Virginia Governor Kaine Announces Clean Energy-Environment State Partnership with EPA

Partnership will share best practices for energy efficiency and use of clean energy sources

February 4, 2008 -- RICHMOND — Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine today announced that Virginia has joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Energy-Environment State Partnership. The partnership will provide tools and analyses to advance state and federal goals for energy efficiency and the use of clean energy sources. The Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy, working with the Department of Environmental Quality, will be the primary partner with the EPA.

“I applaud this innovative partnership between Virginia and the Environmental Protection Agency,” said Governor Kaine. “This cooperative effort will advance our mutual goals of providing energy to support our economy while protecting our environment. This collaboration is particularly timely as the Governor’s Commission on Climate change begins its work.”

The Environmental Protection Agency will provide best practice information, hands-on technical support and expertise, and access to analytic tools that assess emissions, economic, and public health impacts of clean energy policies.

Virginia will use these tools to advance the implementation of the Virginia Energy Plan, released in September 2007. The Plan sets out four broad goals: increase energy independence with an emphasis on conservation and clean technologies, expand consumer education, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30%, and capitalize on economic development opportunities in advanced energy technologies.

“I am very pleased that Virginia is taking a leadership role in implementing energy programs that harness existing energy resources more efficiently and develop new, cleaner sources of energy,” added Robert J. Meyers, deputy assistant administrator for the EPA’s Office of Air & Radiation. “By doing so, Virginia is helping to provide economic and environmental benefits for generations to come.”

The Clean Energy-Environment State Partnership was launched in 2005 to advance state efforts that improve air quality and public health, increase cost-effective energy efficiency and renewable energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and enhance economic development.

Additional information about the Partnership is available at: http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-programs/state-and-local/state-par....

The Virginia Energy Plan is available at: http://www.dmme.virginia.gov/vaenergyplan.shtml

Source: Virginia Governor

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