Nevada’s Republican governor will convene the first meeting of his long-awaited energy task force Tuesday, going against the GOP leadership’s latest call for all states to stop work on the Obama administration’s climate rules.
Gov. Brian Sandoval’s “New Energy Industry Task Force” is trying to address a number of energy issues the state faces, including compliance with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan and solar energy development.
The task force is seen by proponents as providing leadership for the western states, moving clean energy into focus ahead of primary elections in the West.
“Nevada was already well on the road to compliance with proposed federal regulations concerning carbon emission rate reductions” when the Supreme Court halted the regulations, Sandoval said last month. “This task force will work with the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection and other stakeholders to determine the best path forward for our state, a uniquely Nevadan solution that balances energy efficiency, economic development and environmental stewardship.”
The Clean Power Plan requires states to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by a third by 2030. Thirty states, including Nevada, are suing the agency over the rule, calling the plan illegal under the Clean Air Act. The Supreme Court agreed with states last month to halt the regulation until all judicial review has concluded.
“The Task Force will be making recommendations for the state to consider with regard to future EPA compliance issues, but more importantly to do the right thing for the people of Nevada,” Sandoval said.
On Monday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., sent a letter to all states to stop compliance with EPA climate regulations, given last month’s stay by the high court. He said the court stay freezes all deadlines and the responsible course would be to not invest resources to comply with the “illegal” regulations.
But as far as proponents of the task force are concerned, Sandoval doesn’t appear to believe there is a problem in discussing the Clean Power Plan. It’s a decision that could reverberate across the West, observers say.
Nevada’s Republican attorney general, Adam Paul Laxalt, said his state can manage compliance with the Clean Power Plan, but he sees the plan eventually harming the broader economy.
Rebecca Wagner, former member of the Nevada public utility commission, says the task force has the opportunity to become a “focal point” in the West to help other states in the region deal with their energy challenges, including the Clean Power Plan.
Dealing with these challenges can be a “pretty daunting task to grapple with, but one that will pay dividends,” Wagner said on a call with reporters Monday.
The New Energy Industry Task Force will primarily advise Sandoval’s Office of Energy on ways to promote renewable and distributed energy resources, such as rooftop solar and the policies needed to make renewable energy affordable.
“There are few more critical issues to Nevada’s future than clean and renewable energy,” Sandoval said. “Not only does this sector drive many economic development opportunities, but it also helps us improve the quality of life for many Nevadans by helping keep our air clean, water fresh, and allows us to explore our unlimited potential in the wealth of renewables Nevada has to offer.”
The task force is expected to issue its finding and recommendation, including new legislative proposals, by early 2017.
