States Form Clean-Power Pact After SCOTUS Stay

by Nick Cahill, Court House News, Feb 16, 2016

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CN) - In the wake of a Supreme Court decision to temporarily freeze President Obama's renewable energy plan, a bipartisan group of governors on Tuesday committed their states to expanding clean-energy programs and policy changes.

Titled the Governors' Accord for a New Energy Future , the initiative consists of leaders from 17 states promising to "make major strides without Washington" on clean-energy reforms and to create a blueprint for states to transition from coal and other traditional energy sources.

Of the 17 states joining the accord, only Michigan is participating in the lawsuit filed by 27 states over Obama's plan to drastically curb carbon dioxide emissions at existing power plants by 2030.

The accord was introduced Tuesday by governors from California, Washington state and Nevada, who said their aim is to spur collaboration between states on clean-energy improvements in solar and wind power without Congress' leadership.

"I think we're on board for something very important, very productive and without having to wait for Washington," California Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat, said during a press call. "We out here among the states can accomplish something very important."

The accord comes three days before the National Governors Association gathers in Washington for its winter meeting. The governors joining the accord said they will be looking to discuss clean-energy ideas with other states, including the 27 fighting Obama's Clean Power Plan.

In addition to California, Washington state and Oregon, other states joining the accord include Nevada, Delaware, Iowa, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Oregon, Rhode Island and Virginia.

Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval, a Republican, touted his state's commitment to solar energy, saying the Silver State is second in solar electricity per capita and that it's committed to receiving at least 25 percent of it its energy from renewable sources. Since 2009, Nevada has attracted $4.3 billion in renewable energy project investments, Sandoval said.

"The accord provides us with a platform to introduce our renewable-energy advancements to states across America," Sandoval said.

Combined with a booming solar power industry, Sandoval mentioned the construction of Tesla's battery plant in Reno and his state's plan to build an electric highway between Reno and Las Vegas. The project would plop electric-vehicle charging stations on the desolate desert highway between the state's two main cities.

A dedicated supporter of climate-change legislation, Brown told reporters the accord doesn't mention climate change because there's still too much disagreement between the governors on the issue. Instead, Brown said he hopes to open discussion about building a regional power grid to harness renewable energy and encourage states to invest in electric government vehicles.

The governors agreed that transitioning from fossil fuels is not only possible, but profitable if approached correctly.

"We know our states can support a more innovative and dynamic 21st century American economic future around these energy developments," Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, said.

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GOVERNOR IGE JOINS BIPARTISAN GOVERNORS’ ACCORD FOR A NEW ENERGY FUTURE

News Release from Office of the Governor, February 16, 2016

Honolulu – Gov. David Ige today joined with a bipartisan group of 17 governors to announce the Governors’ Accord for a New Energy Future – a joint commitment to take action to promote clean energy, clean transportation choices and a modern electrical grid.

The Accord provides participating governors – a bipartisan coalition together representing 127 million Americans – with a platform through which their states will collaborate, learn from one another, and leverage partnerships in energy planning and policymaking.

“Hawai‘i is the most oil-dependent state in the nation, and we are committed to reaching 100 percent renewable energy use in the electricity sector by the year 2045. This accord allows us to share information about our clean energy transformation with other states and to collaborate with them on issues that are important to all of us, like strengthening energy security, reducing carbon emissions and promoting smart growth,” said Gov. Ige.

“American prosperity has always depended on embracing new ideas and technologies,” states the Governors’ Accord for a New Energy Future. “Embracing new energy solutions allows us to expand our economy while protecting the health of our communities and natural resources. These improvements will help secure a safe and prosperous future for our country.

“We recognize that now is the time to embrace a bold vision of the nation’s energy future, and to do so, states are once again poised to lead.”

Democratic and Republican signatories to the Accord commit that their states will continue to diversify energy generation and expand clean energy sources, modernize energy infrastructure, and encourage clean transportation options. The seventeen participating governors represent states that vary considerably in their energy mix and policy portfolios. However, these governors have committed to working together to make transformational policy changes to secure a stronger energy future for their states and the nation.

Senior advisors to participating governors will convene shortly to discuss initial steps to pursue their shared priorities and commitments contained in the Accord.

Click here to access the full text of the Governors’ Accord for a New Energy Future.

Click here to view statements from each governor participating in the Accord.

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... And what are the other 33 states doing?  They are keeping their electricity cheap. Here's a report on the impact of the Obama plan rejected by the US Supreme Court....

STATE ENERGY COSTS FOR FAMILIES

From American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity

The studies below assess the impact of energy costs on American households, broken down by state, using energy consumption survey data and current energy price data from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration (DOE/EIA).

Nearly 75 million households, or 60% of all U.S. households, are represented by the 32 states analyzed for energy cost impacts.

Budgets for many of these households are smaller than you might think.

• After paying taxes, there are 37 million lower-income and middle-income families that take home, on average, less than $24,000 per year.
• After paying taxes, there are 22 million lower-income families that take home less than $16,000 per year, on average, to spend on housing, food, clothing, health care, education and other necessities.

Energy costs are proportionally higher for households with lower incomes.

• Lower-income and middle-income households spend more than twice the average of higher-income households.
• Lower-income families alone spend three times more on energy than households with higher incomes.

The Administration’s power plan will harm lower-income and middle-income households.

• Households in these 32 states could face a 15% average increase each year in electricity prices and a peak year increase of 19% because of the power plan.

In the table below you will find a one-page document of key findings from each state and the complete six-page data analysis.

LINK: 32-State Table