Governor Hassan attended a conference of the New England Governors and eastern Canadian Premiers over the course of the weekend. Nameless but not forgotten, a veteran scribe at the Associated Press writes it up for us:
The premiers of the Eastern Canadian provinces and governors of the New England states said Monday that delivering clean energy to this corner of the United States is one of the most important issues facing the region. Energy and economic collaboration were the main topics at a two-day conference between the five premiers and six governors that wrapped up Monday at New Hampshire's Mount Washington Resort. Eastern Canada is rich in hydropower while New England markets are eager to shore up supply and control some of the nation's highest energy costs. The six states have agreed to work together to increase supply and control costs.
In a conference call after the gathering, the leaders stressed that any energy solutions would focus on increased efficiency and protecting the interests of each state and province individually. They said they see the issue of energy as bedrock for fostering greater economic cooperation and growth in the provinces and states . . .
Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy noted that several power generators, including the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant and other conventional plants in Massachusetts, are slated to close in the coming year, adding stress to the energy grid and underscoring the need for cross-border cooperation."New England is a particularly strained region," Malloy said. Malloy and Hassan said the rights and needs of each state and province will guide any decisions about power.
Two contentious topics were also discussed: the proposed Northern Pass transmission lines that would deliver Canadian hydropower through New Hampshire and the prospect of oil derived from tar sands in Alberta that could be transported by pipeline into the United States. The Tar Sands Free Northeast Coalition conducted a protest and the Appalachian Mountain Club submitted a letter protesting Northern Pass.
Tom Marshall, premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, pointed out that hydropower is "safe, reliable and clean" while Hassan said she thinks a compromise is attainable."I think it's quite possible to have excellent and reliable transmission for hydropower without sacrificing our natural beauty and without sacrificing our tourism industry," she said.
Aerospace was one of the topics and was a great platform for discussion of New Hampshire’s efforts in helping one of its fastest growing industries take off. Christopher Wrenn, chairman of the New Hampshire Aerospace and Defense Export Consortium, talked about the organization’s evolution over the past 18 months, including the signing of an MOU last December with AeroMontreal, concluding that the consortium “is poised to do great things.”
Martin LaFleur, a senior director with AeroMontreal, called it a “promising partnership,” in line with his organization’s goal of establishing an aerospace corridor in the northeast. “Our competition isn’t between ourselves,” he said, “but emerging countries.” At the conclusion of the session, the governors and premiers agreed on an economic development resolution. It calls for the NEG/ECP’s coordinating committee to establish a process of identifying challenges to regional economic development and trade, as well as opportunities enhancing the region’s competitiveness.
The economies of the New England states and Eastern Canadian provinces are linked, and further collaboration on economic development and energy will help create jobs, protect our natural resources and improve the economies of all our states and provinces. Our regional partnerships are critical as we work to expand opportunities for the middle class, support job-creating businesses and keep our economy moving in the right direction. This year's sessions were incredibly informative, and I am confident that by focusing on the initiatives we have laid out that together we can ensure a stronger economy.