Washington, DC - In a letter to the Senate, the Business Council for Sustainable Energy outlined elements for successful federal climate change legislation in advance of the upcoming Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works "open forum" on climate change to be held on January 30.

Washington, DC - In a letter to the Senate, the Business Council for Sustainable Energy outlined elements for successful federal climate change legislation in advance of the upcoming Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works "open forum" on climate change to be held on January 30.

"The Business Council for Sustainable Energy supports the enactment of federal climate change legislation that provides long-term market signals for clean energy deployment and energy efficiency," said Lisa Jacobson, executive director of the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE).

"To be most effective, a federal program should integrate energy and environmental policy to maximize energy sector and emission reduction investments," said Jacobson. "Any federal climate change program should place existing clean energy technologies at the center of compliance strategies. This will reduce compliance costs, mitigate fuel price increases and achieve the complementary objective of enhanced energy security."

In addition to achieving multiple economic, environmental and energy security goals, deploying clean energy technologies will reduce the cost of compliance with a federal greenhouse gas program. The expanded use of renewable energy, energy efficiency and natural gas should be the centerpiece of any federal program to cost-effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions and should receive allowance value for market-based climate change programs.

The full text of the letter to the Senate, including specific recommendations on elements for federal climate change policy, can be obtained by contacting the Council at 202-785-0507.

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The Business Council for Sustainable Energy ("the Council") is a broad-based industry coalition of energy efficiency, natural gas and renewable energy interests that advocates energy and environmental policies that promote markets for clean, efficient and sustainable energy products and services. The Council's coalition includes power developers, equipment manufacturers, independent generators, green power marketers, and gas and electric utilities as well as several of the primary trade associations in these sectors. More information on the Council and its activities can be found at: www.bcse.org.