WASHINGTON — Gov. Angus King has been elected vice-chairman of the Coalition of Northeastern Governors, composed of the six governors of New England states, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

King will serve with Vermont Gov. Howard Dean.

The group also adopted a resolution sponsored by King urging the federal government to mitigate adverse environmental affects associated with the deregulation of electric utilities.

The resolution deals with proposed rules by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, due to become effective in March.

King said that the FERC proposal would allow low-cost, coal-fired plants to increase production, which would result in increased emissions of nitrogen oxides, ozone and mercury.