CARCIERI

PROVIDENCE — In the State of the State address this evening, Governor Carcieri plans to focus on the three E’s — education, environment and energy.

The governor will announce “major new initiatives” in those three areas, according to a news release issued yesterday.

The governor’s office remained tightlipped on details of those new initiatives, but said they would build on the accomplishments of Carcieri’s first term.

This is the first State of the State address of Carcieri’s second term, and the governor will use part of his speech “to reflect on some of the progress Rhode Island has made over the last four years,” his spokesman, Jeff Neal, said. “From Separation of Powers to pension reform to the Big Audit, Rhode Island is much better off than it was four years ago. In fact, the governor and the General Assembly have accomplished far more than anyone thought possible four years ago.”

With regard to education, Carcieri placed a special focus on math and science education during his first term, creating a Blue Ribbon Panel on Math and Science Education and Physics First, a pilot program to strengthen physics education. Carcieri also instigated the creation of statewide curricula in reading, writing and math, which will be completed this year. The Assembly also approved the governor’s request to fund a statewide science curriculum to be completed by August 2008. And Carcieri charged the Board of Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education with adopting statewide standards for teacher evaluations.

One of the more dramatic ideas Carcieri proposed in last year’s State of the State — merging the Central Falls, Pawtucket and Providence school districts into a single urban core district — got a lukewarm reception from officials in those communities, and the idea did not come to pass.

Regarding energy, the Assembly passed a comprehensive bill package last year. It included measures to help natural gas customers cope with rising energy prices, such as discounted rates for low-income customers; forgiveness of old debt for customers who stay current on new bills; and money to help cover the cost of weatherproofing houses.

The legislation also established a state Office of Energy Resources as a clearinghouse for energy issues statewide. The office has already taken up several initiatives, including fine-tuning the affordable natural gas plan and improving energy efficiency in the buildings that house state government offices. A study of potential sites for wind power is under way.

Regarding the environment, Carcieri established the governor’s Narragansett Bay and Watershed Commission in 2003, and during his reelection campaign last fall, he called for the Assembly to support putting an $85-million clean water bond on the ballot for a voter referendum.

The Assembly rejected his proposal to put a $25-million clean water bond on the ballot last year, and has twice rejected Carcieri’s requests to allocate an extra $1 million for water quality monitoring in Narragansett Bay.

But in his remarks leading up to tonight’s address, the Republican governor focused on cooperation, not conflict, saying in the news release that he and the Democrat-dominated Assembly “working together … approved a slew of reforms that will … lead to a greater quality of life for all our citizens.”

The address comes amid a busy week for the governor. He is also scheduled to announce the latest round of test scores for Rhode Island’s public schools today, and to deliver his budget proposal for next year to the General Assembly tomorrow.

Carcieri’s speech is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. A response by House Majority Leader Gordon D. Fox and Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Paiva Weed will follow.

Two local television stations, Channel 10 (WJAR) and Channel 12 (WPRI), will air the address live, as will Statewide Interconnect C, Channel 15 for Cox Cable subscribers.

egudrais@projo.com