Pawlenty, other state and provincial leaders to sign greenhouse gas reduction pact

Gov. Tim Pawlenty, other governors in the region and Manitoba's premier are in Milwaukee today to sign the Midwestern Regional Greenhouse Gas Reduction Accord.

Staff and wire reports

Last update: November 15, 2007 - 8:18 AM

Gov. Tim Pawlenty, other governors in the region and Manitoba's premier are in Milwaukee today to sign the Midwestern Regional Greenhouse Gas Reduction Accord.

The agreement, to be signed at the Midwestern Governors Association (MGA) Energy Security and Climate Change Summit, "will serve as a regional strategy to achieve energy security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming," said a news release from Pawlenty's office.

The summit is co-hosted by Pawlenty, chairman of the the National Governors Association, and Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle, who chairs the MGA.

"Today's agreement is an important milestone toward achieving a cleaner, more secure energy future," Pawlenty said in the news release. "The Midwest is well-positioned to help lead the energy revolution that our nation needs to stay competitive and strong. Working together, states can build a de facto national energy policy that will create good jobs and build a cleaner and safer world."

The agreement calls for greater production of biofuels and finding ways to store carbon dioxide so that it does not go into the atmosphere.

Although the Midwest has 22 percent of the U.S. population, it produces 27 percent of the nation's carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions. That's partly because it relies more on coal for electricity than other regions. Seventy-one percent of its electricity comes from coal-fired power plants, compared to a national average of 49 percent.

The agreement calls for a number of other changes by 2015, including:

Reducing energy consumption by 2 percent, with a 2 percent reduction each year after that.

Offering the ethanol-based gasoline known as E-85 at 15 percent of gas stations, up from the current 3 percent.

Generating 10 percent of the region's electricity from renewable resources. By 2030, that portion should be 30 percent.

Other governors in attendance Thursday were: Doyle, Iowa Gov. Chet Culver, South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds, Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, and tentatively Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Gary Doer, premier of Manitoba, Canada, also is participating in the summit.

Other states included in the governors' association are Missouri, Indiana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Kansas and Ohio.

For more information, go to: www.midwesterngovernors.org/energysummit.htm

PAUL WALSH

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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