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$319,997 IN GRANTS FROM EPA AND DOE TO BETTER COORDINATE WORK OF STATE ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICIALS

Release Date: 08/31/2001
Contact Information:





Environmental News

As part of the ongoing effort to support the President’s energy plan, EPA has awarded $159,997 to the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) in Alexandria, Va., to promote more cooperative energy and environmental policies and regulations among state energy and environmental agencies.

Traditionally, energy and environmental concerns have been addressed by separate state government agencies, operating under separate authorities and without much coordination. But as electricity restructuring, air quality requirements and power reliability issues continue to converge, policy makers are beginning to see a greater need for working across government agency lines and state borders.

The actions that states take in the context of restructuring and addressing energy and environmental issues are critical components of a sustainable national energy strategy. There is, however, still a need for federal agencies to provide for guidance and infrastructure to ensure that states get the best ideas from around the country on strategies for integrating clean air and energy approaches.

Therefore, EPA and the U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) are jointly funding a two-year NASEO project to develop harmonized approaches to air quality and energy at the state and regional level (DOE’s contribution is $160,000.) The project will follow through on three key objectives enumerated at an EPA-DOE sponsored meeting last September in St. Louis, at which over 250 state, local and national decision-makers from the energy, utility and environmental sectors discussed how they could work together to develop coordinated approaches on key issues. The three objectives are building partnerships, establishing closer coordination between state energy and environmental decision makers, and demonstrating the benefits of integrated approaches to environmental management.

NASEO will use EPA funding to conduct regional workshops to foster collaboration among states and to develop an electronic clearinghouse or database to share information on best practices, pilot projects, case studies, and integrated approaches to addressing energy and air quality issues.

NASEO is a non-profit organization made up of Governor-designated energy officials from each state and territory. For more than a decade, NASEO has advised regional, state and federal government officials on energy's pivotal role in the economy and environment.

For further technical information, contact Tom Kerr (202) 564-0047 ([email protected]) or Kathleen Hogan (202) 564-9312 ( [email protected]).

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