Governors’ coalition urges strong support of wind energy development by Congress, U.S.

A coalition representing more than half of the nation's governors this week called on Congress and the Obama Administration to take strong action to develop wind energy in the U.S.

Iowa Gov. Chet Culver and Rhode Island Gov. Donald L. Carcieri, who co-chair the Governors' Wind Energy Coalition, on March 16 released Great Expectations: U.S. Wind Energy Development, the Governors’ Wind Energy Coalition’s 2010 Recommendations. Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley is a member of the coalition, as are the governors of all the surrounding states: Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Virginia and West Virginia.

“The title of the governors’ recommendations could not be more apt,” said Governor Culver. “Americans have great expectations for the nation’s energy future, and these recommendations from the nation’s governors to Congress and the Administration meet those expectations,” Governor Culver said.

“This is the first set of comprehensive wind energy recommendations ever submitted to Congress by a group of the nation’s governors,” said Governor Carcieri. “These recommendations could not be more timely. Congressional action on the energy bill seems to have stalled. It is our hope that these recommendations — and the national bipartisan consensus they represent — will advance the energy deliberations now under way in Congress,” Governor Carcieri stated.

The recommendations call for the following actions by both Congress and the Administration:
· Adopt a Renewable Electricity Standard.
· Develop New Interstate Electric Transmission System Infrastructure as Needed to Provide Access to Premier Renewable Energy Resources both On-Shore and Offshore.
· Fully Support Coastal, Deep Water, and Offshore Wind Energy Technology and Transmission Research and Development.
· Streamline Permitting Processes for Both Offshore and On-Shore Wind Energy Development Projects.
· Expand the U.S. Department of Energy’s Work with the States and the Wind Industry to Accelerate Innovation.
· Extend the Treasury Department Grant Program in Lieu of the Investment Tax Credit, and Adopt a Long-Term Renewable Energy Production Tax Credit With Provisions to Broaden the Pool of Eligible Investors.

The Governors’ Wind Energy Coalition provides national leadership on wind energy policy. The Coalition is a bipartisan group of 29 of the nation’s governors who are dedicated to the development of the nation’s wind energy resources to meet America’s domestic energy demands in an environmentally responsible manner — while reducing the nation’s dependence on imported energy sources and stimulating state and national economic development.

Great Expectations: U.S. Wind Energy Development, Governors’ Wind Energy Coalition’s 2010 Wind Energy Recommendations is available at www.GovernorsWindEnergyCoalition.org

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