Environmental Groups to Midwest Governors: Take Action on Climate

In 2007, nine Midwest governors signed agreements to invest in clean energy. This week, in a grassroots attempt to spur their politicians to take action, 51 regional groups crafted a letter urging them to turn those goals into reality and suggesting specific measures.

The letter was “just a reminder to the governors that they did sign off on these goals, and they've now got a number of policy recommendations for achieving those goals,” said Ron Burke, director of the Union of Concerned Scientists' Midwest office. “We're very hopeful that they aggressively move on these policies.”

The letter was addressed to governors who embraced a 2007 Energy Security and Climate Stewardship Platform developed under the auspices of the Midwest Governors Association (MGA). The signatories included Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio, South Dakota and Indiana. These governors will hold a jobs and energy summit in Detroit Oct. 6 and 7, culminating in the signing of a Jobs Platform and Energy Infrastructure Accord and the release of a Midwestern Energy Roadmap.

Organizations signing the letter included the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, the Ecology Center and the Izaak Walton League of America.

Among the measures they suggest: enacting state laws requiring utilities to draw 25 percent of electricity from renewable resources by 2025, while reducing electricity use by 2 percent and natural gas use by 1.5 percent, and to aggressively improve transportation efficiency.

The groups also urged the governors to continue to pursue a regional cap and trade program, saying it could serve as a model for pending federal climate change legislation.

“The MGA roadmap shows the rest of the nation that the Midwest is serious about climate change and that our region is uniquely equipped to provide solutions,” said David Gard, energy program director at the Michigan Environmental Council.

--- Suzanne Bopp