Governors' Energy and Climate Coalition

Georgetown State-Federal Climate Resource Center/Governors' Coalition

Governors’ Energy and Climate Coalition

The Georgetown State-Federal Climate Resource Center played a key role in creating the Governors’ Energy and Climate Coalition, a group of 31 states and territories voicing its support for comprehensive federal climate and energy policy while promoting a strong role for the states.

Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle, one of the 31 Coalition Governors, with GCC Executive Director Vicki Arroyo.

The Coalition represents every region of the country, and will work together to inform sound state and federal climate policy. Coalition states include: Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin, as well as the territories of Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

On May 21, 2009, the bipartisan group released its Statement of Principles, pledging to lend its collective voice in calling on Congress to pass legislation that invests in clean energy and sets a cap on greenhouse gas emissions.

"States are where the green economy is being built,” the Governors said, vowing to work with Congress and the Administration “to develop a strong state-federal partnership to create and preserve our jobs and industry, keep the United States competitive abroad, and at the same time address climate change threats.”

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On July 22, 2009, several Coalition Governors testifiied at the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee's hearing, “Clean Energy Jobs, Climate-Related Policies & Economic Growth – State & Local Views.” Read the testimony of Gov. Chris Gregoire of Washington; Gov. Jon Corzine of New Jersey; and Gov. Bill Ritter of Colorado.