ANCHORAGE, ALASKA--The Council of State Governments' Executive Committee has called on the Obama administration and Congress to establish a national energy policy that promotes all available domestic sources of energy.
The resolution, approved Aug. 13 during the CSG National and CSG West Annual Conference in Anchorage, Alaska, comes in response to proposed new Clean Air Act rules that will require modified, reconstructed and existing power plants to reduce carbon emissions. The resolution states the regulation of retail electricity sales and local distribution should be left up to the states and that each state is responsible for ensuring a reliable and affordable supply of energy.
The resolution urges state policymakers to develop comments on the rules by the Environmental Protection Agency's deadline.
The executive committee also adopted a resolution dealing with a proposed rule to redefine "waters of the U.S." that could significantly increase the cost and regulatory requirements of state and local governments. That resolution calls on full consultation and engagement of state governments in any process that may affect management of their waters.
It also asks the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to delay redefining the waters of the U.S. rule until after an economic analysis and a Science Advisory Board review are completed.
The proposed rule, the committee believes, would apply to all programs of the Clean Water Act and subject more activities to permitting requirements, analyses and mitigation requirements. The resolution states that the EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers did not consider the impact on the full range of programs affected or the economic impacts to small businesses.
The executive committee also adopted resolutions:
- Supporting recognition of the EMS Personnel Licensure Compact known as REPLICA;
- Supporting the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement, known as SARA, which addresses distance learning;
- Requesting Congress and the federal government to pursue opportunities to protect intellectual property, reduce fraudulent theft and protect American businesses and consumers;
- Urging Congress to pass reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank before the current authorization expires in September;
- Recommending each state's elections website provide specific information for military personnel and other U.S. citizens living overseas and that each website link to the U.S. Department of Defense Federal Voting Assistance program; and
- Commending the National Conference of State Legislatures on 40 years of service to the states.
