Executive Order 2006-13

On Sept. 8, 2006, Governor Napolitano signed Executive Order 2006-13, which established a statewide goal to reduce Arizona's future GHG emissions to the 2000 emissions level by the year 2020, and to 50 percent below the 2000 level by 2040. The Executive Order also created the Climate Change Executive Committee under the direction of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) to begin implementing Action Plan recommendations.

In addition to these two key actions, Executive Order 2006-13 also issued the following directives:

• ADEQ is to develop a GHG emissions reporting mechanism and establish a multi-state registry.
• ADEQ and the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) are to adopt the Clean Car Program in Arizona.
• ADEQ and the Arizona Department of Weights and Measures are to develop standards for biodiesel and ethanol sold in Arizona.
• ADOT is to implement a pilot program for hybrids in High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes.
• The Arizona Department of Administration (ADOA) is to convert the state vehicle fleet to low-GHG-emissions vehicles.

Climate Change Executive Committee

The Climate Change Executive Committee has begun to develop implementation strategies for the recommended policy actions. Four work groups comprised of state agencies named in Executive Order 2006-13 are examining Action Plan recommendations in the following areas:

• Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EE/RE)
• Transportation
• Agriculture and Forestry
• Biofuels

Mass Transit

Executive Order 2007-02, signed by Governor

Napolitano on Jan. 6, 2007, directs ADOT to provide "a detailed list of options for mass transit, commuter rail and/or light rail" within 90 days of the Order.

Growth Cabinet

Executive Order 2007-05, which the Governor also signed on Jan. 6, 2007, requires creation of a smart growth and development process, with an implementation plan to be submitted within 120 days of the Order. Under this Order, state agencies are to "direct future discretionary funding to applicant communities that agree to participate in and abide by this smart growth and development process."

Southwest Climate Change Initiative

On Feb. 28, 2006, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson signed an agreement launching the Southwest Climate Change Initiative, which establishes a framework for the two states to collaborate on strategies to address the impacts of climate change in the Southwest and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the region. View the press release.

Arizona-Sonora Regional Climate Change Initiative

On June 18, 2005, Governor Janet Napolitano and Governor Eduardo Bours Castelo of the Mexican state of Sonora, signed a Declaration of Cooperation to establish the Arizona-Sonora Regional Climate Change Initiative.