Good for him. Got this today from the Iowa Environmental Council:

 

 

 

IOWA ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERS HAIL HISTORIC AGREEMENT ON GLOBAL WARMING REDUCTION
Iowa Gov. Chet Culver exercised bold leadership to reduce the critical threat of global warming and promote economic development when he signed a historic multi-state agreement Thursday to significantly reduce carbon emissions, Iowa environmental leaders said.

 

Culver joined leaders of five other Midwestern states and the Premier of Manitoba, Canada in a pact to cut carbon pollution 60 to 80 percent, as recommended by scientists.  The agreement, signed at a meeting of the Midwest Governors Association, will spur investment in clean, renewable energy and energy efficient technology – fueling the growth of local industries in Iowa.

 

“Our governors today will propel Iowa and the Midwest to a clean energy economy. Boosting our use of wind, solar, and biomass will create thousands of new jobs,” said Nathaniel Baer, energy director at the Iowa Environmental Council.

 

Already wind turbine manufacturers have brought nearly 1,000 new jobs and over $100 million in capital investments to Iowa. Studies by the Union of Concerned Scientists and the Environmental Law & Policy Center show that thousands of additional jobs and investments are in store from the kind of clean energy policies recommended in this platform.

 

The multi-state accord finalized Thursday should also yield major reductions in Iowa’s total energy-related carbon dioxide emissions, which rank in the top half of the nation, according figures obtained from the website of the Energy Information Administration in the U.S. Department of Energy.

“With the stroke of Governor Culver’s pen, Iowa has reversed its legacy as a major source of global warming pollution and emerged as part of the solution to the problem.   We thank him for his leadership in securing our energy future,” said Marian Riggs Gelb, executive director for the Iowa Environmental Council.

 

 

The Iowa chapter of the Sierra Club sent out an e-mail later in the day, hailing the accord while urging citizens to call Culver's office at 515-281-5211

 

to thank him for his support of this accord and ask him to prevent the construction of two new dirty coal burning power plants in Waterloo and Marshalltown. If built those two plants would eliminate all of the good work that Governor Culver is trying to accomplish by emitting as much carbon dioxide every year as the entire passenger vehicle fleet of the State of Iowa, more than 1.6 million cars.

 

I'll make that call today. 

UPDATE: The Union of Concerned Scientists has declared an “urgent action” to thank Culver for this while asking him to block the proposed coal-fired power plans. I've posted an e-mail from that group after the jump.

Ask Your Governor for Strong Climate Action! Dear {name withheld}, Global warming is one of the must urgent challenges of our time. Yesterday, nine Midwest states took an important step toward facing that challenge when they committed to establish a regional program to reduce global warming pollution—the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Accord. In addition to reducing the region’s contribution to global warming, this commitment will boost momentum for national action on this critical issue, just as the U.S. Senate begins consideration of a critical global warming bill and the 2008 presidential election heats up. Iowa is signed on to be a full participant in the agreement. Please thank Governor Chet Culver for making Iowa a climate leader. Sincerely, Jean Sideris Regional Field Organizer UCS Climate Program    Subject: Thank you for your commitment on global warming action Dear Governor, Thank you for making our state a full participant in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Accord. As you know, global warming is one of the must urgent challenges of our time. Left unchecked, it will have severe effects on our public health, economy, and environment. Scientific evidence suggests we can avoid some of the worst, irreversible consequences of global warming if we keep the Earth's average temperature from rising 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit above pre-industrial levels. According to a 2007 Union of Concerned Scientists analysis, to meet that goal, the United States must cut its heat-trapping emissions by at least 80 percent from 2000 levels by 2050. We can achieve the needed reductions if we act now to shift investments away from fossil fuels to clean technologies like wind and solar power, more fuel-efficient vehicles, and more energy-efficient technologies.  I applaud your leadership and urge you to ensure that the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Accord is as strong as possible. Sincerely, {name withheld} Take Action! Instructions: Click here to take action on this issue. Tell-A-Friend: Visit the web address below to tell your friends about this.  Tell-a-Friend! What's At Stake: A recent UCS report confirmed that the United States must cut global warming pollution by at least 80 percent below 2000 levels by 2050 to avoid the most severe effects of climate change. According to the study, cutting emissions soon is essential. Across the nation, we have laid important groundwork and celebrated some concrete victories that will help us reach this goal. On November 14 and 15, the 2007 Midwestern Governors Association (MGA) Energy Summit occurred in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. During the two-day meeting, governors from nine Midwest states committed to establish a regional, multi-sector cap-and-trade program to reduce global warming pollution. Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin are full participants in the agreement, called the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Accord. Indiana, Ohio, and South Dakota also signed the agreement as observers. The Midwest states now must set firm emissions reductions targets and timetables for reducing their heat-trapping pollution. The region is at serious risk from a changing climate, including more extreme heat in the summer and shorter, warmer winters. Other threats include the likelihood of declining ice cover on the Great Lakes and other inland lakes and extreme precipitation and drought. More . . . If you received this message from a friend, you can sign up for the Union of Concerned Scientists.

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