A Letter From the Governor

Dear Readers,

Pennsylvania has long been one of our nation’s leading energy producers and as such, we have played a key role in fueling the growth of industry in America during the 19th and 20th centuries. Today, we’re still an energy leader, but our reputation is now one of innovation in terms of how energy is produced and how it’s used.

Pennsylvania is among the top tier of states working to develop and deploy alternative and renewable energy sources. These industries are helping the commonwealth break its addiction to foreign oil and foster an advanced “green economy” that has generated more than $1 billion in private investment in projects that have created 3,500 jobs for our hardworking men and women.

And this is just the beginning. Under legislation I signed into law in 2008, we will be able to better compete with other states and nations for more cutting-edge energy technology projects that promise to create thousands of new jobs in an industry that’s growing rapidly.

Additionally, Pennsylvania now has one of the most ambitious laws in the nation for conserving energy and using it more efficiently. Using less energy is good for our citizens and businesses because it can save them money, and it’s good for our environment because it means less pollution that contributes to unhealthy air and global climate change.

Given the challenging economic times facing America now, we need to make a shift toward clean, renewable energy sources and we need to dramatically slow the annual increase in energy demand. Bringing more clean energy generation like wind and solar online and making sure our homes and office buildings are more energy efficient will revitalize our economy. This approach will create new jobs and keep more of our energy dollars in the United States rather than going overseas to oil-rich nations. It’s an investment in our future that we must make today.

Sincerely,

Edward G. Rendell
Governor