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| Governor Lamont meets with the governors of Maine, Massachusetts, and Vermont during a meeting of the Coalition of Northeastern Governors on February 9, 2020. [Download image in high quality] |
(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont has been unanimously elected to serve as chairman of the Coalition of Northeastern Governors (CONEG), a nonpartisan association of the seven governors of the northeastern states, including Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
The organization works with governors, their staff, and policy advisors to examine current and emerging regional issues, develop effective solutions, and work together to benefit individual states as well as the region. Within the region, states use CONEG as a forum to share information, learn from each other about best practices, and identify opportunities for cooperation among the states. The position of chairman is a one-year term.
“I’ve long believed, particularly among the smaller states, that regional cooperation works best when implementing policies that work best for our residents,” Governor Lamont said. “This is particularly true when it comes to thing like the creation of a modernized transportation system, energy policies that deliver fair prices for consumers in the cleanest ways possible, and a robust economy that attracts business growth. We can have a much more powerful voice working collectively as a region.”
Priority policy areas for CONEG include integrated regional transportation systems, energy efficiency, clean energy, emerging regional energy markets, and comprehensive strategies to address climate change. CONEG also provides support to the Northeast Committee on Environment, an informal association of the seven states’ environmental commissioners.
Governor Lamont today also announced that the State of Connecticut will host the annual Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers (NEG/ECP) in Montville on September 20 to 22, 2020. NEG/ECP is a special relationship of the six New England governors and the premiers of New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edwards Island, and Quebec. CONEG provides administrative support for NEG/ECP.