State & Local Energy Report

We at State & Local Energy Report are working to sponsor dialogue between different levels of government on issues of energy efficiency, technology and economics in order to foster communication and support progress in this important field. Recently we spoke with David Coen, president of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC), about the challenges facing states at a time when forward-thinking energy policies come up against the realities of belt-tightening and uncertainties about federal energy legislation. (more…)

Governor Chester “Chet” Culver became Iowa’s 40th Governor in January of 2007. Before entering the state’s highest office, he served as its Secretary of State from 1998-2006. Both a former history teacher and environmental advocate, Governor Culver utilizes his experiences in office to build upon Iowa’s strengths in renewable energy. (more…)

Phil Giudice is Commissioner of the Massachusetts Division of Energy Resources, Chair of the National Association of State Energy Officials, and Treasurer of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Phil holds both a masters degree in economic geology and an MBA.

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For this issue’s quick questions we talk to Van Jones, Special Advisor for Green Jobs at the White House Council on Environmental Quality. Before joining the administration, Mr. Jones was the founder of Green For All, which sought to link green jobs with poverty alleviation. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller, The Green Collar Economy.

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For this issue’s quick questions we talk to Senator Bernie Sanders, Independent from Vermont who has been named the chairman of the Senate Green Jobs and New Economy Subcommittee. Sanders was elected to the Senate in 2006 after spending sixteen years in the House. He has been a strong voice on energy and environmental issues and has been a supporter of LIHEAP and Weatherization.

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