WASHINGTON - February 12 - In a letter being delivered today by the Sustainable Energy Coalition, 78 business, environmental, consumer, religious, and energy policy organizations are urging members of Congress, who are not yet members, to join the House Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency (RE/EE) Caucus. A similar letter is scheduled to be delivered shortly to the members of the U.S. Senate who have not yet joined that body's RE/EE Caucus.

The House and Senate RE/EE Caucuses are non-legislative, bipartisan organizations created to promote greater awareness among Members of Congress of the status and potential of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.

Originally formed in 1996, the House RE/EE Caucus has grown to now include 223 members of the U.S. House of Representatives. The newest member to join is Rep. Rick Renzi (R-AZ). The Senate RE/EE Caucus presently numbers 32 members.

The Caucuses regularly provide their members with announcements of related events of interest and a weekly compilation of news stories reporting on energy efficiency and renewable energy developments around the country. In addition, they have co-hosted with the Environmental & Energy Study Institute and the Sustainable Energy Coalition an on-going series of congressional briefings on a cross-section of energy policy issues.

The biggest Caucus event is the annual RE/EE EXPO which typically draws an estimated 3,000 people. The next EXPO, which will exhibit cutting-edge technologies that are already protecting the environment, enhancing national security, and creating new jobs, is scheduled for Tuesday, June 8, 2004, from 10 am - 5 pm in the House Cannon Caucus Room.

A copy of the letter and a complete list of signers are provided below. A listing of the current members of the House and Senate RE/EE Caucuses can be e-mailed upon request.

February 12, 2004

Dear Representative:

We the undersigned 78 business, environmental, consumer, religious, and energy policy organizations are writing to encourage you to become a member of the House Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RE/EE) Caucus.

The House RE/EE Caucus is a non-legislative, bipartisan organization created to promote greater awareness among Members of Congress of the status and potential of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.

Originally formed in 1996 by Rep. Dan Schaefer (R-CO), the House RE/EE Caucus has grown to now include 223 members of the U.S. House of Representatives. It is presently co-chaired by Reps. Zach Wamp (R-TN) and Mark Udall (D-CO) with Reps. Vern Ehlers (R-MI), Ron Kind (D-WI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Greg Walden (R-OR) serving as vice-chairs.

The House RE/EE Caucus has served as an excellent forum for the exchange of information on the cross-section of sustainable energy technologies. It regularly provides its members with announcements of related events of interest and a weekly compilation of news stories reporting on energy efficiency and renewable energy developments around the country. In addition, it has co-hosted with the Environmental & Energy Study Institute and the Sustainable Energy Coalition an on-going series of congressional briefings on a cross-section of energy policy issues.

The biggest Caucus event is the annual RE/EE EXPO which typically draws an estimated 3,000 people. It is an opportunity for dozens of U.S. firms to illustrate the latest advances in renewable energy (e.g., wind, solar, geothermal, hydropower, and biomass/biofuels), hydrogen, fuel cells, energy-efficient buildings, transportation technologies, combined heat and power, and industrial applications. The next EXPO, which will exhibit cutting-edge technologies that are already protecting the environment, enhancing national security, and creating new jobs, is scheduled for Tuesday, June 8, 2004, from 10 am - 5 pm in the Cannon Caucus Room.

Renewable energy presently provides about 8% of the nation's domestic energy production while technologies such as wind, biofuels, and photovoltaics are among the nation's fastest growing sources of energy supply. In addition, over the past three decades, improvements in energy efficiency have contributed more value to the U.S. economy and the environment than any energy source, because they have saved more energy than production has increased in oil, natural gas, coal, or nuclear.

Combined, the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries include thousands of domestic companies that are providing an ever-growing number of jobs in every state and community in the United States. These technologies help to lessen reliance on energy imports thereby enhancing both national and homeland security, improve the reliability of the nation's electrical grid, and reduce the production of greenhouse gases and other pollutants that contribute to a host of environmental problems.

We believe that you share our interest in tapping the potential of renewable energy and energy efficient technologies to improve the domestic economy, enhance security, and protect the environment. Therefore, we encourage you to become a member of the House Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus.

To join, please contact Jennifer Barrett, c/o Rep. Mark Udall, at 202-225-2161 or jennifer.barrett@mail.house.gov.

We look forward to working with you on this important issue during the coming year.

Sincerely,

Air Conditioning Contractors of America

Alliance for Affordable Energy (LA)

Alliance to Save Energy

American Bioenergy Association

American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy

American Jewish Committee

American Public Power Association

American Solar Energy Society

American Wind Energy Association

Bergey Windpower Compnay (OK)

Bob Lawrence & Associates

California Wind Energy Association (CA)

Cascade Associates

Center for Resource Solutions

Chesapeake Climate Action Network (MD)

Citizens Action Coalition of Indiana (IN)

Citizen Alert (NV)

Citizen Power (PA)

Citizens Utility Board of Wisconsin (WI)

City and County of San Francisco (CA)

Clean Edge, Inc. (CA)

Clean Fuels Development Coalition

Clean Water Action Alliance of Minnesota (MN)

Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life

Coast Alliance

Colorado Energy Group, Inc. (CO)

Environmental Advocates of New York (NY)

Environmental & Energy Study Institute

Florida Public Interest Research Group (FL)

Geothermal Energy Association

Global Green USA (CA)

Global Resource Action Center for the Environment (NY)

Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association (MI)

Green House Network (OR)

Institute for Environmental Research and Education (WA)

Institute for Washington's Future (WA)

International District Energy Association Mainstay Energy (IL)

Metropolitan Partnership for Energy (TX) Michigan Environmental Council (MI)

Minnesota Project (MN) Minnesotans for an Energy-Efficient Economy (MN)

National Environmental Trust

National Hydropower Association

Natural Resources Defense Council

New Uses Council

North Carolina Solar Center (NC)

North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association (NC)

Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships, Inc. (MA)

Northwest Energy Coalition (WA)

Northwest Sustainable Energy for Economic Development (WA)

Nuclear Information & Resource Service

Ohio Partners for Affordable Energy (OH)

Oklahoma Renewable Energy Council (OK)

Oregon Solar Energy Industries Association (OR)

PennFuture (PA)

PERMACITY Corporation of Los Angeles California (CA)

Philadelphia Solar Energy Association (PA)

Planning and Conservation League Foundation

Potomac Associates

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)Washington Office

Redwood Alliance (CA)

Renewable Fuels Association

Renewable Northwest Project (OR)

REP (Republicans for Environmental Protection)

America Sierra Club

Solar Energy Industries Association

Strategic Clean Energy, LLC (TX)

SustainableBusiness.com

Sustainable Energy Resource Group (VT)

Texas Renewable Energy Industries Association (TX)

TexPIRG (TX)

The Stella Group, Ltd.

Union of Concerned Scientists

U.S. Combined Heat and Power Association

U.S. Public Interest Research Group

Vermont Energy Investment Corporation (VT)

WestStart-CALSTART (CA)

###