All Right, Heartland, You're Up

Western governors resolve to combat climate change

Western states need to reduce greenhouse gases while meeting growing energy demand, says a resolution passed unanimously yesterday by members of the self-explanatorily named Western Governors Association. However, the pact neglects to prescribe specific actions. "My friends," California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) chided the group, "it's long past the time when it's OK to just talk about these problems." New Idaho Gov. James Risch (R) voted for the resolution despite being "not strongly convinced either way" whether humans cause climate change, but Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano (D) insisted that human causation is implicit in the language. Schwarzenegger stressed that the resolution was merely an attempt by states to "make an impact," not a rebuke to the Bush administration's inaction. "This is not us vs. the federal government," said the newly wussy Governator. Companion resolutions emphasized energy independence and outlined strategies for clean energy production.