The NGA Governors’ Advisors Energy Policy Institute is a unique event that brings together governors’ energy policy staff to share energy policy solutions, learn from national experts, and participate in peer-to-peer exchanges.
Virtual Event – June 22, June 24, July 13-15, 2021
Pre-Meeting: New Advisors Bootcamp (June 22)
Welcome & Opening Remarks
- Jessica Rackley, Program Director, NGA Center for Best Practices (NGA Center)
State Introductions
- What policy areas are you responsible for in your role?
- What have been your top areas of focus so far?
- What challenges and successes have you experienced in your role so far?
- What is an area where NGA and your peers can particularly assist you?
Moderator: Jessica Rackley, Program Director, NGA Center
Perspectives from Veteran Peers
Veteran energy policy advisors shared best practices, challenges and lessons learned from their experience.
- Anne Vogel, Deputy Policy Director and Energy Advisor, Office of Ohio Governor Mike DeWine
- Jeremy Tarr, Senior Advisor for Climate Change Policy, Office of North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper
- Jane Cohen, Director, Governor’s Office of Climate Action and the Green Economy, Office of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy
Moderator: Jessica Rackley, Program Director, NGA Center
Federal Partner Introductions
Introductions from Department of Energy offices:
- Brandi Martin, Program Manager, DOE Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, & Emergency Response (CESER) | Presentation
- Joyce Kim, Program Manager, DOE Office of Electricity (OE) | Presentation
- Amy Kidd, Acting Manager, State Energy Program, DOE EERE, Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs Office (WIP) | Presentation
- Jon Carmack, Senior Technical Advisor, DOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)
Moderator: Dan Lauf, Program Director, NGA Center
State Discussion & Wrap-Up
In this session advisors connected with other colleagues and organizations working on energy issues who may serve as a resource.
- What information was the most helpful?
- What questions do you still have about the role?
- How best can NGA support your work?
Moderator: Dan Lauf, Program Director, NGA Center
Governors’ Advisors Energy Policy Institute
June 24 & July 13-15, 2021 | Download Agenda
State Exchange and Federal Policy Update (June 24)
Welcome & Opening Remarks
- Daniel Lauf, Program Director, NGA Center for Best Practices (NGA Center)
State Introductions and Updates
State attendees introduced themselves and provided brief updates highlight recent energy policy developments and ongoing Gubernatorial priorities.
- What are your Governor’s energy policy priorities?
- What energy policy challenges are you responding to?
- What questions do you have for NGA or your state peers?
Moderator: Timothy Schoonhoven, Policy Analyst, NGA Center
Energy Developments Overview
Energy markets are at a key inflection point. The new administration is pushing for an energy transition to clean energy and reduced emissions. Renewable energy incentives and reduced costs are expected to make clean energy investments more competitive. A presentation on these energy shifts preceded an open state discussion.
- Speaker: Stanley Porter, Vice Chairman, U.S. Energy, Resources and Industrials, Deloitte Consulting
- Moderator: Jessica Rackley, Program Director, NGA Center
Federal Stimulus, Infrastructure Funding, and Other News from the Hill
- Alex Whitaker, Legislative Director, NGA Office of Government Relations
Updates from U.S. Department of Energy Leadership
Officials from the U.S. Department of Energy joined the meeting to discuss agency priorities, updates, and new state-focused resources, followed by Q&A.
- Puesh Kumar, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, DOE Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response | Presentation
- Patricia Hoffman, Acting Assistant Secretary and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, DOE Office of Electricity
- Dr. Kathryn Huff, Acting Assistant Secretary and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, DOE Office of Nuclear Energy
Moderator: Daniel Lauf, Program Director, NGA Center
Clean Energy and Climate (July 13)
Introductions
Speaker: Jessica Rackley, Program Director, NGA Center
Opening Keynote: Achieving Clean Energy Goals
Over sixteen governors have established net zero-carbon generation goals and the Biden Administration has set a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions nationwide by 50 percent below 2005 levels by 2030. This opening keynote will provide an overview of strategies that states across the U.S. can pursue, including the role of specific technologies, to help meet state goals along with federal objectives.
Speaker: Emily Wimberger, Climate Economist, Rhodium Group |Presentation
Moderator: Matt Rogotzke, Policy Analyst, NGA Center
Financing the Energy Transition
An expert from Bank of America will discuss energy sector financing trends. Bank of America recently announced a new environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goal. The Bank plans on helping deploy $1 trillion by 2030 to accelerate the transition toward a low-carbon, sustainable future. This keynote will discuss how the financial sector can work with states to help meet their clean energy and environmental goals.
Speaker: Karen Fang, Head of Global Sustainable Finance, Bank of America
Moderator: Jessica Rackley, Program Director, NGA Center
Planning and Policy Strategies to Achieve Near-Term State Goals
In this session industry experts and states will discuss technology options and policy strategies to electricity sector decarbonization goals and identify priority pre-2030 actions. Experts will explore topics such as what can be done policy and regulatory-wise from governor’s offices to spur this clean energy transition. Topics may include tax policy changes to incentivize clean energy investments, streamlining siting and permitting requirements, and regional partnerships to quicken the pace of adoption and buildout out the necessary infrastructure such as transmission upgrades.
- Reice Haase, Senior Policy Advisor, Office of North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum | Presentation
- Marcia Burkey, CFO, TerraPower | Presentation
- Brian Ross, Vice President, Renewable Energy, Great Plains Institute | Presentation
Moderator: Jessica Rackley, Program Director, NGA Center
Governor Impact: State Case Study
This session will include a case study from a state considering multiple pathways, including from a variety of state agencies, to achieve climate and decarbonization objectives. For example, from an environmental justice, workforce, research & development, and other angles.
Speaker: Trieste Lockwood, Senior Policy Advisor, Office of Governor Ralph Northam, Virginia
Moderator: Matt Rogotzke, Policy Analyst, NGA Center
State and International Areas for Collaboration
This closing session will address the Biden Harris-Administration’s climate policy and technology goals and plans from both domestic and international perspectives.
Speaker: Andrew Light, Senior Advisor, Office of International Affairs, DOE
Moderator: Jessica Rackley, Program Director, NGA Center
Energy Resilience and Security (July 14)
Welcome and Opening Remarks
Dan Lauf, Program Director, NGA Center for Best Practices
Cybersecurity Briefing (States Only)
Energy companies have seen a marked increase in cybersecurity threats and attempted attacks. Underscored by the recent Colonial Pipeline outage, it is important that Governors have situational awareness when threats may have adverse impacts on energy supply. In this session, an energy cybersecurity expert will provide an in-depth, unclassified briefing on the major threats facing the energy sector and actions states can consider to prepare for potential energy sector cyberattacks.
- Ben Deering, Chief, Analysis and Collection Advancement Group, National Counterintelligence and Security Center, Office of the Director of National Intelligence
- Jonathan Bransky, Director Threat Intelligence, Corporate Intelligence and Security, Dominion Energy
- Jonathan Nuñez, Commander, Cybersecurity Integration Center, California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services
Moderator: Brandi Martin, SLTT Program Manager, Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response, U.S. Department of Energy
Energy Resilience Funding and FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Program
From hurricanes to floods, polar vortexes to wildfires, and cyber-attacks to public health emergencies, the past year has underscored the varied threats jeopardizing energy security in the United States. The preparedness discussion is shifting from emergency response to pre-disaster mitigation and Governors are taking a leadership role in energy and critical infrastructure investments. In this section, participants will learn about how FEMA’s BRIC program can be leveraged to fund energy resilience measures.
Speaker: Camille Crain, BRIC Section Chief, Federal Emergency Management Agency | Presentation
Moderator: Matt Rogotzke, Policy Analyst, NGA Center
Energy Security: Lessons to be Learned from the Last Year
In this session, speakers will discuss some of the impactful events that impacted energy supply from the past year: wildfires in the west, the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack, and price spikes and outages following a polar vortex in the southern United States. Speakers will provide overviews of these incidents, discuss their applicability to other regions in the country, and highlight actions Governors can take to mitigate these threats in the future.
- Letha Tawney, Commissioner, Oregon Public Utility Commission
- Ben Bolton, Energy Programs Administrator, Office of Energy Programs, Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation
- Brad Viator, Vice President, External Affairs, Edison Electric Institute
Moderator: Dan Lauf, Program Director, NGA Center
Energy Workforce, Economic Development, and Recovery (July 15)
Introduction to the Day
Jessica Rackley, Program Director, NGA Center
Opening Keynote: The Energy Workforce of the Future
This opening keynote will cover energy workforce opportunities and considerations for communities significantly impacted by the transition away from traditional fossil fuel industry jobs. Activities by the White House Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plan Communities and Economic Revitalization will be discussed, including a recent report with initial recommendations, catalyzing investment and engaging stakeholders and upcoming listening sessions in communities around the nation.
Speaker: Dr. Brian Anderson, Ph.D., Director, DOE National Energy Technology Lab Executive Director, Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization | Presentation
Moderator: Timothy Schoonhoven, Policy Analyst, NGA Center
Energy Job Opportunities – Growth Sectors & Emerging Areas
This session will provide an overview of the fastest growing sectors for clean energy jobs and analyze COVID-19 impacts to energy job growth. New Mexico will also discuss state planning and partnership efforts to support the state’s energy industry. Those efforts include elevating clean energy in a Comprehensive Statewide Economic Development Strategy.
- Sandra Purohit, Director of Federal Advocacy, E2 | Presentation
- Alyssa Latuchie, Clean Energy Economist, Energy Conservation and Management Division, New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department | Presentation
- Felicia DePaula, Program Specialist, New Mexico Economic Development Department | Presentation
Moderator: Jessica Rackley, Program Director, NGA Center
Ensuring a Just Energy Transition
Expert panelists during this session will discuss what policymakers can do to ensure that their state’s energy transition is equitable and includes job training, education, and other opportunities for communities that have been traditionally dependent on energy jobs. This session will focus on opportunities for states to support just energy transitions in communities that have been reliant on fossil-based jobs, including regional and local planning considerations, and community and partner engagement strategies.
- Cindy Winland, Principal, Community Transition Planning
- Wade Buchanan, Director, Colorado Office of Just Transition, Colorado Department of Labor and Employment
Moderator: Timothy Schoonhoven, Policy Analyst, NGA Center
Workforce Development: Education & Retraining
Expert panelists will discuss challenges, opportunities, and best practices for preparing the energy workforce. This session will consider the skills needed to build a competitive and future-looking clean technology manufacturing workforce, leverage digital tools and technologies, and address other energy issues like cyber preparedness.
- Lisa Waters, Vice President of Human Resources, Schneider Electric | Presentation
- Dan Conant, Founder and CEO, Solar Holler | Presentation
Moderator: Amanda Winters, Program Director, Postsecondary, NGA Center
What Governors Can Do – Policy Solutions
Governors often make decisions on how federal stimulus dollars can best be used to support their communities. The economic downturn in many parts of the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic caused certain energy sector job losses and hurt communities heavily reliant on these jobs. This session will focus on the Wyoming Energy Rebound Program that used federal stimulus funds to keep Oil & Gas workers employed during the pandemic. This session will touch on potential actions for governors and their staff to consider when addressing future short-term emergencies or making long-term strategic workforce investments.
Speaker: Tom Kropatsch, Deputy Supervisor, Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission
Moderator: Jessica Rackley, Program Director, NGA Center
