Most Active Stories
- Obama, Bush (43), Clinton, Bush (41), Carter - together in Oval Office
- Leadership Fight Grinds to Conclusion
- Richards says he's not the "super counter" he thought he was
- New and returning members of the U.S. Senate are sworn in; McConnell heads for record
- Tom Riner is Still Embarrassing Kentucky
- Davis gets U.S. House Ways and Means
- Rookie Mistake, or Something Much Worse?
- Lawmakers elect leaders on first day of session
- Surgeon General Nominee May Be Embarrassing
- Lugar spreads good will in Moscow
- Jefferson County GOP collecting lipstick after Obama’s remark
- TARC employees know how to have fun
- Northup and Yarmuth scheduled to debate four times in KY-3 race
- Rule change on coal debris extracts differences among Kentucky Democrats
- Transition: Considering Kentucky’s U.S. Attorneys
- Clinton wrap-up: Dems pile on McConnell, recorder from incident was 'bug'
- McConnell placed on CREW’s post-election 'embarassing' list
- Incumbents dominate throughout the Bluegrass state
- Polls v. votes: Breaking it down
- Grayson: Tax reform 'is the only real answer' to budget shortfall
Recent Press Releases
- Apr 11 2008
- Apr 10 2008
- Apr 10 2008
Top Tags
PolitickerKY Partners
November 20, 2008 - 3:14pm
News
Beshear hopes for economic boost from energy plan; ties proposals to Obama
By Trey Pollard, PolitickerKY.com ReporterUnveiling new energy initiatives at the state capitol today, Gov. Steve Beshear (D-Lexington) said his plan could create 40,000 jobs in the state.
In what his office touted as the "first-ever" comprehensive energy plan for Kentucky, the state's coal resources are said to play a "central" part in future energy developments while Beshear aimed to make a fraction of the state's energy come from "renewable" sources by 2025.
The 2025 date is the deadline for nearly all of the initiatives proposed by Beshear. By then, the governor said he hopes to reduce greenhouse emissions in the state by 20 percent. In addition, Beshear wants to implement coal-to-gas and carbon sequestration technologies and investigate nuclear power options by 2025.
Biofuels will also provide for 12 percent of motor fuel by 2025, according to Beshear's plan.
All told, Beshear hopes to "triple" renewable energy production to draw 1,000 megawatts of the state's power from those sources.
Kentucky power plants currently produce over 15,000 megawatts of power from a variety of sources.
The governor also wants to push "energy efficiency," which he hopes will "offset" 18 percent of energy demand in the state.
A release from Beshear¹s office said the proposals "are largely in line" with those of President-elect Barack Obama.
"Kentucky can be a national leader in energy technology and production," Beshear said in a statement. "We can help the country move toward greater energy self-reliance. I intend to put us on such a path."
The job growth anticipated by the governor would come "as a result of a booming diversified energy sector," according to Beshear's office - a tone reminiscent of campaign trail speeches by Obama, who often suggested such diversification could provide a boost to the sagging national economy.
Beshear singled out state Rep. Rocky Adkins (D-Sandy Hook) and state Sen. Robert Stivers (R-Manchester) as legislators who had taken the early lead on
the energy initiatives.
The governor said the energy plan is a "framework" for the future and "more
discussion."
Comments
Syndicate
Post new comment