19 Western Governors Ask Obama for National Green Energy Plan

WASHINGTON, DC, November 28, 2008 (ENS) - In a letter to President-elect Barack Obama, the Western governors are urging swift action in adopting and implementing a national energy plan that would transform the country's energy infrastructure and economy while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The group of 19 governors from both political parties are calling for near-zero greenhouse gas emissions from new coal-fired electricity generation in 10 years and from existing generation no later than 2030.

Utah Governor Jon M. Huntsman, Jr., chairman of the Western Governors' Association, and Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer, vice chairman, discussed the association's recommendations with John Podesta, co-chair of Obama transition team.

"The transformation we are talking about is broad based and will require new policies, incentives, market mechanisms and private-public partnerships to be in place by the end of next year," said Huntsman, a Republican. "We plan to work with the new administration and Congress in addressing the multitude of energy challenges ahead."

The 19 Western governors represent many of the nation's largest energy-producing states such as Texas, which is first in both oil and wind power production, and Wyoming, which ranks first among the states in coal production. They represent California, which leads the nation in electricity generation from non-hydroelectric renewable energy sources - a combination of geothermal power, wind power, fuel wood, landfill gas, and solar power.

The governors' letter outlines policies and incentives that would help states and the country move more quickly to develop clean and renewable energy resources that include wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, hydro and fossil fuels with carbon capture and storage.