Elizabeth Daigneau is GOVERNING's managing editor.
E-mail: edaigneau@governing.comTwitter: @governing
Idea Center
Making Clean Energy Pay
Michigan's state programs dealing with energy -- everything from Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified construction to the development of biofuels and hybrid power -- is being folded into the Department of Labor and Economic Growth, which will be renamed the Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth.
Renewable energy and energy efficiency industries have the potential to generate more than $4.5 trillion in revenues and create 40 million jobs in the United States by 2030. For Michigan, growing its energy sector is a way to reverse over a decade of job losses. To that end, state programs dealing with energy -- everything from Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified construction to the development of biofuels and hybrid power -- is being folded into the Department of Labor and Economic Growth, which will be renamed the Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth. By bringing these various efforts together under one roof, Michigan is aiming to eliminate redundancies among state departments and "create an efficient alignment of all the state's tools and resources to focus with laser-like precision on leading the nation in the new evolving energy sectors." The realigned DELEG will help facilitate development of advanced technologies used to develop electric cars and metal fabrication, which is critical to the state's efforts to revitalize its auto industry. The consolidated department was established by executive order, and went into effect Dec. 28.
If you enjoyed this post, subscribe for updates.
Twitter: @governing
Columns
- A Third Way for Public Pensions: Adjustable Pension Plans
- Defined-benefit plans put all the risk on states and localities; defined-contribution plans put it all on employees. Now there's a new approach to risk sharing.
- Bike Lane Battles Heat Up
- Cities like San Francisco and Chicago are running into resistance from drivers as they try to meet demand for more bike lanes.
Twitter
Facebook
LinkedIn
YouTube
Flickr
RSS
© 2011 e.Republic, Inc. All Rights reserved. |