State governments are debating sustainable energy policies.

The use of energy has become a major topic. Many people are praying for relief as the price of gas and home heating oil rises into the stratosphere. Will the government step in to help?

President Bush recently declared that the United States is "addicted to oil" in his State of the Union speech. Many observers assumed that this marked a new drive by the Bush administration to address challenges such as how to keep the lights on and the automobiles moving in the twenty-first century. Regrettably, their hopes were dashed after the speech, when no new initiatives or programs were implemented.

Many state legislators have begun to take action in response to the federal government's delayed or non-existent response to our "addiction" to oil.

State legislators, many of whom from from so-called Democratic "blue" states, have begun to pass legislation governing power plant and automobile emissions. They also want some of the energy to come from renewable sources like wind and solar. Household appliance energy efficiency standards are also being discussed.

So far, the federal government has been content to delegate environmental concerns to state legislatures. Senator Pete Domenici (R-N.M.), the head of the federal Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said, "I don't see anything wrong with the states becoming involved."

While some claim that state laws will have little national impact on greenhouse gas emissions, others argue that if the requirements are passed in enough states, they will. Even if global warming hasn't come to a standstill, it appears that states are having an impact. To avoid having to tailor items for each state, several firms have embraced new national regulations.

"If we can't persuade the federal government to act, we have to act in whatever manner we can," Gina McCarthy, commissioner of Connecticut's Department of Environmental Protection, said.

Let's just hope that all of this translates into lower prices for consumers.