Border power pact proposed
http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/story/10322912p-11243...
By Margaret Talev
August 10, 2004
SANTA FE, N.M. - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger called Monday on the governors of the six Mexican border states to team up with California and other
Western states on power production and to commit to a greater reliance on renewable energy.
"All of our energy decisions make a difference, from a single light bulb in a child's room to the biggest power plant in our region," Schwarzenegger
told Mexican leaders in his keynote address at opening ceremonies for the 22nd Border Governors Conference.
Schwarzenegger laid out a three-point plan in which California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas would pool information with the Mexican states of Baja
California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas and Coahuila to estimate combined long-term energy needs.
He also called on the states to develop a unified plan for energy production, distribution and marketing, "which puts the most reliable and affordable
sources of all types of energy within reach of every one of our citizens and businesses."
Finally, he called for a coordinated energy conservation campaign, asking Mexican leaders to embrace a bipartisan plan adopted earlier this year by
the Western Governors Association.
That plan, promoted by Schwarzenegger, a Republican, and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a Democrat, commits to shifting away from oil and coal over
the next two decades and greatly increasing Western states' reliance on renewable energy, using tax breaks and other incentives.
"We will end up with cleaner air, cleaner water, an improved economy and a more diversified and stable power supply," Schwarzenegger told Mexican
leaders.
"And these benefits will not stop at the border. They cannot. Not when our regions and our people are so intertwined."
Administration officials said the Mexican government, not individual Mexican states, controls most energy policy, but Schwarzenegger indicated he
wanted governors to collectively pressure national leaders to adopt conservation and renewable energy standards.
Environmental groups applauded Schwarzenegger's sentiments but said they want to see him doing more to try to change the current dynamic between
Mexico and U.S. border states when it comes to power.
Already, two power plants that operate in Baja but provide power to Southern California have come under fire by conservationists who charge that the
energy companies have built south of the border in order to skirt U.S. environmental laws.
Meanwhile, two companies are pursuing plans to build liquefied natural gas terminals in Mexico, which also would generate power for California. Top
Schwarzenegger advisers recently toured overseas plants with energy executives on a trip paid for by the industry. Critics say the technology poses
environmental and security risks.
"His statements set good groundwork on very important points - how do we work to protect the environment and the citizenry of the border?" said Aaron
Quintanar of conservation group Wildcoast.
"But he's got to follow through." Otherwise, Quintanar said, "There's a danger of Governor Schwarzenegger laying the political groundwork to set up
the northern Mexican states as kind of resource centers for California and other border state markets."
Kristin Casper, an energy advocate with Greenpeace, said the Western Governors agreement Schwarzenegger and Richardson are touting is a start but
falls short. And she urged Schwarzenegger to speak out against liquefied natural gas production in Mexico.
"I applaud the governor for moving forward on renewable energy, but right now U.S. corporations aren't moving forward with true renewable energy in
Baja."
Governors are expected to adopt at least some of Schwarzenegger's recommendations before the conference ends today. They also are scheduled to discuss
border issues dealing with water resources, border security, pollution and trade.
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