Thursday, October 12, 2006
New Policies Announced During ARC Meeting
Yesterday the Eastern Kentucky Expo Center in Pikeville opened its' doors to the Appalachian Regional Commission’s Fall Conference, a gathering of State and Federal officials focused on improving the 13 states which encompass Appalachia. This morning state co-chair Governor Ernie Fletcher and federal co-chair Anne Pope held a news conference announcing the release of a report on energy use within the mountains. Detailed within that report are ways to promote energy efficiency, increasing the use of alternative energy and ways to support the development of energy resources.
Governor Fletcher, signed executive orders asking for the state's fleet of vehicles to be converted to more energy efficient vehicles, thereby saving money, and an order that all newly constructed schools and universities be built to energy star standards. The Governor heralded the report as a blue print for improving energy policies nationwide.
“I think this blue print not only affects Appalachia but it certainly has a national importance and that’s why we believe this is so significant.”
Federal co-chair Anne Pope also covered what needs to be done to enact many of these new policies.
“We wanted to not only announce this blue print we wanted to bring this blue print to life and nothing does that better than money.”
Preliminary funding for these initiatives was announced as Governor Fletcher and Pope presented a $500,000 check to the Kentucky Highlands Investment Corporation last night and also announced a $400,000 dollar challenge grant this morning. Pope said the ARC would seek additional resources to double what is avialable to “worthwhile energy projects” inside the private sector.
Governor Fletcher, signed executive orders asking for the state's fleet of vehicles to be converted to more energy efficient vehicles, thereby saving money, and an order that all newly constructed schools and universities be built to energy star standards. The Governor heralded the report as a blue print for improving energy policies nationwide.
“I think this blue print not only affects Appalachia but it certainly has a national importance and that’s why we believe this is so significant.”
Federal co-chair Anne Pope also covered what needs to be done to enact many of these new policies.
“We wanted to not only announce this blue print we wanted to bring this blue print to life and nothing does that better than money.”
Preliminary funding for these initiatives was announced as Governor Fletcher and Pope presented a $500,000 check to the Kentucky Highlands Investment Corporation last night and also announced a $400,000 dollar challenge grant this morning. Pope said the ARC would seek additional resources to double what is avialable to “worthwhile energy projects” inside the private sector.
# posted by Justin Mullins @ 4:41 PM 
