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Cleanup Crew

Tribune photo by JIM REED

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist met with fellow governors, from left, Brian Schweitzer of Montana, Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota and Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas, in Tampa for a two-day summit on alternative fuels and cleaner vehicles. Pawlenty, chairman of the National Governors Association, said states can play a greater role in the transition to clean energy than the federal government. Officials from about 40 states attended.

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By RUSSELL RAY, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 14, 2007

Updated: 12/13/2007 09:12 pm

TAMPA - It's an issue that has dogged Gov. Charlie Crist since last summer.

Since mandating the increased use of renewable energy, Crist has been pressured by Florida's business leaders who say Florida lacks the renewable resources, including wind and solar, to meet the governor's goal.

On Thursday, Crist responded to the criticism as he sat down with the governors of Montana, Minnesota and Kansas to discuss the need for states to take the lead in developing alternative fuels, increasing the use of renewable energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

"The wind doesn't blow in Florida? That's an interesting concept," Crist said. "Anywhere from Jacksonville all the way down to Key West it blows about 24/7."

Crist also pointed to Florida Power & Light's plan to build the world's largest solar power plant in South Florida, a $2.5 billion, 300-megawatt project scheduled for completion in 2011.

"I dismiss the notion that there's no sun in the Sunshine State," Crist said. "I find that almost comical."

Crist, a Republican, joined Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a Republican, Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, a Democrat, and Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, a Democrat, in Tampa for a two-day summit on alternative fuels and cleaner vehicles. The meeting, hosted by the National Governors Association, brought state officials from about 40 states to Tampa to begin drafting a series of energy pacts for states to sign.

Pawlenty, chairman of the National Governors Association, said states can play a greater role in the transition to clean energy than the federal government. "We tend to be more nimble and less partisan than the federal government," he said.

The National Governors Association, through an initiative designed to bring states together on the importance of developing alternative transportation fuels and cleaner energy, wants to send a message to Congress that national standards for renewable energy should be set.

"We hope that will inspire the U.S. Congress," Pawlenty said.

In Minnesota, regulators have approved a plan that would require all gasoline sold in the state to contain 20 percent ethanol, Pawlenty said. The proposal is awaiting approval from the Environmental Protection Agency.

"The standards that are being discussed in Congress are already being met and exceeded by many states in the country," Sebelius said.

"Corn-based ethanol is not the solution for the whole country," Pawlenty said. "There isn't going to be a one-size fits all. It will depend on the local geography, the local resources, the local political culture," he said. "So different things will be used and applied in different states."

Schweitzer said the technology exists to significantly increase the use of renewable energy across the United States. The only question is America's commitment to clean energy, Schweitzer said.

"It's a question of resolve, not resource," he said.

Ironically, the U.S. Senate on Thursday eliminated a provision in a new energy bill that would have required electric utilities to generate 15 percent of electricity from renewable sources by 2020, a major victory for utilities dependent on coal-fired power.

In July, Crist signed executive orders requiring utilities to generate 20 percent of their electricity from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, though no deadline has been set.

The governor also mandated that emissions of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas linked to global warming, from power plants be lowered to 2000 levels by 2017, to 1990 levels by 2025, and to 80 percent of 1990 by 2050. "We've set some ambitious goals," Crist said.

The Florida Chamber of Commerce, the state's largest business group, prefers incentives over mandates.

"There are a lot of people who have the governor's ear that are saying mandates are the only way to force this to happen," said Mark Wilson, the chamber's executive vice president.

After the roundtable discussion, Crist said his support of nuclear power hasn't diminished even though the cost of building nuclear reactors has soared well beyond early estimates. Nuclear power plants produce no air emissions and account for about 14 percent of the electricity generated in Florida.

"Having diversity is the smartest thing you can do," Crist said.

Reporter Russell Ray can be reached at (813) 259-7870 or rray@tampatrib.com.

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