Independence-(y)

__Shawn__ __EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson to Speak at national Renewable Energy Conference__. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 26 Sept. 2006 http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/names/hq_2006-9-26_energy_conference This release discusses the EPA’s role and participation in the 2006 Advancing Renewable Energy conference that was held in October of 2006. The conference brought together professionals from the biofuels, wind, and solar energy industries. Mr. Johnson discussed what the EPA and other federal agencies are doing to advance renewable energy. __EPA’s State and Local Clean Energy Programs – What are State and Local Governments Doing?__ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Clean Energy. 20 March 2007  This Federal EPA site has information directly related to the governments role in strategic implementation of alternative energy sources at all levels of government. This site introduces state and local governments efforts in finding clean energy, cost effectively and in ways that meets citizens growing energy demand in a clean, low-cost, reliable manner. This site further explains EPA’s role and interaction with other levels of government, which includes: technical assistance, analytical tools, and outreach support. My next three information sources go into further detail regarding these government partnerships, they are all brief introductions of policies and programs. __EPA’s State and Local Clean Energy Programs – State Clean Energy Program Activities.__ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Clean Energy. 2 April 2007  This site provides a paragraph summary and a link to 23 different state government clean energy programs. Across the U.S., states are implementing these programs and policies to integrate energy efficiency, renewable energy, and clean distributed energy generation into a clean, low-cost, reliable energy system for their state’s businesses and residents. These programs are divided into five categories: state planning and incentive structures, state lead by example measures, energy efficiency action, energy supply actions, and utility planning and incentive structures. California participates in 15 of the 23 programs, not a bad track record for clean energy efforts! __EPA’s State and Local Clean Energy Programs – Clean Energy-Environment State Partnership__ __Program.__ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Clean Energy. 20 March 2007  This is a voluntary state program headed by the Federal EPA. This program coordinates with state governments to develop and implement cost-effective clean energy and environmental strategies that help further environmental and clean energy goals and achieve public health and economic benefits. This program launched in February 2005 with 11 states, California being one of them. This source has one quick paragraph regarding what the partnering states and the EPA are doing, and how the states benefit. __EPA’s State and Local Clean Energy Programs – Clean Energy-Environment State Partnership__ __Program,__ __California____.__ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Clean Energy. 20 March 2007  This site dives into California’s role in the above mentioned Clean Energy-Environment State Partnership Program. It explains the CA Energy Commissions, CA Public Utility Commission, and the CA Air Resources Board role in the programs. It also contains a link to an 8-page brochure with describes how energy conservation and efficiency are an important resource for meeting its energy needs in a clean, reliable, and low-cost manner. ____________________________