In November 2007, Midwestern governors and Canadian premiers signed ambitious regional accords intended to stimulate economic development and job creation via a comprehensive set of renewable and low-carbon energy technologies and strategies.

Since then, participating states have appointed diverse representatives to four advisory groups charged with identifying more precisely what Midwestern states should do to secure their energy future and do their part on climate stewardship. These four groups, focused respectively on energy efficiency, renewable electricity and advanced coal with carbon capture, the bioeconomy and transportation, and designing a regional cap-and-trade system that would place a limit on greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere have been meeting since 2008.

Specific deliverables from the process include:

• Jobs and Energy Summit (Oct. 6-7, 2009, Detroit, MI; More information to follow)

• Guidelines for implementing a regional bioproduct procurement system. The guidelines create common definitions and standards for biobased products and set out methods for Midwestern states interested in procuring those products.

• Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) Toolkit and Inventory. The toolkit provides background information on the issues of CCS, along with a menu of actions and potential options for states and the region to consider. The inventory provides a state-by-state analysis of statutes and regulations that could be applied toward a regional approach to the regulation of CCS.

• MGA survey of 12 states and province of Manitoba on regulatory authority and responsibilities over Extra High Voltage (EHV) Regional Electric Transmission Projects to support the MGA Regional Electricity Transmission Adequacy Initiative.

• Energy Security and Climate Stewardship Platform for the Midwest - 2007

• Midwestern Greenhouse Gas Accord - 2007

• MGA Energy Summit - November 2007