State Climate and Energy Program

The State Climate and Energy Partnership Program is a voluntary programme designed to help states review and adopt policies and programmes that effectively integrate clean energy into a low-cost, clean, and reliable energy system. The programme provides tools and analyses to advance state efforts that improve air quality and public health; increase cost-effective energy efficiency and renewable energy; reap economic benefits; and lower greenhouse gases. Related State Climate and Energy Partnership Program resources include the publication of Best Practices Guides. The first US guide to Best Practices, the Clean Energy-Environment Guide to Action: Policies, Best Practices, and Action Steps for States (April 2006) provides in-depth information about 16 clean energy policies and programmes that states are using to meet their energy, environmental, and economic objectives. States have found that these 16 clean energy policies and programmes offer numerous opportunities to save energy, improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve system reliability and security, and enhance economic development. The Guide to Action is intended for use by state energy, environment, and economic policymakers and public utility commissions. The Guide to Action details states experiences with cost-effective clean energy policies and strategies. The guide covers energy efficiency, clean energy supply and clean distributed generation. The Guide to Action is one part of a package of planning, policy, technical, analytical, and information resources EPA provides to help state partners establish and implement sound action plans. EPA also tracks and disseminates successful state clean energy policies and provides opportunities for training and peer exchange. At the time of the guides launch, there existed a "Clean Energy-Environment State Partnership" (launched February 2005) involving 12 states: North Carolina, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. Under the current State and Local Climate and Energy Program, the "State Climate and Energy Partner Network" helps state energy, environmental, and utility staff understand and explore climate change and clean energy policy and programme opportunities. The partner network provides up-to-date information about state activities and fosters communication among state decision makers on climate and energy issues and opportunities. EPA provides technical assistance, analytical tools, and outreach support to state, local, and tribal governments to support development and implementation of a comprehensive clean energy strategy.

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