In letters being sent today to members of the congressional leadership, the groups stressed that "there is substantial support in Congress and around the country for the cross-section of sustainable energy provisions in the final energy bill.

WASHINGTON DC -- Eighteen business, consumer, environmental, and energy policy organizations today called upon members of the U.S. Congress to "enact the broadly-supported energy efficiency and renewable energy provisions in the proposed, but presently stalled, national energy bill."

In letters being sent today to members of the congressional leadership, the groups stressed that "there is substantial support in Congress and around the country for the cross-section of sustainable energy provisions in the final energy bill. [Accordingly,] Congress should act immediately to enact these non-controversial and vitally important provisions as part of a comprehensive, balanced, and environmentally sound energy bill, as stand-alone legislation, or through incorporation into another piece of legislation."

In particular, "such widely supported clean energy provisions include: the Renewable Fuels Standard, improved appliance efficiency standards, extension and expansion of the Production Tax Credit as well as broadened investment tax credits for efficiency and renewables, higher funding authority for energy efficiency and renewable energy programs, net metering and interconnection standards, revisions in geothermal leasing, the reauthorization of the Renewable Energy Production Incentive program, and extension and expansion of federal energy management provisions including energy-saving performance contracting authority."

The letter concluded that "these sustainable energy provisions are needed by all Americans to reduce energy imports, improve national and homeland security through less vulnerable and more dispersed energy systems, curb greenhouse gas emissions, enhance electrical grid reliability, and create new jobs and domestic businesses."

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The full text of the letter and list of 18 signing organizations follows.

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January 22, 2004

Dear Senator/Representative:

We, the undersigned business, environmental, consumer, and energy policy organizations are writing to urge that the Congress enact the broadly-supported energy efficiency and renewable energy provisions in the proposed, but presently stalled, national energy bill.

Poll after poll has indicated that the public considers energy efficiency and renewable energy to be the favored choices for our energy future. Consequently, there is substantial support in Congress and around the country for the cross-section of sustainable energy provisions in the final energy bill.

Within the energy bill report, such widely supported clean energy provisions include: the Renewable Fuels Standard, improved appliance efficiency standards, extension and expansion of the Production Tax Credit as well as broadened investment tax credits for efficiency and renewables, higher funding authority for energy efficiency and renewable energy programs, net metering and interconnection standards, revisions in geothermal leasing, the reauthorization of the Renewable Energy Production Incentive program, and extension and expansion of federal energy management provisions including energy-saving performance contracting authority.

Although some of these provisions were weakened during compromise negotiations, they are, on balance, positive steps for the clean energy industry. Moreover, these sustainable energy provisions are needed by all Americans to reduce energy imports, improve national and homeland security through less vulnerable and more dispersed energy systems, curb greenhouse gas emissions, enhance electrical grid reliability, and create new jobs and domestic businesses.

Congress should act immediately to enact these non-controversial and vitally important provisions as part of a comprehensive, balanced, and environmentally sound energy bill, as stand-alone legislation, or through incorporation into another piece of legislation.

Furthermore, we also would like to bring your attention to some of the other provisions that were not included in the present energy bill but which enjoy broad public support and have been endorsed by strong votes in the U.S. Senate. These include a Renewable Portfolio Standard and aggressive, mandatory targets for reducing national oil consumption.

We look forward to working with you further on this important endeavor.

Sincerely,

Alliance for Affordable Energy
Alliance to Save Energy
American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy
American Solar Energy Society
Bob Lawrence & Associates
City & County of San Francisco
Clean Fuels Development Coalition
Colorado Energy Group
Environmental & Energy Study Institute
Geothermal Resources Council
Mainstay Energy
Metropolitan Partnership for Energy
New Uses Council
Potomac Resources, Inc.
Redwood Alliance
REP (Republicans for Environmental Protection) America
SustainableBusiness.com
The Stella Group, Ltd.