Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin Receives the 2011 Green Governor of the Year Award

    BROOKLYN, NY, November 18, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin received the 2011 Green Governor of the Year Award at the Opportunity Green business conference at Los Angeles Center Studios. The award was founded by Beautiful Earth Group, a sustainable energy facilities and products developer, and is presented each year by its CEO, Lex Heslin. Following the award, the Governor met with local clean tech business leaders and California State Governor Jerry Brown.

Governor Shumlin received the award for his environmental advocacy, regulatory reforms to support the clean tech industry in Vermont and efforts to clean the state's energy portfolio. Shumlin, a new, young governor, is seen as a rising star in the environmental movement, and a leader who clearly sees the broader linkages of policies implemented in the Green Mountain State.

The Governor was joined on stage by award-winning journalist Simran Sethi for a conversation on his outlook for sustainability in America. Shumlin took on the media's preference for "sound bites versus substance" and the need for the United States to move away from its dependence on fossil fuels - not just because it's good for the environment, but because it's good for business and people's welfare. "I really do think that Vermont has lessons to be learned in both energy efficiency and building renewables, getting off our addiction to oil, and making that an economic development issue and a jobs issue," Governor Shumlin said. "We will continue to fight to resolve these challenges."

Governor Shumlin met with California Governor Jerry Brown later in the day to discuss critical issues facing both of their states, including the advancement of renewable energy. Governor Brown has long been recognized as an environmental leader. He has recently taken action on legislation to protect California's environment and natural resources and has signed a series of bills in support. In April 2011 Governor Brown signed Senate Bill X1-2 into law, requiring all California's utilities to source 33% of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2020.

In July 2011, Governor Shumlin wrote to President Obama and Governor Brown to voice his support for a single, national emission standard for passenger vehicles and light trucks. California and the federal government are in negotiations to harmonize their standards into a single national standard. Vermont is one of thirteen states and the District of Columbia which have voluntarily adopted California's vehicle emissions standards.

Beautiful Earth Group, a sustainable energy company founded in 2008, develops, owns and operates utility-scale solar and wind power generating facilities. The company's first projects are located in the southwestern United States. Beautiful Earth invests exclusively in non-carbon emitting electricity generation and seeks to promote long-term green solutions towards a goal of sustainability. www.beautifulearthgroup.com.

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