The Southern Economic Advancement Project has released a report on “State and Local Policies for the South.” In an article about the report, the Washington Post says it offers a roadmap for the South to catch up to the rest of the country.
The Post notes that the report says 9 of the 13 states with no goals for increasing energy from renewables are of in the south. The report calls for states to pass laws requiring utilities to adopt renewable or carbon-free sources of power.
The report says 74 of the 77 coal fired power plants in the South could be replaced by cheaper wind and solar energy by 2025.
The report also calls for cities and counties to enact building codes that require energy efficient buildings, and to expand electric bus and rail networks. States should also give residents financial help to buy electric vehicles.
The South is more vulnerable to climate change, including storms and hurricanes, and higher temperatures and heatwaves will strain the electric grid.
Stacey Abrams, who founded the Southern Economic Advancement Project, said that the protests over the killing of George Floyd underscore the “persistent systemic inequities” that lead lower wealth and communities of color to face a higher burden pollution and more trouble keeping the lights on.
Read the article in the Washington Post.
Read the report from the Southern Economic Advancement Project.
