FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
Sarah Wright, Utah Clean Energy
(801) 363-4046 or Sarah@utahcleanenergy.org
Dan Grossman, Environmental Defense Fund
(303) 887-8206 or dgrossman@edf.org
Bill Midcap, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union
(303) 283-3528 or bill.midcap@rmfu.org
John Nielsen, Western Resource Advocates
(303) 885-8099 or jnielsen@westernresources.org

(Salt Lake City, Utah – June 11, 2009) As the West's Governors head to Park City, Utah for a meeting on the clean energy, climate and water issues confronting the region, a coalition of agricultural, energy and conservation organizations are highlighting the West's progress with online maps of the emerging new clean energy economy at www.cleanenergypioneers.org.

The interactive online maps show new clean energy training programs burgeoning at community colleges across the Rocky Mountain West and pinpoint clean energy businesses across Utah and Colorado.

"These maps provide a picture of how strong leadership on clean energy is growing our region's economy," said John Nielsen, Energy Program Director at Western Resource Advocates. "We can thank our Governors for a lot of the new clean energy jobs and business opportunities we see today."

Also on-line is a profile of the "SunSmart" community program in St. George, Utah that allows residential and commercial users to rent renewable power from a nearby solar array. The website also profiles the farmers in Peetz, Colorado that are realizing greener pastures from land lease payments for new wind projects.

"From Sun Smart communities in St. George to the wind projects in Spanish Fork and Milford to countless businesses advancing energy efficiency, Utah is pioneering clean energy economic opportunities," said Sarah Wright, Executive Director of Utah Clean Energy. "The map showing Utah's clean energy businesses is good news for our economy and good news for our environment."

"The West's clean energy economy is benefiting our rural farming communities from new educational opportunities to new job opportunities," said Bill Midcap, Director of Renewable Energy Development for the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union. "New wind turbines are being manufactured in small agricultural towns and new wind projects are generating revenue for farm families. Community college programs to train the next generation of clean energy experts serve students across the rural West seeking opportunity in the clean energy economy."

"The West is pioneering the new clean energy economy, demonstrating to the nation that we can grow our economy while reducing pollution," said Dan Grossman, Environmental Defense Fund's Rocky Mountain Office Director.

The Western Governors' Association annual meeting begins Sunday, June 14th in Park City, Utah. The meeting will have several briefings on climate, energy and water by leading scientists and national policy-makers including Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley, FERC Chair Jon Wellinghoff, and NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco.

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Utah Clean Energy is a non-profit public interest organization partnering to build the new clean energy economy through policy, regulatory, and educational initiatives. Utah Clean Energy advances renewable energy, energy efficiency, and clean energy technologies in Utah and the West.

Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, is a progressive, grassroots organization dedicated to achieving profitability for family farmers and ranchers, promoting stewardship of land and water resources, delivering safe, healthy food to consumers, and strengthening rural communities through education, legislation, and cooperation.

Environmental Defense Fund, a leading national nonprofit organization, represents more than 500,000 members. Since 1967, Environmental Defense Fund has linked science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships to create breakthrough solutions to the most serious environmental problems.

Western Resource Advocates, protects the West's land, air, and water recognizing that success can only come from working collaboratively with other conservation groups, hunters and fishermen, ranchers, American Indians, and all those who seek a sustainable future for this remarkable part of the country.