Gov. Ned Lamont

elected to lead association of northeastern governors.

Hartford (AP) — Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont will lead a nonpartisan association of northeastern states including Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont.

The Democrat has been elected unanimously to serve as chairman of the Coalition of Northeastern Governors, Lamont’s office announced Friday. The group works with governors, their staff and policy advisers on current and emerging issues and comes up with regional solutions.

The position of chairman is a one-year term. Lamont, who took office in January 2019, has already led efforts to work with neighboring governors on issues such as transportation, energy policy, vaping and marijuana legalization.

“I’ve long believed, particularly among the smaller states, that regional cooperation works best when implementing policies that work best for our residents,” Lamont said. “We can have a much more powerful voice working collectively as a region.”

The coalition’s top issues include integrated regional transportation systems, energy efficiency, clean energy, emerging regional energy markets and comprehensive strategies to address climate change.

Lamont also announced Connecticut will host the annual Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers in Montville in September. Besides the six New England governors, the conference will include the premiers of New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Quebec.