CONCORD - Gov. John Lynch today announced members of a new Climate Change Task Force, including business leaders, environmental leaders, state officials, legislators and community representatives, and charged them with developing a Climate Change Action Plan for the State of New Hampshire. Gov. Lynch established the Task Force through Executive Order.

Gov. Lynch named Department of Environmental Services Commissioner Thomas Burack chairman of the task force.

“Climate change is a serious issue that impacts the health of our citizens, the health of our economy and the health of our environment. We are working hard in New Hampshire to reduce the pollution that causes global warming and climate change. This task force will make sure all voices are heard and represented as we develop and implement a comprehensive strategy for addressing this serious issue and protecting our quality of life here in New Hampshire,” Gov. Lynch said.

Gov. Lynch charged the Task Force with establishing goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and recommending steps New Hampshire can take to meet those goals. Recommendations by the Task Force will also help New Hampshire achieve Gov. Lynch’s goal of ensuring 25 percent of our energy comes from renewable sources by 2025.

The Executive Order directs the Task Force to report back to the Governor by Sept. 1, 2008. The first public meeting of the Task Force will be scheduled in early January.

“This Task Force provides us with an opportunity to develop a roadmap for achieving a future New Hampshire that includes a healthier environment, lower energy costs and a robust economy,” Commissioner Burack said. “We need to address climate change with concrete actions that we can take here in New Hampshire to protect our quality of life for all of our citizens.”

“I believe there should be national action and a national energy policy that addresses these issues, but I also do not believe that New Hampshire can afford to wait for national action - and we are not waiting. We are taking the lead in securing our energy independence and protecting our environment because not only is it the right thing to do for our environment, but also it is the smart thing to do for our future,” Gov. Lynch said.

Gov. Lynch has also called for passage this legislative session of a law implementing the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Under Gov. Lynch, New Hampshire joined other Northeast States in developing the Initiative, a regional effort to cap emissions from power plants. The Task Force will assist the state in its efforts as that Initiative continues to develop.

The Governor’s appointees to the Task Force are:

• Chairman Thomas Burack, Commissioner, Department of Environmental Services
  
• Charlie Bass, former U.S. Congressman
  
• Patricia Carrier, New Hampshire Ball Bearings
  
• Al Lelas, Osram Sylvania
  
• Roland Aube, Iassacson Steel
  
• Gary Long, Public Service Company of New Hampshire
  
• George Gantz, Unitil
  
• William Sherry, National Grid
  
• William Cahill, The Hanover Insurance Group
  
• Daryl Burnett, Nature Conservancy
  
• Jim O’Brien, Granite State Conservation Voters
  
• Will Abbott, Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests
  
• Joe Norton, New Hampshire Wildlife Federation
  
• Cameron Wake, University of New Hampshire
  
• Alice Chamberlain, former policy assistant to Gov. John Lynch
  
• Jameson French, Northland Forest Products
  
• W. Rhett Lamb, City of Keene

Other members of the Task Force include:

• A member of the Public Utilities Commission,
  
• The Public Utilities Consumer Advocate, or designee.
  
• The Director of the Office of Energy and Planning, or designee.
  
• The Commissioner of the Department of Resources and Economic
• Development, or designee.
  
• The Commissioner of the Department of Transportation, or designee.
  
• The Commissioner of the Department of Health and Human Services, or designee from the Division of Public Health.
  
• The Commissioner of the Department of Insurance, or designee.
  
• Two members of the Senate, appointed by the President of the Senate.
  
• Two members of the House of Representatives, appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives.

Executive Order 2007-3