Innovative Approaches to Climate Change Policy: Workshop on State-Federal Interactions

On June 24^th and 25^th, 2009, the Pew Center on Global Climate Change, National Association for Clean Air Agencies (NACAA) [1], Georgetown State-Federal Climate Resource Center [2], and Pew Center on the States [3] hosted a workshop on state and federal action on climate change. The event brought together executive and legislative officials and stakeholders from both the state and federal levels to share their experience developing climate policies and discuss the appropriate roles of each level of government in addressing climate change. A series of panels and keynote speakers spoke about a wide range of issues, including the outlook for federal action—particularly the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 [4]—, complementary policies for greenhouse gas emission reductions, and new research on U.S. clean energy jobs.

The following materials were made available during the workshop:

• Wind and Solar Electricity: Challenges and Opportunities [5], Pew Center on Global Climate Change
• The Clean Energy Economy: Repowering Jobs, Businesses, and Investments Across America [6], Pew Center on the States
• Overview of State-Related Provisions, American Clean Energy and Security (ACES) Act of 2009 [7], Georgetown State-Federal Climate Resource Center
• Global Warming Principles [8], NACAA
• Testimony of Bill Becker before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on the March 31, 2009 Discussion Draft of the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, [9] NACAA

Speaker and panelist presentations can be viewed by clicking on the presenter's name below.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Welcome from the Co-sponsors:

• Arturo Blanco, Bureau Cheif, Bureau of Air Quality Control, Houston Department of Health and Human Services, and Co-President of NACAA
• Colleen Cripps, Deputy Administrator, Nevada Deivision of Environmental Protection, and Co-President of NACAA
• Susan Urahn, Managing Director, Pew Center on the States
• Vicki Arroyo, Executive Director, Georgetown State-Federal Climate Resource Center

Opening Address: Eileen Claussen [10], President, Pew Center on Global Climate Change

Panel 1: U.S. Congressional Update and Outlook

Moderator: Bill Becker, Executive Director, NACAA

Panelists:

• Chris Miller, Senior Policy Advisor, Office of U.S. Senator Harry Reid (D-Nevada)
• Todd Johnston, Senior Policy Advisor, Office of U.S. Senator George Voinovich (R-Ohio)
• Manik Roy, Vice President of Federal Government Outreach, Pew Center on Global Climate Change
• Bill Tyndall, Senior Vice President of Federal Government and Regulatory Affairs, Duke Energy
  

Panel 2: Federal Regulatory Authorities and Tools

Moderator: Vicki Arroyo, Executive Director, Georgetown State-Federal Climate Resource Center

Panelists:

• Gina McCarthy [11], Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Andy Ginsburg [12], Administrator, Air Quality Division, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
• Dianne Nielson [13], Energy Advisor to Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr.
  

Panel 3: Green Jobs

Moderator:  Susan Urahn [14], Managing Director, Pew Center on the States

Panelists:

• Jeremy Kalin [15], Representative, Minnesota House of Representatives
• William Coleman [16], Partner, Mohr Davidow Ventures
• Chris Adamo, Senior Policy Advisor for Environment and Energy, Office of U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan)

Panel 4: Cap and Trade Design and Lessons from Regional Programs

Moderator:  Judi Greenwald, Vice President of Innovative Solutions, Pew Center on Global Climate Change

Panelists:

• Janice Adair [17], Special Assistant to the Director, Washington Department of Ecology
• Laurie Burt [18], Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
• Doug Scott, Director, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Keynote Speaker: Governor Jim Doyle, Wisconsin
See an interview with Gov. Doyle [19]

Panel 5: Electricity: Energy Efficiency and Renewables

Moderator: Mark Shanahan, Executive Director, Ohio Department of Environmental Quality and Energy Advisor to Governor Ted Strickland

Panelists:

• Karl Rábago [20], Vice President, Distributed Energy Services, Austin Energy
• Frank Murray, President and CEO, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)
• Marsha Smith [21], Commissioner, Idaho Public Utilities Commission
  

Keynote Speaker: Lisa Jackson, Administrator, U.S. EPA

Panel 6: Transportation: Fuels, Vehicles, System Efficiency, and VMT

Moderator: Larry Greene, Executive Director, Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District

Panelists:

• Margo Oge, Director, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Transportation and Air Quality
• Eileen Tutt [22], Deputy Secretary for Climate Change and Environmental Justice, California Environmental Protection Agency
• Bill Northey [23], Secretary, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship    
• Beverly Swaim-Staley, Acting Secretary, Maryland Department of Transportation  
  

Panel 7: Adaptation

Moderator: Stephen Seidel, Vice President for Policy Analysis and General Counsel, Pew Center on Global Climate Change

Panelists:

• Daniel Ashe [24], Science Advisor to the Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service   
• Richard Leopold [25], Director, Iowa Department of Natural Resources 
• Adam Freed [26], Deputy Director, New York City Mayor's Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability
• Larry Hartig [27], Commissioner, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
  

Closing: Judi Greenwald, Vice President of Innovative Solutions, Pew Center on Global Climate Change