Monday, December 13, 2010

Schwarzenegger receives another green award

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger nailed his second environmental honor in as many weeks as the Beautiful Earth Group him with its 2010 Green Governor of the Year Award.

"Governor Schwarzenegger has worked tirelessly to protect the environment and to create sustainable solutions in California," said Lex Heslin, the group's president and CEO, in a statement. "He has advanced the research and generation of clean energy light years ahead of other states."

On Dec. 2, Schwarzenegger got a big vote of confidence from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency when the agency gave him its Climate Change Champion Award. Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest, lauded Schwarzenegger, for his "extraordinary vision and leadership as an early, ardent and articulate champion in the defense of our planet against global climate change."

Beautiful Earth was founded in 2008 and is currently developing a 38-megawatt solar energy project in the Mojave Desert, scheduled to be finished in 2012.

Heslin said Schwarzenegger was the first governor named.

The California governor didn't appear to mind.

"California is showing the world that you can protect the environment and grow the economy at the same time," Schwarzenegger said. "We are creating a new economic foundation for the 21st Century built on clean fuel, clean energy and clean cars that is turning California into the green capital of the nation and the world, and I couldn't be more proud of these accomplishments."

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