Governor Crist Details Florida’s Leadership in Reducing Greenhouse Gases, Addressing Global Climate Change

~~ ~ Announces new solar energy plant in Florida by FPL Group ~ ~~

NEW YORK CITY – Governor Charlie Crist today promoted Florida’s leadership in addressing global climate change to an international audience that included former heads of state, top business executives, preeminent scholars, and representatives of key non-governmental organizations working together to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases. Governor Crist addressed the energy and climate change focus group at the Clinton Global Initiative 2007 Annual Meeting.

“We must wisely use our resources and protect our environment – or future generations will not enjoy them as we do today,” Governor Crist said. “We must take action and make every effort to boldly do our best to do what is right. We have a responsibility to be good stewards of our natural resources and our beautiful surroundings.”

Governor Crist also joined FPL Group Inc. chairman and chief executive officer Lew Hay in announcing FPL Group’s $2.4 billion investment program aimed at increasing the use of solar thermal energy and reducing carbon dioxide emissions. One of the country’s largest electric utilities, FPL is planning to build 300 megawatts of solar generating capacity in Florida. The new facility will avoid nearly 11 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions over a 20-year period. FPL Groups serves customers in 26 states, and its principal subsidiary, Florida Power & Light Company, serves more than 4.3 million customer accounts in Florida.

"It only makes sense that the sunshine state would have a solar power plant,” Governor Crist said. “This plant will serve as an example to other Florida and American companies that alternative energy can work."

At the climate change summit, Governor Crist provided details about Florida’s climate friendly initiatives and three executive orders signed earlier this summer during the Serve to Preserve Summit on Global Climate Change, hosted by the Governor in Miami in July 2007. Focusing on Florida’s actions to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and increase use of renewable energy, Governor Crist emphasized Florida’s leadership role on this important issue.

The three executive orders signed by Governor Crist at the Serve to Preserve Summit on Global Climate Change call for developing a carbon scorecard for all state agencies and making state buildings and vehicles more energy efficient. One establishes the 21-member Governor’s Action Team on Energy and Climate Change that will work to strengthen existing public-private partnerships and voluntary industry participation through programs such as DEP’s Green Lodging Program. The team will develop a plan for achieving targets for statewide greenhouse gas reductions, including policy recommendations and changes to existing law.

Governor Crist has directed the adoption of maximum greenhouse-gas emission levels that will result in a reduction of greenhouse-gas emissions to 2000 levels by 2017, to 1990 levels by 2025, and by 80 percent of 1990 levels by 2050. To achieve these target reductions, Florida will adopt maximum allowable greenhouse-gas emissions for electric utilities as well as the California motor vehicle emission standards of a 22-percent reduction by 2012, and a 30-percent reduction by 2016, pending approval of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency waiver. Florida will also require a 15-percent increase in energy efficiency for new building construction and appliances sold in the state. Governor Crist has also requested that the Public Service Commission adopt a 20 percent Renewable Portfolio Standard, with a strong focus on solar and wind energy.

For more information about Governor Crist’s actions to address global climate change, please visit www.MyFloridaClimate.com or www.flgov.com.