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Wisconsin attains rising energy star

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In its continuing quest to become more energy efficient the state was awarded for its efforts Wednesday when it was officially recognized as a national "Rising Star."

Environment America recently released a study about energy output in all 50 states.

A state can earn gold, silver or rising star status, decided by renewable electricity standards, the Clean Cars Program, utility energy efficiency programs, energy efficiency standards for appliances and building energy codes.

"Rising Stars" are defined as clean-energy states that have recently undertaken strong actions to promote energy efficiency and the use of renewable sources of energy.

"While we can and should do even more to meet our energy challenges, our leaders in Washington should stop dragging their feet and start dancing with the clean energy stars in the states," Dan Kohler, director of Wisconsin Environment, said in a release. "They can follow the road map provided by the Wisconsin Legislature, and pass a strong energy bill this year that saves energy, saves oil and moves America forward to a new energy future."

Wisconsin is one out of nine states to receive Rising Star status, joined by Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire and New Mexico.

Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton joined Wisconsin Environment to announce the state's honor,

"I think that our economic prosperity depends on making the environment a priority," Lawton said. "We've got to find a way to operate businesses … and maintain a high quality of life through sustainable practices."

Lawton said the importance of responding to global climate change, the need for energy conservation and the need to reduce carbon emissions are all challenges that if successfully undertaken, can yield advantageous results.

"It's also an opportunity to build business that can create jobs as we strive to devise new strategies to defeat this challenge," Lawton said. "It's also the only way we can assure an ongoing prosperous outlook."

The state has taken the most important and bold first step, Lawton said, by setting ambitious goals like to have a higher percentage of reusable energy. 

Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle convened with other Midwestern governors Thursday in Milwaukee to sign an accord, Lawton said.

"This regional accord is to develop strategies to address global climate change with both litigation and adaptation at the regional level," Lawton said. "We have a very active task [with] global warming that is going to be bringing recommendations to us early this spring."

The 2007-09 Wisconsin state budget allocates $15 million in incentives for the development of reusable energy, Lawton said. Environmentalists throughout the state are coming up with  ways to use that money to help the environment, she added.

Lawton said that others can learn from Wisconsin's success that environmental conservation can help grow an economy.

"We even get some sectors of industry that say 'we can't afford to make these changes', but what they are going to find out is, you can't afford not to make these changes," Lawton said. "We strive for a framework for change, this will in the end be better for our environment and businesses."

Kohler was unavailable for comment as of press time.