TAMPA, Fla.-- Four governors on Thursday called for greater dedication to alternative fuels and clean vehicles on the same day that Congress wrestled with an energy bill that includes higher gas-mileage standards for automakers and increased ethanol use.
The governors of Minnesota, Kansas, Montana and Florida held a press conference after holding a discussion dubbed Governors' Summit on Alternative Transportation Fuels and Advanced Vehicles. They unveiled the first publication of the National Governors Association's (NGA's) Securing a Clean Energy Future [image-nocss] Initiative (SCEF): A Call to Action.
The report said America's current energy path is unacceptable because of increasing economic and environmental risks. It asks the nation's governors to act on the challenge by:
Defining the current energy problem, including the depths of our current dependence on oil and other fossil fuels. Painting a stark picture of the business as usual future. Dispelling myths associated with increasing alternative energy sources, breaking our oil addiction, meeting surging electricity demand, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Describing the integral role states will play in promoting clean energy. Presenting the SCEF Initiative's roadmap to a cleaner, more secure energy future for America.For too long, myths and hearsay have prevented meaningful action on these issues, said Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, an SCEF Task Force member.But governors are taking action.I'm proud to be here today with my colleagues to continue our work addressing our nation's shared energy challenges.
Also, the four revealed a partnership between the NGA and Discovery Communicationshome to the Discovery Channel, TLC and Animal Planetto help spread the SCEF word. A public-service announcement teaching people how they can help reduce energy consumption will begin running in 2008 on the three channels.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, the NGA chairman, opened the summit by saying, America is the world's leading consumer of petroleum, using more than 7.6 billion barrels of oil a year, of which more than 60% is imported.If we're to wrestle back control of our own energy future, America must devote serious attention to increasing development of alternative fuels and clean vehicles.As this conference demonstrates, governors are leading the way.
Also at the summit were Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, another task force member, and Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sibelius, the SCEF Initiative co-chair.
This is the first of three summits planned by NGA's SCEF Initiative.The SCEF Initiative is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and Office of Energy Deliverability and Reliability.In 2008, the SCEF Initiative will convene summits focusing on states' role in encouraging research, development and deployment of clean energy technologies and also look at options to promote clean power generation and energy efficiency.Click here for more information on the SCEF Initiative.
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