| News on Climate Action, page 8 | ||
In unusual move, West joins global-warming fight, Salt Lake Tribune, June 20, 2007 and Western states develop energy, ask for help, Casper Star Tribune, June 12, 2007. The Western Governors Association releases a progress report on its goal to add 30,000 megawatts of new "clean and diversified" energy generation by 2015. Western states are on track to surpass the goal and could add up to 80,000 megawatts by 2015, if the federal government would better cooperate. The bi-partisan consensus of western governors is apparent: Utah’s Republican Governor John Huntsman, Jr., says "If we do this right, our citizens are going to have a better quality of life, we're going to spawn new technologies and industries, and we're going to leave our most important belongings in better shape for the next generation." Montana’s Democratic Governor Brian Schweitzer says, "Western states are serious about the development of domestic renewable energy. Congress, as usual, is talking about it. We need action." Global warming threatens alternative-oil projects, Christian Science Monitor, July 6, 2007. California is addressing the consequences associated with the alternative fossil fuels described in the report referenced above by requiring energy producers to include full life cycle costs, including extraction and transportation of fuels, in complying with its new low carbon fuel standard. The state has broadened the reach of the standard by negotiating agreements with Ontario and British Columbia to also adhere to it. Carbon sequestration in the news:
Skies may power state's surge, Denver Post, June 25, 2007. “[Colorado’s] green-minded leaders pulled off the most dramatic shift in renewable-energy policy in the nation this year,” according to Ned Farquhar of the Natural Resources Defense Council. The state seems well positioned to catch up with or even surpass other states that are years ahead. Air board acts on greenhouse gas rules, Los Angeles Times, June 22, 2007. The California Air Resources Board takes a careful, measured approach in implementing rules on low carbon fuels, automobile air-conditioning refrigerants, and methane gas capture at landfills. Alta buys more renewable energy , Salt Lake Tribune, June 16, 2007. The town of Alta follows the lead of other ski towns by purchasing 30% of its energy from renewable sources and by joining the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Green Power Partnership. Oregon passes one of nation's toughest renewable energy standards, Associated Press, June 7, 2007. Oregon Governor Kulongoski signs into law a requirement that large utilities generate 25% of their power from renewable sources by 2025. California sees sprawl as warming culprit, USA Today, June 6, 2007. In California, the state is suing San Bernardino County for failing to account for greenhouse gases as pollutants when updating its 25-year blueprint for growth. Every one of the 11 western continental U.S. states now has either a climate action plan in place or is in the process of developing one, with the recent additions of Idaho (Governor Establishes State Policy on Reducing Greenhouse Gases, media release, May 16, 2007) and Nevada (Governor Gibbons Creates Climate Change Advisory Committee, media release, April 10, 2007). Additional state actions around the West:
Frontier weighs plan to 'offset' pollution, Rocky Mountain News, June 2, 2007. Frontier Airlines prepares to launch a voluntary program for customers to purchase carbon offsets for their flights. Western states are in the lead as the U.S. attains the fastest growing wind power capacity in the world:
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