A bi-partisan delegation of Western governors personally delivered the energy policy priorities of the Western Governor's Association to John Podesta, co-chair of the Obama transition team on Friday. [right, Hoover (Boulder)Dam postcard. Credit, US Bur. of Reclamation]
They suggest seven priorities, including cutting greenhouse gasses, adopting a market approach, stepping up energy efficiency, reducing oil imports, encouraging energy research, aiding low-income consumers and promoting green jobs.
As part of the presentation, they provided a list of energy resources produced in the Western states that surprised me with how large some of the shares are:
94% of onshore oil reserves
66% of coal reserves
91% of wet natural gas onshore
82% of dry natural gas onshore
100% of installed solar thermal generation
100% of installed geothermal generation
77% of installed wind generation
82% of installed, grid-connected photovoltaic solar generation