Governors giddy with green

Charlie Crist on Friday signed aggressive measures to cut Florida s greenhouse gas emissions and joined the fast-growing movement of governors throughout the nation seeking to fight global warming. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is spearheading the state-by-state effort to reduce emissions, Crist said, Our actions after all do not end here. While the audience at a two-day summit on climate change applauded under the bright lights and flashing cameras, the real work has yet to be done.

Before Crist signed his name, industry and environmentalists were already jockeying behind the scenes to draft the fine print that will make or break Crist s plan. Crist signed three executive orders setting limits on greenhouse gas emissions, mandating strict emissions limits for cars sold in Florida, requiring energy-efficient construction and forcing utilities to generate 20 percent of their electricity from renewable energy sources. Crist also signed agreements with Britain and Germany to work together to combat global warming, and lay the groundwork for a seamless international carbon market.

He also signaled a willingness to join California s campaign to push the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to allow the states to set higher auto emissions standards than the federal government.

Mike Sole, secretary of the state Department of Environmental Protection, said, The executive orders will likely take us 65 percent of the way there toward achieving Crist s statewide emission-reduction targets. The governor s newly created group, the so-called action team on energy and climate change, will work toward the other 35 percent, he said. The governor hasn t yet named any members, but the group is supposed to have its first meeting within 30 days and its first recommendations by Nov.

Among the questions that have yet to be answered: Will nuclear and so-called clean coal technologies be counted among renewable energy sources? Will state legislators have the political will to add teeth and penalties to Crist s goals? Laurie Macdonald, with Defenders of Wildlife, joked that the ink wouldn t even be dry before businesses would bombard Tallahassee, trying to weaken the rules.

However, she said, The important thing is the political atmosphere has changed. David Guest, attorney for Earth Justice, said industry experts will confuse the issue and convince regulators that Crist s goals are impossible and too expensive for Floridians. Jeff Lyash, president and CEO of Progress Energy Florida in St.

Petersburg, said it would be expensive, and probably impossible, to meet Crist s 20 percent renewable target with just solar, wind and biofuels. But if you add nuclear into that, I believe it s doable, Lyash said. Progress Energy announced plans this year to build a nuclear power plant in Levy County.

FPL Group CEO Lewis Hay III, whose Miami-based Florida Power Light is the state s largest electric utility, said he supports Crist s goals. But, he said warily, It s good to have stretch goals. As the summit closed Friday, Holly Binns of Environment Florida looked around the hotel ballroom at the scattered press releases and few remaining stragglers.

I think of this as the honeymoon, she said. Monday, the real work begins. Highlights of Crist s plan - Greenhouse gases must be reduced to 2000 levels by 2017, to 1990 levels by 2025, and to 80 percent of 1990 levels by 2050.

- Florida s building codes must be revised to require construction to be 15 percent more fuel efficient by 2009. - The Public Service Commission must write rules by Sept. 1 requiring utilities to produce 20 percent of their power from renewable resources.

- State buildings must meet strict energy-efficiency targets and government fleet vehicles achieve greater fuel economy. - Consumer products, like appliances, sold in Florida by 2009 must operate with 15 percent greater efficiency. - The Florida Governor s Action Team on Energy and Climate Change, gubernatorial appointees from a broad range of backgrounds, would be created, and include industry, environmental groups, academics and government officials.

- Strict emissions standards would be set for vehicles sold in Florida and, with California, the state would lobby the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to allow states to set stricter rules than the federal government.

Asjylyn Loder can be reached at or (813) 225-3117. Craig Pittman can be reached at or (727) 893-8530. Read our guidelines for comments Charlie Crist on Friday signed aggressive measures to cut Florida s greenhouse gas emissions and joined the fast-growing movement of governors throughout the nation seeking to fight global warming.