President-elect Barack Obama isn’t the only elected official talking about using green jobs to stimulate the economy — the theme is echoed in state houses as well. On Wednesday, New York Governor David Paterson (D) gave his State of the State (the acronym SOS fits so well), a sober assessment of the economic challenges facing the state followed by a call to action that includes, among other things, an ambitious investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency to "help rebuild our economy, meet our energy needs, and protect our environment." (The 45 percent by 2015 goal he references almost certainly includes pre-existing hydro.)
But in Albany, as everywhere else, talk is cheap, and the governor is going to need the the help of the legislature and the Public Service Commission to get anything done. If you live in New York and would like to let policymakers know that you support the Governor’s call to action, you can take action here.