A bipartisan group of 17 U.S. state governors signed the Governors’ Accord for a New Energy Future on 16 February.
By signing the accord , the governors have committed that their states will work together to continue diversifying energy generation, expanding clean energy sources, modernizing energy infrastructure, encouraging clean transportation options and securing a stronger national energy future.
One of the signatories is Gina Raimondo, the governor of Rhode Island, the state where the first American offshore wind farm is being built.
“Rhode Island is committed to policies that control energy costs while promoting clean jobs and advancing our environmental goals. While Rhode Island has already taken steps to reduce carbon emissions by supporting the nation’s first offshore wind facility, investing in renewables, and encouraging clean modes of transportation, there is more work to be done,” Governor Gina Raimondo said. “This bipartisan agreement acknowledges the challenges we face and demonstrates our commitment to addressing them. I look forward to collaborating with other governors across the nation to find innovative ways to grow our economy, tackle climate change, and shrink our carbon footprint.”
New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo, who had vetoed an LNG project for the sake of offshore wind development and initiated a USD 5 million project to set up the New York Offshore Wind Master Plan , also joined the group of governors. The State of New York recently approved a 10-year USD 5 billion Clean Energy Fund to advance wind, solar, energy efficiency and other clean tech industries.
“From the creation of a $5 billion Clean Energy Fund to implementing our ambitious Clean Energy Standard, New York is fully committed to our role as a national leader in growing the clean tech economy. We are proud to join with other states seeking to achieve the same goal and by working together, we can develop an effective national energy policy to ensure a safer, greener and more sustainable future for all,” Governor Andrew Cuomo said.
The accord was also signed by the governors of California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Nevada, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.