WHEREAS, equitable access to clean, affordable, and reliable energy is a crucial piece of America’s energy future; and
WHEREAS, in 2021, renewable energy sources accounted for nearly 20.1 percent of electricity generation, and 12.2 percent of energy consumption, in the United States; and
WHEREAS, Governor Cooper signed into law the 2021 bipartisan energy legislation, “Energy Solutions for North Carolina”, which requires regulated electric utilities to reduce carbon dioxide emissions 70 percent below 2005 levels by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050; and
WHEREAS, in January 2022 Governor Cooper reaffirmed a long-standing commitment to supporting the clean energy economy by issuing Executive Order No. 246, which established new science-based greenhouse gas reduction goals and directed numerous actions to achieve those goals in a manner that centers environmental justice and equity and maximizes economic benefits for all North Carolinians; and
WHEREAS, Governor Cooper’s Executive Order No. 218, “Advancing North Carolina’s Economic and Clean Energy Future with Offshore Wind” establishes offshore wind development targets of 2.8 gigawatts of offshore wind energy resources off the North Carolina coast by 2030 and 8.0 gigawatts by 2040, and directs the North Carolina Department of Commerce to establish the North Carolina Taskforce for Offshore Wind Economic Resource Strategies; and
WHEREAS, as of 2022, clean energy [TJM1] has provided over 204,000 jobs for North Carolinians, ranking the state first among all fifty states in rural clean energy jobs; and
WHEREAS, by remaining at the forefront of energy innovation and the development of a clean energy economy the State of North Carolina will continue to grow the economy and create jobs;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, ROY COOPER, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim August 15 – 19, 2022, as “AMERICAN CLEAN POWER WEEK” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.