News

Over the past few weeks, multiple Western Governors have made trips abroad to strengthen ties with foreign leaders and promote the West on the global stage.  

One commodity that Western Governors have been strongly promoting abroad is liquefied natural gas (LNG). LNG is known as the “cleanest” fossil fuel, as it emits 40% less carbon dioxide than coal and 30% less than oil.  

This week, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon – both of whom made trips to Japan earlier this year – unveiled a new framework with Japanese Ambassador Shigeo Yamada to export natural gas to markets in Japan. The Governors touted the West's natural gas resources as a cost-effective, low-carbon solution for both domestic and international markets, and they noted the importance of their trips to Japan in moving the framework forward.  

Last week, Hawaii Governor Josh Green concluded his own weeklong visit to Japan, where the Governor discussed LNG and its potential to aid in Hawaii’s clean energy transition, as well as other topics such as business development, education, and culture.  

As part of his visit, Governor Green signed an agreement with Japan’s largest energy company to support the state’s decarbonization efforts, potentially with the help of LNG as a “bridge fuel” as the state looks to transition away from fossil fuels by 2045.  

Earlier this month, Idaho Governor Brad Little returned from a diplomatic mission to the United Kingdom to support government-to-government relationships and help Idaho companies expand into the UK market. The mission identified immediate export opportunities for beef, dairy, and potatoes, with potential for Idaho’s cheese and high-quality dairy products as well.  

This week, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs led a trade delegation to Mexico, the state’s largest trading partner. The Governor discussed opportunities for cooperation in sectors like advanced manufacturing, supply chain resiliency, education and workforce, and water security. 

Currently, three Western Governors – Governor Spencer Cox of Utah, Governor Tina Kotek of Oregon, and Governor Greg Gianforte of Montana – are overseas advancing international relationships on behalf of their states.   

Governor Cox is leading a trade mission to New Zealand and Australia, where discussions around the aerospace, defense, minerals, and financial sectors are taking center stage. In addition to discussions on opening up trade between Utah and the Oceanic nations, Governor Cox has strengthened global ties in sports ahead of the 2034 Olympic Games in Utah and explored cooperation in the education and energy industries. 

Governor Tina Kotek is embarking on a weeklong trade mission of her own to South Korea and Japan to strengthen economic and cultural ties between Oregon and the Asia Pacific region. In addition to trade opportunities, the Governor will promote tourism and travel opportunities in Oregon, as Korean and Japanese tourism in Oregon continues to grow.  

Finally, Governor Gianforte’s international trip is also taking him to South Korea and Japan, where the Governor is touting Montana’s high-quality commodity exports like wheat and beef, as well as cooperation in high-tech industries such as advanced manufacturing and bioscience. Governor Gianforte is also discussing export opportunities for sectors like industrial machinery and energy.  

Transmission takeoff: the Department of Energy recently approved a $1.6 billion loan guarantee to overhaul 5,000 miles of transmission lines across much of the Midwest and into Oklahoma. The project will make crucial modernization upgrades to the grid and expand transmission capacity.  

To learn more about how Western Governors are working to expand and modernize the energy grid, tune in on Tuesday and Wednesday (October 28 & 29) for WGA’s second Energy Superabundance workshop, which will focus on transmission. Colorado Governor Jared Polis will be hosting energy and transmission experts for two days of important conversations on expanding transmission and building grid infrastructure.  

Register for the free livestream here.  

Hanford nuclear waste: last week, Washington Governor Bob Ferguson announced that nuclear waste is officially being moved from deteriorating underground tanks and turned into glass for safe disposal at Hanford’s Low-Activity Waste facility. 

The site has seen decades of work and billions of dollars invested to safely store nuclear waste.  

The Hanford Site produced more than 67 tons of plutonium for the nation’s nuclear stockpile during the Cold War, leaving behind one of the most complex environmental cleanup projects in the world. Now, the site’s 56 million gallons of hazardous waste will be turned into glass, a highly stable material that can be safely stored for thousands of years.  

“It’s difficult to overstate how important this milestone is in the Hanford cleanup effort,” Governor Ferguson said. “Thousands of Washingtonians worked for decades to bring us to this moment. They deserve recognition for this achievement.” 

Alaska Day: October 18 marked Alaska Day, commemorating the day the U.S. purchased Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million in 1867.  

On that day, approximately 250 U.S. Army troops marched to the Governor’s house in Sitka to ceremoniously replace the Russian flag with the American flag.  

Alaska ultimately gained official statehood 92 years later in 1959.  

Colorado clean steel: This week, the clean iron startup Electra unveiled the site of its new demonstration plant in Jefferson County, Colorado. The company will start operations at the site in mid-2026, where it will produce up to 500 tons of iron per year.  

Electra also announced an agreement with Nucor – the largest steel producer in the country – to purchase iron from the facility. Meta has also reached a deal with Electra for emissions reduction certificates. 

Electra uses a process called electrowinning to produce iron, which runs on renewables and avoids using the energy-intensive blast furnaces traditionally associated with iron production. The process is helping decarbonize the steelmaking industry, which is responsible for 9% of global greenhouse gas emissions.  

Benefits of home hardening: a new study shows that home hardening techniques can more than double a home’s chances of withstanding wildfire.  

Researchers with the University of California’s Fire Research Lab analyzed the effectiveness of certain home hardening practices like clearing brush from around homes and installing metal roofs.  

Of the incidents they analyzed, the researchers found that 48% of structures that had cleared flammable plants and used home hardening techniques survived. Only 20% of homes that had not taken those precautions withstood the flames.