Hawai'i yesterday agreed to work with the federal Environmental Protection Agency in developing an action plan for clean energy as part of the agency's Clean Energy-Environment State Partnership.

The state joins 14 others working with the EPA to develop strategies to promote cost-effective energy efficiency, clean distributed generation, renewable energy and other clean energy sources that can provide air quality and other benefits.

Hawai'i imports 90 percent of its fuel.

"This partnership will strengthen the state's position as we undertake new programs promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy sources," said Maurice Kaya, of the state Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

Under the partnership program — launched in February 2005 — states agree to work to develop and implement a state-specific Clean Energy-Environment State Action Plan that contains one or more clean energy-environment goals.

The EPA provides a comprehensive technical assistance package of planning, policy, technical, analytical and information resources. And partners learn about successful programs and policies at work in other states, identifying environmental and clean energy leaders.

State officials signed the agreement yesterday with the EPA at the National Association of State Energy Officials Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C. The other states in the partnership: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Utah.