FRANKFORT — State Representative Bobby McCool of Van Lear has been appointed to serve on the Energy and Environment Committee of The Council of State Governments South (CSG South), House Speaker David Osborne announced on Feb. 5.
“It’s an honor to have the opportunity to serve on the Council for State Governments South Energy and Environment Committee and to engage in meaningful collaboration with my colleagues from across the region,” McCool said. “Energy and environmental policy decisions have far-reaching effects, and I look forward to working together to find practical solutions that support both economic growth and responsible resource management.”
The Energy and Environment Committee examines issues related to the natural resources of Southern states and their role in regional economic development. Among the topics under its purview are wind energy expansion, waste tire disposal laws, interstate groundwater disputes, and the implications of federal energy policies on state governments.
The goal of CSG South, the largest of the four regional divisions under The Council of State Governments, is intergovernmental cooperation and policy innovation across its 15 member states, which include Kentucky, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.
“Kentucky’s participation in the Council of State Governments provides both resources and an opportunity to collaborate with our legislative colleagues throughout the region,” Osborne said. “We learn a great deal about what worked and what failed in other states and it is more important than ever that we work together. The issues we face in areas like education, health care, energy resilience, and economic development don’t recognize state boundaries.”
McCool also serves as chair of the House Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection Committee and is a member of the Budget Review Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education, the Postsecondary Education Committee, the Natural Resources and Energy Committee, and the Transportation Committee.