29th Annual Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers

           WHEREAS, the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers has historically worked to promote reliable, secure and cost-effective energy supplies for the region; and

          WHEREAS, the New England states and Eastern Canadian provinces have close historical and economic ties in the energy sector and have, in the past, cooperated on energy matters; and

          WHEREAS, the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers wish to reinforce and expand their cooperative efforts on energy matters; and

          WHEREAS, energy, including natural gas, is a fundamental component to the future prosperity and overall competitiveness of the region; and

          WHEREAS, natural gas is anticipated to continue to represent significant energy demand growth in the region over the next five to ten years and beyond; and

          WHEREAS, expansion of the region’s supply options and delivery infrastructure for natural gas will be required to meet growing natural gas demand in the region on a timely basis; and

          WHEREAS, the need for reliable and economic solutions to natural gas supply issues can effectively be resolved through joint regional planning and cooperation; and

          WHEREAS, the Northeast International Committee on Energy was established in 1978 to monitor and act upon common energy issues, including natural gas developments and resource and infrastructure development, in the northeast region.

          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers, where appropriate, jointly coordinate and facilitate regional strategies and a cooperative approach to addressing energy issues; and

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers recognize that increased market competition and influences on external natural gas supply may require a broadly based regional response to meet growing natural gas demand that may include regional fuel and supply diversity strategies, energy conservation and efficiency initiatives and secure supply solutions including undeveloped natural gas resources available within the region; and

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Northeast International Committee on Energy implement a monitoring program that identifies challenges and opportunities for the natural gas and related energy sectors and, as part of the program, engage representatives from industry and government in ongoing discussions to more fully realize sector issues and the perspectives of the various interested parties in the region; and

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Northeast International Committee on Energy regularly report the results and findings of its monitoring program to the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers. 

Adopted at the 29^th Annual Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers, St. John’s, NL, August 29, 2005.

Danny Williams
Premier of Newfoundland & Labrador
Co-chair

Donald L. Carcieri
Governor of Rhode Island
Co-chair