine states developed policies and made investments to advance green economic development, largely as part of state economic recovery strategies. Efforts to advance the green economic sector within each state also emerged as a new theme across the country.

The report examines clean energy activities by all 50 states, as well as the territories and commonwealths. The activities span seven categories including: energy efficiency; clean electricity; alternative fuels and vehicles; Lead by Example initiatives (greening state government facilities and operations); greenhouse gas emissions; clean energy research, development and demonstration (RD&D); and a new category, green economic development, which covers initiatives in the clean energy sector. Clean energy sources covered in the report include all those defined by a state.

A state-by-state listing of clean energy actions, as well as state clean energy actions listed by category, can be found on the NGA Center website. Clean and Secure State Energy Actions: 2010 Update builds upon a previous NGA Center report, Clean and Secure Clean Energy Actions – 2008.

For more information, visit www.nga.org/eet.

About NGA
Founded in 1908, the National Governors Association (NGA) is the collective voice of the nation's governors and one of Washington, D.C.'s most respected public policy organizations. Its members are the governors of the 50 states, three territories and two commonwealths. NGA provides governors and their senior staff members with services that range from representing states on Capitol Hill and before the Administration on key federal issues to developing and implementing innovative solutions to public policy challenges through the NGA Center for Best Practices. For more information, visit www.nga.org.

SOURCE: NGA