Gov. Bill Ritter and nine other Western governors Tuesday called for increased federal involvement to deal with environmental and energy issues at the close of the annual Western Governors’ Association meeting.
“The power of the Western governors here is to do what we can to push national policy that looks toward research and development,” Ritter said during a news conference in South Dakota, where the 10 governors joined two premiers of Canadian provinces. “This is not a partisan issue.”
Transitioning to a new energy economy, immigration and climate change were just a few of the topics discussed at the three-day conference.
But environmental and Western issues should be addressed at all levels, said Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal – from individual households to international conferences. Individual citizens can switch off the lights and turn off the faucets, and policy wonks and experts could churn out new ideas, he said.
“If we’re going to solve this, it’s going to be all hands on deck,” he said, adding that one of his biggest concerns is losing the momentum gained at the conference.
Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. said the current debate among Western states about the country’s resources is the most important in generations.
“If we do it right, we’re going to leave our most important belongings for future generations – air, water, a sense of kindness.”
Ritter said he’s examining the ways Colorado can reduce the state’s carbon-dioxide footprint.
Officials said the conference allowed the Western states to speak to the federal government as one collective voice.
Staff writer Vimal Patel can be reached at 303-954-1638 or vpatel@denverpost.com.
