Governor Edward Rendell has joined the newly formed Governors' Wind Energy Coalition, a bipartisan group of 23 governors working to promote development of Americ's wind energy resources.
In a letter sent today to President Barack Obama, the coalition said it was beginning a partnership with the Administration to "address some of the nations most pressing needs -- jobs, energy and climate -- through the use of domestic renewable energy resources."
Led by Iowa Governor Chet Culver (D) and Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty (R), the Coalition wants to work with the President and his administration to achieve some of the principal goals identified during the campaign, recommending four specific policies:
- Adoption of a national renewable electricity standard requiring utilities to create 20% of the nation's electricity from wind by 2030
- Support for the construction of new interstate electric transmission capacity, making the grid more secure, smarter and better able to deliver electricity wherever the need arises
- Expansion of the U.S. Department of Energy's Work with States and the wind industry to accelerate Innovation
- Adoption of a long-term renewable energy production tax credit.
"In just a few years, under the governor's leadership, our state has become home to 11 operating wind farms, three more being constructed and at least 13 more wind farms proposed, along with thousands of new great-paying jobs in the wind industry," said Jan Jarrett, president and CEO of PennFuture.
PennFuture has successfully advocated for environmental legislation, including passage of the largest-ever environmental funding bond, public investment in green energy and energy savings programs, passage of the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act, adoption of the Clean Vehicles Program and adoption of a regulation that restricts mercury pollution from coal-fired power plants.
