Western states bring it together for clean energy
In 2006, west coast states came together and agreed to work on solutions to fighting climate change. This week the utility regulators of Washington, Oregon, and California committed to lead on climate again, signing an agreement to promote clean energy resources and infrastructure. 
 
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West coast map
Utility regulators play a critical role in guiding utilities to act in their customers’ best interest, which includes protecting us all from risky investments in fossil fuels. In light of deep cuts on scientific climate research and rollbacks of environmental regulations that protect public health, Washington’s UTC Chairman David Danner organized his fellow utility regulators from California and Oregon to sign a new memorandum of understanding. 
 
The agreement ensures that the three states will coordinate and focus on work that advances energy efficiency, transportation electrification, and the effectiveness and use of renewable energy. This coordination will be particularly important now, as Washington's UTC updates important rules around how utilities make resource decisions, analyzes the role of utilities in facilitating rooftop solar and energy efficiency, and sets up the structure for utility investments in transportation electrification.
 
The electricity sector is regional, so our three states’ regulators can help craft innovative solutions for clean energy and help create effective frameworks for electrifying the transportation sector. Working as a group, our states will go further together than any one of us can by ourselves. We look forward to seeing the products of this work as we continue the transition to a clean energy economy.

Author Bio

Kelly Hall

Washington State Director , Climate Solutions

Kelly is responsible for guiding policy development and building integrated communications, advocacy and government affairs strategy to foster a clean energy economy in Washington.   Most recently she was the Washington Senior Policy Manager for Climate Solutions.

Kelly brings years of experience in the utility sector from her previous work at Renewable Northwest, where designed and advocated for policy and regulatory frameworks to expand renewable energy penetration in the Pacific Northwest.  Having previously spent time as a Probation Officer in Indiana and a Volunteer Coordinator in Argentina before a significant career transition, it wasn’t until taking a course on the ethics of climate change that her career path and passions converged into action on climate.  She sees a strong connection between climate change and many of the national and global inequities, and brings her diverse array of experiences and passion for addressing the climate crisis together to inform her policy thinking. 

Kelly graduated with an M.P.A. from the University of Washington with certificates in Environmental Management and Climate Science in 2014.  While in school, she held positions with the Climate Impacts Groups, U.S. EPA Region 10, and the PNW Smart Grid Demonstration Project, which provided her with a foundation of climate and energy experience. 

In her free time, Kelly enjoys finding new adventurous hikes, wandering around the state on a bike, and sipping on Washington’s finest wines.   

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