Gov. Ige Invited to “Powering Cities” D.C. Forum

Following his weeklong visit to Japan, Governor David Ige is headed to Washington, D.C., where he will participate in the Washington Post’s “Powering Cities” forum on Tuesday.

The one-day forum will bring together elected officials, government innovators, and business leaders to discuss and debate policies and programs across the country in relation to clean energy, battery and energy storage, the grid, and energy efficiency, as well as innovations in oil and gas.

Governor Ige was invited by the Washington Post to discuss Hawai’i’s commitment to clean energy and generating 100 percent of its electricity sales from renewable energy resources by 2045.

On June 8, Governor Ige signed Act 097 into law, making Hawai’i the first state in the country that has a 100 percent renewable energy goal.

In addition to Governor Ige, some major speakers include: Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton; Thomas Fanning, chairman, president and chief executive, Southern Company; former Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour; Carol Browner, former administrator, Environmental Protection Agency; Austin Blackmon, chief of environment, energy and open space, City of Boston; Diarmuid O’Connell, vice president, business development, Tesla; Kate Burson, chief of staff to the chairman of energy and finance, New York State.

The Washington Post hosts its “Powering Cities” forum to emphasize innovative ideas from cities, states, and businesses outside of the Beltway region.

Governor Ige’s speech will be streamed online. He is scheduled to speak at about 7:30 a.m. Hawai’i time.

While he is Washington, D.C., Governor Ige will meet with the Hawai’I congressional delegation and a variety of additional federal officials to discuss easing air access for international travelers to Hawai’i, renewable energy, affordable housing, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature World Conservation Congress, which will be in Hawai’i in 2016.

Communications Director Cindy McMillian and two security officers are accompanying Governor Ige on the trip, which has the estimated cost of $10,400. The group will return on Thursday.