2019 Governor's State of the State speeches: on Energy & Oil
Roy Cooper:
Reducing greenhouse gas means green jobs
We must also limit damage from the next storm by rebuilding stronger and more resilient. Weeks after Hurricane Florence, I formed the new office of recovery and resiliency to carry out
recovery and develop strategies to protect our state from future storms. We've seen violent weather threaten every corner of our state, and scientists agree climate change is making storms more fierce.
It is real. And we're the generation that must act.In October, I signed an executive order to reduce our state's greenhouse gas emissions 40% by 2025.
This won't just help in the fight against climate change. It will boost our economy by creating more clean energy jobs.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to North Carolina congress
Feb 25, 2019
Janet Mills:
Maine to fight climate change and become green
Our Office of Policy Innovation and the Future is preparing a climate agenda. We will make every effort, without additional general fund dollars:- to assist in the research and development of offshore wind power;
- to provide incentives for
community and residential solar power;
- to promote energy efficiency and weatherization;
- to increase the use of heat pumps;
- to build charging stations for electric vehicles;
- and to help local & state government become "green."
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the Maine legislature
Feb 11, 2019
Janet Mills:
Combat climate change: offshore wind & electric incentives
Climate change is a priority issue. We will make every effort, without additional general fund dollars: to assist the University of Maine in the research and development of offshore wind power; to provide incentives for community and residential solar
power; to promote energy efficiency and weatherization; to increase the use of heat pumps; to build charging stations and incentives for electric vehicles; and to help local and state government become "green."
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the Maine legislature
Feb 11, 2019
Matt Bevin:
Stand up for coal; we have hundreds of years of supply
Bevin said of coal, "The energy landscape is changing but guess what: We have hundreds of years of an incredible resource that still provides the cheapest and most reliable electricity in America and in the world. And we sit on an abundant supply of
it." He urged Kentuckians to protest the planned closure of the Tennessee Valley Authority's Paradise Unit 3. He said the closure of the coal-fired generator would hurt every community in the state and make Kentucky less competitive.
Source: Press release on Kentucky 2019 State of the State address
Feb 9, 2019
Gary Herbert:
State can set example on green energy
One of the most complex challenges as a result of our growth is our air quality. The state itself is one of Utah's largest employers. So let us lead by example. Because tailpipe emissions are such a big part of the problem, let's reduce the miles driven
by state employees by increasing state employee use of transit and accountable telework. Let's eliminate the dirtiest state vehicles and replace them with Tier 3 and electric automobiles. Let's improve the energy efficiency of State buildings.
We can create incentives for the public to pull aging dirty diesel vehicles off the road; to replace more than 5000 wood burning stoves; and to swap out 25,000 pieces of gasoline-powered yard equipment for battery powered options.
Let's make electric vehicle charging stations more accessible and convenient statewide by providing 300 electric vehicle chargers for public use at state facilities and providing incentives for an additional 800 charging stations at private businesses.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the Utah legislature
Jan 30, 2019
Larry Hogan:
Clean energy; green jobs
We pushed for landmark legislation that cemented our position as a national and international leader in combating greenhouse gas emissions. We expanded the Climate Change Commission and implemented clean air standards that are stronger than 48 other
states and nearly twice as strong as the Paris Accord recommendations. This year let's work together to enact the "Clean Cars Act" and to support clean and renewable energy solutions and green energy jobs.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the Maryland legislature
Jan 30, 2019
Phil Scott:
$1.5M in rebates for 50,000 electric cars by 2025
Transitioning to electric vehicles can save millions of dollars. We need 10 percent--about 50,000--of the cars and trucks on our roads to be electric by 2025, and 25 percent by 2030.
We all know transportation costs are high for rural Vermonters--that's one of the reasons I will not support a carbon tax. I'm proposing $1.5 million in rebates to help more people purchase or lease new or used EVs.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the Vermont legislature
Jan 24, 2019
John Carney:
If Washington won't act on climate change, we will
As a low-lying state, sea level rise and climate change pose an existential threat to our bay and coastal communities. Despite Washington's refusal to act, we've joined with 16 other states to form the U.S. Climate Alliance.
We've committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2025 to at least 26 percent below 2005 levels. And we've committed to accelerating policies to reduce carbon pollution and promote clean energy.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to Delaware legislature
Jan 17, 2019
Steve Sisolak:
Renewable energy makes business sense
Nevada used to lead the nation in producing renewable energy. Sadly, we've fallen behind. I strongly support the goal of achieving a minimum of 50% in renewable energy by 2030. And I know we can meet these standards without raising the cost of
electricity for the ratepayers of our state. Allowing Nevada to lead when it comes to renewable energy isn't just good for job growth or energy rates, it helps preserve and protect Nevada's incredible natural beauty.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the Nevada legislature
Jan 16, 2019
Andrew Cuomo:
Green New Deal: help communities closing old power plants
We'll lead the way with the most aggressive environmental agenda, while the federal government taking us backwards from the Paris Accords.
Let's take the next step on the Green New Deal. Let us set the goal: 100 percent clean power by 2040.We have communities that are closing old, inefficient power plants. It causes a problem because they lose the property taxes from those old plants.
We want those old plants closed, we want more efficient plants, but let's provide a fund that gives the communities the transition from the loss of that property tax revenue and that's a
$70 million property tax compensation fund so those communities don't shoulder the burden themselves.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the New York legislature
Jan 15, 2019
Jay Inslee:
Clean energy means jobs
Clean energy and low-carbon technologies are increasingly competitive in the marketplace. Innovation brings us cleaner, cheaper, better fossil-fuel alternatives. These kinds of jobs have propelled our clean energy sector to grow more than twice as fast
as the rest of our economy. There is no greater job opportunity than the opportunity of clean energy. It's why a historic alliance of labor and communities of color has joined with conservation and environmental groups to push for climate action.
We will pass legislation to transition to 100 percent clean electricity, transform our buildings with cost-saving efficiencies, and modernize and electrify our transportation system. We'll phase down super-pollutants and phase in cleaner fuels.
This means by 2035, nearly all our electricity will come from clean sources, instead of polluting fossil fuels. This transformation has started but we need to do more, do it bigger and do it faster.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to Washington legislature
Jan 15, 2019
Michelle Lujan-Grisham:
Pro-active on climate change: 50% renewable by 2030
The U.S. Climate Alliance is a bipartisan group of governors committed to upholding the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement, and New Mexico will join it. I will direct each state agency to participate in developing a comprehensive climate plan for
New Mexico by reducing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas pollution. I have committed to increasing our renewable portfolio standard--50 percent renewable energy by 2030 and 80 percent 10 years after that.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to New Mexico legislature
Jan 15, 2019
Phil Murphy:
Wind farm smarter than drilling for oil
We are emerging as a global leader in offshore wind energy, where each dollar of investment will return nearly double to our economy, and where we are working to create thousands of good-paying union jobs. The Board of Public Utilities recently closed
the first solicitation for potential partners in building an 1,100-megawatt wind farm off our coast. I don't think it's a stretch to say that realizing our offshore wind-energy potential is much smarter than drilling for oil off the Jersey Shore.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to New Jersey legislature
Jan 15, 2019
Jared Polis:
Climate change threatens decreased snowpack for ski industry
Climate change is a scientific reality. It's real. There's no pretending otherwise for farmers and ranchers who are facing historic water shortages. There's no pretending otherwise for the 46,000 women and men who work in Colorado's ski industry and
see their jobs threatened by decreased snowpack. And there will be no pretending otherwise in this administration. We're going to confront this challenge head-on--not only because we must, but because we want to take advantage of the huge
opportunities associated with being a leader in the growing green-energy economy.I launched my campaign for Governor at an all-solar coffee-roasting small business, just 10 miles from the Vestas Wind Turbine factory. I did so to demonstrate that
our commitment to reaching 100% renewable energy by 2040 is not just about climate change. It's about saving money for consumers with cheaper energy, and it's about making sure the good-paying green jobs of the future are created right here in Colorado.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to Colorado legislature
Jan 10, 2019
Mark Gordon:
Coal for decades to come, so let's improve usage
Energy must continue to be one of the pillars of our economy. In 2018, Wyoming hit a record for permit applications to drill for oil and gas. I want to take just a moment to talk about coal. Coal continues to power this country and,
despite market trends and politics, it will remain an essential part of America's energy portfolio for decades to come.
[Improved] technologies, when paired with Powder River Basin coal, can reduce the overall carbon emitted to the atmosphere.
That is progress that should be a gut cinch for those advocating to control carbon emissions.
There are promising new uses of coal that can provide advanced building materials and innovative new products. Some of these are being developed at UW and others by private industry.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to Wyoming legislature
Jan 9, 2019
Mark Gordon:
Make Wyoming a leader in advancing carbon sequestration
Wyoming is the nation's leader in advancing carbon sequestration and has launched the Integrated Test Center which is working on turning a byproduct like carbon dioxide into a valuable and marketable product.
Here in Wyoming, we will continue to seek innovative solutions that support coal, address climate change, and grow our economy.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to Wyoming legislature
Jan 9, 2019
Doug Burgum:
Lignite (brown coal) is transforming power plant emissions
Our lignite industry continues to innovate and invest--providing essential baseload electricity to the grid--despite long-term economic and regulatory uncertainty created by over-reaching federal policy in the previous administration.
Project Tundra--which aims to capture carbon dioxide that can be used to revitalize old oil wells--was recently awarded the largest grant in the history of the Lignite Research Council, $15 million.
This partnership between the Energy and Environmental Research Center at UND--
lignite--and the oil and gas industry--is transforming power plant emissions to a marketable, value-added commodity.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to North Dakota Legislature
Jan 3, 2019
Page last updated: Apr 02, 2019