Governors Tackle Energy

As a former governor, I have always had a special affinity for our states' chief executives, all of whom are tasked with making important decisions on a range of issues every single day. Governors are problem-solvers and they must deal with issues and events in a practical, efficient manner. In that spirit, I am particularly proud that the National Governor's Association is tackling the pressing issue of energy usage through the "Secure a Clean
Energy Future" initiative. This program is an effort by all 50 governors to promote cleaner, renewable energy sources and to share their best practices, successes, and recommendations with each other.

The initiative focuses on conserving energy, promoting fuels such as biodiesel, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and encouraging research and development of clean energy technologies. In each of these areas, different states will be able to contribute different findings to the body of research.

While governors can learn a lot from one another and such initiatives allow
for a more substantive discussion of this important issue, it is even more
important that our federal government set consistent standards that make it possible for businesses to function with one set of regulations instead of 50. It is my hope that in the near future we will see our federal government take a cue from the NGA and enact the type of consistent regulation that businesses and the public alike are requesting.