Mimi Stewart
WASHINGTON — State Rep. Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, traveled to Washington this week along with 46 other state legislators from 30 states to push Congress to pass a national clean energy bill.
Stewart, who is serving as the western region co-chair of the Clean Coalition of Legislators for Energy Action Now, told NMPolitics.net she met with members of the White House staff and U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., on Thursday to outline the group’s mission to help pass the American Clean Energy and Security Act (H.R. 2454), which is perhaps best known for its controversial cap-and-trade provision.
U.S. Rep. Harry Teague, D-N.M., was instrumental in helping the legislation pass the House, but it has yet to be voted on by the Senate.
Stewart said she believes the bill’s passage would create high paying “green” jobs in New Mexico and help reduce the country’s dependence on foreign oil.
New Mexico has been positioned to contribute ideas for nationwide clean energy policy reforms for years. Beyond both national labs’ contributions to the Energy Department, the state has also enacted solar energy legislation to help home owners convert to solar electrical systems and created a Renewable Energy Transmission Authority. The state’s leaders continue to look at other ways to promote clean energy.
New Mexico is one of several states recognized as a model for the country’s new clean energy economy.
Before traveling to Washington, Stewart said in a news release that state legislators play a unique role in clean-energy jobs policies.
“We’re elected representatives of the people. We know the businesses and labor issues in our states,” Stewart said. “Many of us see federal action as the launching pad for the next generation of innovation and prosperity in America.”
While in Washington, the coalition formalized its mission and an action plan for each state.