Leading U.S. Companies Urge Congress to Act Now on Federal Clean Energy and Climate Change Legislation

New coalition of business partners launch initiative to ensure their voices are heard

WASHINGTON, Nov. 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- More than a dozen leading U.S. corporations -- including Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG), DB Climate Change Advisors (Deutsche Bank Group), Gap Inc., and National Grid -- announced the launch of a new initiative to support Congressional action on clean energy and climate change legislation. The goal of the new group, called American Businesses for Clean Energy (ABCE), is to offer a platform for leading U.S. businesses to express their support for meaningful and effective legislation that will drive clean technology innovation, create jobs, and address the threat of global climate change.

ABCE's message is bold and clear: "We are businesses from a broad cross-section of American industry that support Congressional action to enact clean energy and climate legislation that will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Now is the time to act."

Some of the first signatories to the ABCE pledge of support include Aspen Skiing Company, Avista, Calpine Corporation, Conservation Services Group, DB Climate Change Advisors (Deutsche Bank Group), FPL Group, Gap Inc., National Grid, New York Power Authority, PNM Resources, and Public Service Enterprise Group. To see a full list of companies go to: http://www.AmericanBusinessesforCleanEnergy.org.

The following are statements from senior executives of the leading corporations who have joined this effort:

"There are a growing number of business leaders clamoring for comprehensive climate legislation," said Ralph Izzo, chairman, president and chief operating officer of PSEG. "We're unified by the need for a price on carbon and policies that clearly support renewable energy. With the right public policies in place we'll have the certainty we need to make investments that will power the new green economy."

"The House has done its part by passing comprehensive energy and climate legislation," said Stephen Cowell, chairman and CEO of Conservation Services Group, which helped launch ABCE. "We urge the Senate and the President to do the same."

"Many within the business community are urging Congress to adopt meaningful energy and climate legislation, so we can move forward with investments in technologies and infrastructure that will be needed to meet future energy demand, grow our economy, and protect our environment," said Tom King, president of National Grid U.S. "ABCE provides a public forum for companies to register their support for this critical objective."

"Gap Inc. is taking action on climate change now -- in fact, we have reduced our energy consumption by 20% over the past five years," said Kindley Walsh Lawlor, senior director, global responsibility, Gap Inc. "While we have more work to do to lessen our impact, we also believe collaboration is key to making positive, sustainable change. That's why we're pleased to be standing among forward-thinking businesses that support climate and energy policy in the U.S."

Auden Schendler, executive director, community and environmental responsibility, Aspen Skiing Company, said: "The time for action on climate change should now be obvious to any business that is focused on the future. What I like about the ABCE initiative is that it creates an easy way for businesses of all kinds to simply sign on and state their support for clean energy and climate legislation. My sense is that there are a lot of companies out there of all sizes that do support climate legislation. They have been waiting for a simple way to help them show their support."

ABOUT AMERICAN BUSINESSES FOR CLEAN ENERGY

ABCE is intended as a broad umbrella organization to show the breadth of business support for clean energy and climate legislation. ABCE will not develop detailed policy recommendations or evaluate specific proposals since existing business coalitions already address those needs. The ABCE initiative is open to any company or business association that supports Congressional action to pass effective climate and energy legislation now. By joining the initiative, these companies are making a public statement urging Congress to act.

To learn more about American Businesses for Clean Energy (ABCE) and to pledge support for clean energy legislation, please visit: http://www.AmericanBusinessesforCleanEnergy.org.