Contents:

1. Summary
2. Victories: Cape Wind and Clean Energy in Washington State
3. UCS Activists in Arizona Pushing for State RPS
4. Don’t Mess with Texas’ Renewable Energy
5. Governor Hoeven of North Dakota Publicly Supports Wind Energy

Summary

With the support of activists throughout the country, the Union of Concerned Scientists was able to help put renewable energy on the ballot in Washington state. UCS is also helping push for new and improved renewable energy standards in several states, fighting to save the country's first offshore wind farm, and supporting the development of wind energy in North Dakota.

Victories: Cape Wind and Clean Energy in Washington State

The nation’s first offshore wind farm overcame another obstacle in June when language giving the governor of Massachusetts the power to veto the project was removed from legislation pending in Congress. Now, thanks in part to the letters from 48,000 UCS activists, the project for 130 turbines off the coast of Cape Cod can continue moving through the normal regulatory process.  UCS activists in Massachusetts took their support for the project an extra—and important—step forward when they sent nearly 700 letters to Senator Ted Kennedy thanking him for giving Cape Wind a ‘second wind.’

On the other side of the country, with the help of volunteers and UCS supporters, the Yes! on I-937 Coalition in Washington state was able to gather 38,370 signatures in the last week of the campaign. This brought the total to 177,879 signatures—17,000 more than the goal! Washingtonians from all walks of life—3,500 of them in fact—talked with their neighbors and collected the needed signatures. This great success gives Washingtonians the opportunity to cast their vote in November for job creation, economic development, energy independence, and a cleaner environment by requiring utilities in the state to purchase energy generated from renewable sources.

UCS Activists in Arizona Pushing for State RPS

Nearly 600 UCS activists called on the Arizona Corporation Commission to boost their renewable portfolio standard (RPS) from 1.1 percent by 2007 to 15 percent by 2025. The emissions reductions created by the RPS would be equivalent to removing one million cars from the road, according to the Vote Solar Initiative. In a promising move, Governor Janet Napolitano recently filled a vacancy on the Corporation Commission by appointing a Republican with a reputation for supporting renewable energy. The group is expected to vote on the proposed standard in the fall and UCS will continue to follow the issue.

Don’t Mess with Texas’ Renewable Energy

In May, UCS activists in Texas sent 570 letters urging the state’s Public Utility Commission to maintain a strong renewable energy requirement. The Texas RPS is one of the most effective and successful in the nation, with nearly 1,800 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy already installed through 2005, but staff at the Public Utility Commission have drafted a proposal that weakens the standard. The issue is moving forward, with publication of the draft regulations and a vote on those rules of implementing Texas’ renewable energy standard in August. UCS continues to monitor the developments on this issue and we will be working to support clean energy with the help of our activists in Texas again soon.

Governor Hoeven of ND Publicly Supports Wind Energy

North Dakota consistently ranks as having the largest wind energy resource in the country. With that in mind, UCS successfully urged Governor Hoeven to endorse practical, bipartisan wind energy proposals recommended by the Western Governor’s Association. There’s more to be done in North Dakota and across the country to move America to a renewable energy economy. By supporting these efforts, UCS activists are helping to build a healthy environment and a safer world.