WASHINGTON — Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. and governors from across the country discussed ways states can improve their "innovation and competitiveness" in a session at the National Governors Association annual meeting Sunday.

Huntsman juggled responsibilities this week when he headed to the meeting in Washington just as the Legislature in Utah begins to wrap things up. He facilitated a discussion on regional economic growth Sunday before going to a dinner at the White House. He — and the other governors — will return to the White House for a meeting with the president this morning and lead a Natural Resources Committee meeting today. He is scheduled to return to Utah tonight.

The economic growth meeting focused on a document Huntsman and six other governors are drafting to outline ways states can remain on the cutting edge of technology to keep up with business trends worldwide. The governors shared what is working in their states and what challenges they face.

His discussion with other governors "reinforced" that early education and working on the transition from high school to college are important to remaining competitive as well as focusing on math and science education to help with these developing "industries of tomorrow."

Huntsman said states are not competing against each other but competing with other countries for the next generation of industries and what a new work force will need.

"You constantly have to probe your state's ability to innovate and generate new ideas," Huntsman said. "Where agriculture was the great driving economic force for my great-grandfather, high-technology, bio-technology and aerospace design and engineering will very much be the driving forces in the state for my kids. It's kind of how do you get from the old to the new while preparing and training work force and remaining competitive." Huntsman said.

Huntsman arrived in Washington Saturday a little later than scheduled. But news last week that the government canceled the Divine Strake test allowed him to forgo a previously scheduled meeting with the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

He will speak with Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman today, although Divine Strake and Private Fuel Storage — which he has talked about with the Energy Department repeatedly — will not be in his list of topics.

"Most of the issues we've started with are cleaned up." Huntsman said.

The Interior Department canceled Private Fuel Storage's lease with the Skull Valley Goshute Indian Tribe, creating a big obstacle for the proposed nuclear waste storage site in Tooele County.

Huntsman will ask Bodman about the Moab uranium mill tailing cleanup project, however. Huntsman will lead a Natural Resources Committee meeting today, where the "ambitious agenda" will include how to keep Congress on an energy agenda and a look at the administration's priorities.

He will talk about the energy efficiency plan for the state as well as how to work on the grid system so if Utah were to move toward a renewable portfolio standard, there would be an infrastructure in place, the governor said.

Utah first lady Mary Kaye Huntsman remained in Utah, but Abigail Huntsman, their second eldest daughter who lives in Philadelphia, accompanied her father to the White House dinner Sunday evening.

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