Recent actions by the states and now the EPA are demonstrating that other government entities are prepared to move forward with “Plan B” in lieu of congressional passage of a comprehensive climate and energy bill.

And that’s good news.

“Today’s decision by the EPA was the right decision – both because the science and the moment demands it,” said Vicki Arroyo, executive director of the Georgetown Climate Center.

“The science behind the EPA endangerment finding is solid and compelling. Without a meaningful national cap on emissions, we need the EPA and states to move forward if we hope to hit U.S. targets for greenhouse gas reductions.”

Earlier this week, the states that make up the Western Climate Initiative released their program design for cap-and-trade regulations in the region, and last month, 11 northeastern and mid-Atlantic states launched the Transportation and Climate Initiative with the assistance of the Georgetown Climate Center. The TCI will develop policies and proposals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector and will build on existing efforts, including the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and the region’s proposed low-carbon fuel standard. For more information about the TCI, go to www.GeorgetownClimate.org.

Eleven U.S. states and the District of Columbia announced today the creation of the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI) – a new regional transportation approach that will help states build the clean energy economy of the future.

The group, which includes top environment, energy and transportation officials from participating states, will work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, minimize the transportation system’s reliance on high-carbon fuels, promote sustainable growth and address the challenges of vehicle-miles traveled.

Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and the District of Columbia will participate, help shape the initiative’s work plan and develop project proposals for consideration.

The effort will build upon ongoing federal, state and regional collaborations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and the recently announced initiative to develop a framework for a Low Carbon Fuel Standard among many of the same Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states. In addition, the initiative will seek to coordinate with Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) partners already engaged in similar efforts in their role as metropolitan transportation planning agencies.

The collaboration is expected to significantly benefit individual states by boosting the effectiveness of existing state programs, maximizing the impact of future transportation investments through regional planning, increasing private and public sector innovation and accelerating the growth of clean energy jobs.

The transportation sector is responsible for about 30 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States.

Through its Declaration of Intent statement, participating TCI states agreed to take concrete actions to address the region’s climate and transportation needs:

“At a time when countries around the world are engaged in a race to build the clean energy economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, U.S. states in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions are once again poised to lead the way.

The Transportation and Climate Initiative provides our states with the opportunity to expand safe and reliable transportation options, attract federal investment, lower transportation costs, improve overall air quality and public health, and mitigate the transportation sector’s impact on climate change. Additionally, the TCI provides our states with the opportunity to further our collaboration on the research and development of advanced transportation technologies.

We further believe that this collaboration will aid our current efforts to:

- Reduce traffic congestion;

- Encourage job growth and accommodate the flow of goods and services;

- Establish state and local land use strategies that increase commercial and residential housing density and encourage transit-friendly design;

- Improve the performance of existing highway, transit and other transportation modes while enhancing neighborhoods and urban centers; and

- Promote mixed-use development that supports viable alternatives to driving.

We understand that the future of transportation and job growth in our states requires forward thinking, the early adoption and deployment of clean energy technologies and a regional approach to clean transportation. We also understand that talking about the future is not enough. We must act.”

TCI states will provide in-kind resources to the initiative through a staff work group, which will lay the groundwork for the TCI’s next meeting and seek public and private funding to support the initiative’s future work.

The Georgetown Climate Center facilitated the TCI’s initial meeting this week in Wilmington, Delaware, with financial support from the Rockefeller Foundation, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation, and the Joyce Foundation.

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHAT:
State officials, legal experts, and state environmental leaders will host a telephone media briefing to discuss threats to the ability of states to innovate in the Senate energy bill, which Senators Kerry, Graham, and Lieberman are expected to unveil on Monday. Participants will explain that tying states’ hands on clean energy and global warming would stifle innovation, block action to improve states’ economies and create local jobs, hold the nation back from doing what scientists say is necessary to tackle global warming, and defy the time-tested and vital role of states in helping to set environmental policy.

WHEN:
11 a.m. on Wednesday, April 21, 2010

WHO:
-David Littell, Commissioner, Maine Department of Environmental Protection
-Doug Scott, Director, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
-Mary Nichols, Chair, California Air Resources Board
-Vicki Arroyo, Executive Director, Georgetown State-Federal Climate Resource Center
-Rob Sargent, Director, Energy Program, Environment America

DIAL-IN INFORMATION:
Media should call 888-299-4099; the pass code is VF26622.

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHAT: "Adapting to Climate Change: Problems and Solutions"

WHEN: Friday, March 26, 2010, 9:45 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

WHERE: Georgetown University Law Center
Hotung Building - Room 1000
550 First Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20001
Please use Tower Green entrance.

9:45 - 10:00 a.m.
Opening Remarks
Kym Hunter, Editor-in-Chief, Georgetown International Environmental Law Review
Vicki Arroyo, Executive Director, Georgetown State-Federal Climate Resource Center and Visiting Professor, Georgetown University Law Center

10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Panel 1: Human Dimensions of Climate Change
Sara Hoverter, Senior Fellow, Harrison Institute for Public Law and Adjunct Professor, Georgetown University Law Center (Moderator)
Lindsay Wiley, Global Health Law Program Director, O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law and Adjunct Professor, Georgetown University Law Center
John Balbus, Senior Advisor for Public Health, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Panel 2: Regulatory Frameworks for Adapting to Climate Change
Peter Byrne, Faculty Director, Georgetown State-Federal Climate Resource Center and Professor, Georgetown University Law Center (Moderator)
Alejandro Camacho, Professor, University of Notre Dame Law School
Orr Karassin, Lecturer, Sapir College Law School (Israel)
Armin Rosencranz, Consulting Prior in Human Biology, Stanford University and Adjunct Professor, Georgetown University Law Center

12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Lunch Discussion
Maria Blair, Deputy Associate Director for Climate Change Adaptation, White House Council on Environmental Quality

1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Panel 3: Biodiversity/Natural Resources Management
Hope Babcock, Professor, Georgetown University Law Center (Moderator)
David Takacs,Visiting Professor, University of California, Hastings College of the Law
Paul Kibel, Professor, Golden Gate University School of Law
Dan Schramm, Staff Attorney, Environmental Law Institute

2:00 p.m.
Closing Remarks
Rachel Bowen, Executive Editor, Symposium, Georgetown International Environmental Law Review

MEDIA ADVISORY

Given all the recent news surrounding the EPA's endangerment finding and the potential regulation of greenhouse gases, it is significant that a bipartisan group of governors and elected leaders have already demonstrated significant support for comprehensive energy and climate policy.

In fact, a majority of governors and elected leaders from U.S. territories joined the Governors' Energy and Climate Coalition last year to demonstrate their resolve for a comprehensive climate and energy bill. The Georgetown Climate Center acts as a convener for the Coalition.

This week, a number of governors also voiced support for EPA action. Two of those statements are included in the bottom of this email.

To learn more about state support for national climate and energy policy or to set up an interview with Vicki Arroyo, executive director of the Georgetown Climate Center, please contact Chris Coil at 202-469-1341.

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CONTACT: David Farmer, 287-2531 (cell) 557-5968
Joy Leach, 287-2531

Feb. 22, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Governor Baldacci Supports EPA Efforts to Fight Greenhouse Gas Emissions

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Governor John E. Baldacci today released the following statement strongly supporting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s efforts to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act.

In 2007, the Supreme Court ruled that the Clean Air Act can cover greenhouse gas emissions. Maine had joined California and a number of other states in suing the EPA to overturn the refusal of the Bush Administration to regulate greenhouse gases. EPA is now following the law.

“Efforts to undermine the EPA’s efforts are a direct contradiction of the law and a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court,” Governor Baldacci said. “Absent comprehensive federal legislation, the current approach is the best tool the EPA has to protect our economy and the health of our people from the harmful effects of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.”

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Media Contact: Governor’s Communications Office
Phone: 360-902-4136

For Release: Immediate
Date: Feb. 22, 2010

Gov. Gregoire’s statement on EPA finding

OLYMPIA – Gov. Chris Gregoire today released the following statement on the Environmental Protection Agency’s endangerment finding that greenhouse gas emissions threaten public health:

“In 2007, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Clean Air Act makes it incumbent upon the Environmental Protection Agency to determine if greenhouse gas emissions are a threat to public health and welfare. After a thorough review of the science and after assessing literally thousands of public comments, to include my own, on December 7, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson signed an endangerment finding, obligating her agency to take the reasonable steps necessary to reduce greenhouse gas pollutants.

“A majority of my colleagues and I – Democrats and Republicans, alike – have worked at the state and regional level to promote clean energy jobs, energy independence, and caps on greenhouse gas emissions. In the absence of comprehensive federal energy and climate legislation, EPA must be applauded for accepting the responsibility Congress has given it under the Clean Air Act to reduce carbon dioxide and other pollutants that threaten our people and our communities.”

###

MEDIA ADVISORY

U.S. Governors Chris Gregoire of Washington and Jim Doyle of Wisconsin will join Canadian Premiers Jean Charest of Quebec, Gordon Campbell of British Columbia and Greg Selinger of Manitoba to discuss sub-national efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, progress made in recent years, the need for national and international policy and the key role that states and provinces will play in addressing climate change.

Event Details:

• 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 15 in the Victor Borg room of the Bella Center in Copenhagen
• Official U.N. Side Event co-sponsored by the Georgetown Climate Center and The Climate Registry.

U.S. Governors, Regional Climate Representatives and International Experts Available for Media Interviews at COP 15

The Georgetown Climate Center (GCC), a leading resource for state and federal policymakers, will make members of its diverse delegation available for media interviews during the UN conference on climate change.

Vicki Arroyo, executive director of the Georgetown Climate Center, leads the delegation.

Selected GCC Delegation Bios:

Gov. Chris Gregoire, State of Washington

Gov. Chris Gregoire has served as the top elected official in the state of Washington since 2004. She frequently leads on climate and green jobs issues in her home state, regionally among Western Climate Initiative states and nationally through the Governors’ Energy and Climate Coalition.

State Rep. Jeremy Kalin, State of Minnesota

Elected in 2006, State Rep. Jeremy Kalin has sponsored numerous green initiatives in Minnesota and co-chaired Minnesota’s Green Jobs Task Force. As co-chair of CLEAN, the National Coalition of Legislators for Energy Action Now, he is able to speak about state climate policy and clean energy jobs legislation.

Commissioner Pete Grannis, Department of Environmental Conservation, State of New York

Pete Grannis has served as the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation since April 2007. He was until recently the chair of the board of directors for the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), which operates a cap-and-trade program in 10 Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states. Commissioner Grannis can speak about state climate policy, cap-and-trade and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

Joanna Lewis, Ph.D., Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University

Dr. Joanna Lewis is an expert on international climate negotiations, particularly relating to China's negotiating position, technology transfer, the CDM, and other issues surrounding developing country engagement. She can also speak to US-China bilateral cooperation on energy and climate issues.

Vicki Arroyo, Georgetown Climate Center

Vicki Arroyo is the Executive Director of the Georgetown Climate Center, based at the Georgetown University Law Center, where she also serves as a Visiting Professor. She is able to speak about developments in U.S. state and federal climate policy.

Kate Zyla, Georgetown Climate Center

Kate Zyla serves as the Director of Research and Policy Analysis for the Georgetown Climate Center. She is also able to speak about developments in U.S. state and federal climate policy.

MEDIA ADVISORY

Both leaders will take questions from the media about their efforts to bolster climate talks and create clean energy jobs.

Governors Chris Gregoire of Washington and Jim Doyle of Wisconsin will hold a conference call with reporters this Friday to talk about their upcoming trips to the Copenhagen climate summit.

WHEN: Friday, Dec. 11 at 10:30-11 a.m. PST (7:30-8 p.m. in Copenhagen)

ACCESSING THE CALL: Access will be limited due to logistics and time constraints. To ensure that you receive the conference call information and access codes, please RSVP by the end of the day on Thursday. Both Copenhagen and domestic numbers will be provided

To RSVP: Call 202-469-1341

MEDIA ADVISORY

U.S. Governors Chris Gregoire of Washington and Jim Doyle of Wisconsin will join Canadian Premiers Jean Charest of Quebec, Gordon Campbell of British Columbia and Greg Selinger of Manitoba to discuss sub-national efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, progress made in recent years, the need for national and international policy and the key role that states and provinces will play in addressing climate change.

Event Details:

• 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 15 in the Victor Borg room of the Bella Center in Copenhagen
• Official U.N. Side Event co-sponsored by the Georgetown Climate Center and The Climate Registry.