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Ramping up the photo-ops on oilman T. Boone Pickens’ alternative energy crusade, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson Monday became the first of his colleagues nationally to sign a pledge to join Pickens’ campaign to “break America’s addiction to foreign oil.”

In the end, last week’s Capitol Hill photo-op for the green side turned out to be a broad, nationwide public relations/lobbying effort to urge federal powers in Washington, DC, to frame a national response to global warming. Twelve states, 20 financial services firms, and a dozen each foundations and business leaders comprised 65 signatories to a “call to action” in the nation’s capital.

In the end, Monday’s Capitol Hill photo-op for the green side turned out to be a broad, nationwide public relations/lobbying effort to urge federal powers in Washington, DC, to frame a national response to global warming. Twelve states, 20 financial services firms and a dozen each of foundations and business leaders comprised 65 signatories to a “call to action” in the nation’s capital.

Using photo-ops in the Big Apple as a backdrop, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and his New York counterpart, Gov. George Pataki announced Monday their states will work to link California’s future greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions credit market to a similar upcoming market in the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic states. Earlier in the day, Schwarzenegger rolled out an executive order in his state to implement new global warming laws. He’ll sign the order Tuesday upon his return.

Continuing his nonstop photo opportunities to flip the switches on new electric generation sources, Gov. Gray Davis Monday opened the 90 MW Larkspur Energy Project, built by InterGen and billed as the largest natural gas-fired power plant to come on-line in San Diego in more than 40 years. InterGen also signed an 11-year contract with the state for the plant’s output.