Taking Action on Clean Energy and Climate Protection in 2012

A Menu of Effective and Feasible State Solutions

April 11, 2012

State policymakers can take steps today that will help get us on the path toward achieving three critical goals: Produce more clean energy and grow the economy. Reduce pollution while saving energy and dollars. Build more resilient and balanced economies and communities. The state actions outlined below would achieve these goals, which are critical for accelerating the clean energy economic transformation that has already begun and for moving forcefully into a new economic era defined by stronger industries, better infrastructure, and a steadily growing middle class. We detail these recommendations in our paper Taking Action on Clean Energy and Climate Protection in 2012. Here are the state highlights.
To generate a significant percentage of energy in our nation from low-carbon sources, state policymakers can: Pass ballot initiatives or legislation to strengthen state renewable-electricity standards page 12 Require green power purchasing by state governments page 14 Expedite permitting processes for offshore wind development in state waters page 14

To reduce the cost of clean energy deployment by attracting private investment, state policymakers can: Create state green banks page 20 Use state public benefit funds to attract private dollars and drive financing and deployment strategies page 21 To strengthen our economy by helping our industries and workers capture the economic opportunity of clean energy, state policymakers can: Create industry partnerships that link economic and workforce development in states regional economies page 25 Create green economy business incubators page 26 Transform the waste industry to create jobs and reduce pollution page 26 Develop the home-retrofit industry page 27 To realize significant energy savings in all sectors of our economy, state policymakers can: Adopt state energy-efficiency resource standards page 36 Adopt energy-efficiency procurement mandates and create stakeholder advisory councils page 37 Institute decoupling rules page 37 Adopt and strengthen state building energy codes page 38

Center for American Progress | Taking Action on Clean Energy and Climate Protection in 2012

 Bring commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy programs to scale in state and metropolitan markets page 39 Implement junior lien residential Property Assessed Clean Energy programs page 39
To reduce greenhouse gas pollution with carbon prices and smart clean energy standards, state policymakers can: Strengthen the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative in the 2012 program review page 47 Institute fracking safeguards in the states page 48 To achieve oil savings, state policymakers can: Integrate smart growth and public-transit strategies page 54

Pursue regional initiatives to reduce carbon dioxide pollution in the transportation sector page 54
To ensure climate resiliency and restoration, state policymakers can: Develop state and climate change adaptation plans page 58

These sets of actions can be taken this year to boost clean energy, combat climate change, improve jobs growth, and promote our nations energy security. We dont need to wait.

Center for American Progress | Taking Action on Clean Energy and Climate Protection in 2012