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Governors Accord Comes Together to Back Clean Power

Just one week after the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 4-3 decision, moved to stay President Barack Obama's so-called Clean Power Plan, 17 governors joined to back the plan.

(TNS) -- 17 governors across the U.S. on Tuesday pledged their support for an energy future that curbs greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide.

The governors vowed to move their states forward toward reducing fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, that are blamed for the greenhouse gases that most scientists say are causing climate change.

The accord was announced just one week after the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 4-3 decision, moved to stay President Barack Obama's so-called Clean Power Plan that ordered reductions in the use of fossil fuels, especially coal used to generate electricity.

While the future of the federal plan remains unclear, especially after the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia over the weekend, the so-called "Governors' Accord for a New Energy Future" was promoted as moving the 17 states ahead on the same course no matter what happens to the federal plan.

Many of the states, including Minnesota, were in fact well on their way to meeting the goals of the federal plan — mostly by converting from coal-fired power plants to natural gas, wind, solar and other renewable energy sources.

Together the 17 states account for 40 percent of the U.S. population. In their announcements Tuesday, several governors stressed cooperation to increase renewable fuel construction projects that create new jobs.

"With this agreement, governors from both parties have joined together and committed themselves to a clean energy future," California Gov. Jerry Brown said in a statement. "Our goal is to clean up the air and protect our natural resources."

The governors pledged to modernize energy infrastructure, encourage clean transportation options, plan for a transition away from fossil fuels, work together to make policy changes and secure a strong energy future.

"The states have long been leading the way on clean energy and clean cars, and this announcement shows they will continue to do so," said Rob Sargent of the group Environment America, in a statement. "While the court may have temporarily blocked the Clean Power Plan, it can't block progress toward wind and solar energy, affordable electric vehicles, and a more modern and efficient electric grid. Kudos to these governors for pledging to forge a path forward for climate progress and clean air."

In addition to Minnesota, governors included in the coalition are from California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia.

By contrast, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker on Monday ordered state agencies not to do any work toward the federal rules that would have required Wisconsin utilities to cut carbon emissions from power plants.

"Clearly, this rule exceeds the president's authority and would place an undue burden on the Wisconsin ratepayers and manufacturers," Walker said in a statement when he released the executive order.

©2016 the Duluth News Tribune (Duluth, Minn.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.