Western Governors' Association Gives Obama Energy Wish List

Dec 02, 2008 by KCPW

(KCPW News) The Western Governors' Association has given President-elect Barack Obama an energy programs wish list. Governor Jon Huntsman's Energy Advisor, Dianne Nielson says the nation needs new national energy policies and she hopes programs will be modeled after those already in place in western states.

"Part of the reason we think its possible is because states are already doing it, we know it's possible. When the federal government didn't take the leadership, states did. So we're managing these programs within our states already. We know that they can be established at the federal level," Nielson said.

The wish list calls for a greenhouse gas emissions reduction, an energy efficiency program, investment in clean energy technology and development of clean energy jobs. It also states that an oil import reduction goal should be implemented as well as cost assistance programs for lower income energy consumers.

Nielson says 19 Governors supported the wish list and she hopes Obama and his administration will listen to the recommendations of Western Governors.

"In terms of numbers of states, and the support that the Governor's are offering, if you are looking at the resource base that will fuel our economy in the future, all of that happens in the West, and for those reasons its clear to me that the administration is going to pay close attention to the recommendation of Western Governors," Nielson said.

The Western Governor's Association has asked that the initiatives be implemented in the first 100 days Obama is in office.

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