25th Annual Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers

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

WHEREAS, changes currently underway in energy markets, including electric restructuring and development of new energy sources and infrastructure, will significantly impact the region; and

WHEREAS, recent fluctuations in gasoline and oil prices across North America have prompted jurisdictions to review storage capacities and shortage contingency measures; and

WHEREAS, the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers agrees that global warming, given its harmful consequences to the environment and the economy, is a joint concern for which a regional approach to strategic action is required;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Conference directs its Northeast International Committee on Energy (NICE) to continue to monitor developments in the energy markets; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Conference adopt a letter to U.S. Secretary of Energy, Bill Richardson, recommending that the United States Department of Energy work with the NICE and the states and provinces to continue to develop and maintain an "open" integrated North American electricity market, and to clarify the treatment of large-scale hydro-electric power under federal electric restructuring legislation; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the NICE will collaborate with the NEG/ECP Committee on the Environment, the Province of New Brunswick and the Premier's Round Table on Environment and Economy to conduct a workshop in the winter of 2000-2001 to examine the regional impacts of global warming and regional options for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The NICE will assist the NEG/ECP Committee on the Environment t

   
• evaluate the conclusions and recommendations of the workshop from a strategic and scientific viewpoint, and
   
• present a summary of findings of the meeting and a recommended action plan to the 2001 annual meeting of the NEG/ECP; and    

   

     

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the NICE Committee examine ways to encourage energy conservation, demand-side management programs, and the efficient use of energy in our region, and promote the development of new energy technologies; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT NICE continue to define and develop a graphical computerized database system of energy resources, infrastructure and information in the region, for use by policy makers, energy officials and the public for the region, and that NICE report back on the status of this effort at the next meeting of the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT NICE prepare an informational report, for submission at the next Conference of Governors and Premiers, on key jurisdictional issues related to petroleum products storage capacity and infrastructure.

Adopted at the 25th Annual Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers, July 16-18, 2000.

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