Advertisement placed in The Washington Post on Thursday, January 8, 2009.

Message to: President-Elect Obama and Members of Congress
From: National SAVE Energy Coalition

Improving the energy efficiency of America's homes, businesses and public buildings will create thousands of jobs in the green workforce, fight global warming, increase energy independence, and reduce energy costs for businesses and consumers. That's why we urge that a significant part of the Economic Recovery Act be directed to greater investment in energy efficiency.

Investing in energy efficiency can be done immediately with quick results through expanding existing channels and programs. Billions of dollars in energy efficiency projects are already planned for 2009 and 2010 through an established infrastructure with several existing State and Federal Programs. These include:

• State-authorized utility and third-party administered programs
• Federal energy service contracts
• The DOE-funded low-income Weatherization Assistance program

Why Energy Efficiency?

• Creates jobs for local workers to replace old and inefficient heating and
• cooling systems, insulate homes and replace inefficient lighting.
• Reduces energy costs for consumers and provides additional consumer
• purchasing power. Every $1 in efficiency investments produces
• approximately $3 in reduced energy costs.
• Lowers demand for energy and therefore lowers prices for all consumers.
• Offers the fastest, least expensive, cleanest way to meet our
• environmental goals and decrease the costs created by pollution.
• Builds upon existing infrastructure and labor force. In many cases,
• increased jobs can directly benefit workers who have been laid off from
• the construction and housing markets.

We urge Congress to:

1. Increase low-income weatherization
2. Fund expansion of existing State-authorized and approved efficiency programs
3. Speed up federal contracting for energy services
4. Institute programs that encourage retrofitting existing buildings
5. Support 'Green Jobs' training and public awareness

The National SAVE Energy Coalition is a group of organizations, businesses, labor unions and environmental advocates who are already implementing successful energy efficiency strategies and programs.

With your help we can expand services, create new jobs, and save energy. Our members will be circulating specific detailed recommendations to members of Congress. Taking action by funding more of the country's existing energy efficiency programs is a very cost-effective way to stimulate the economy.

Signed:

• Affordable Comfort, Inc. (ACI)
• Alliance for Affordable Energy
• Alliance to Save Energy
• Apollo Alliance
• Association for Energy Affordability
• Atlantic Energy Concepts
• BlueWave LLC
• BP Consulting
• Building Performance Institute
• Celentano Energy Services
• Center for Ecological Technology
• Chrisner Group
• Clean Water Action
• Coconino County Sustainable Economic
• Development Initiative
• Community Environmental Center
• Conservation Consultants, Inc.
• Conservation Law Foundation
• Conservation Services Group
• Consortium for Worker Education
• Ecos
• Ella Baker Center for Human Rights
• Energy Federation, Inc.
• Energy Trust of Oregon
• EnerNOC
• Environmental Entrepreneurs
• Environment Northeast (ENE)
• Global Green USA
• grEEncollaredu.net
• HVACReducation.net
• Institute for Culture and Ecology
• Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance
• Low Income Energy Affordability Network
• MaGrann Associates
• Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
• Milo Services, ms
• National Association of Energy
• Service Companies
• National Consumer Law Center, on behalf
• of its low-income clients
• National Grid
• New England Clean Energy Council
• Northeast Energy Efficiency Council
• Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships
• Northwest Energy Efficiency Council
• Northern Manhattan Improvement
• Corporation
• Northfield Community Local
• Development Corporation
• NYC Apollo Alliance
• Pacific Gas and Electric Company
• Portland Energy Conservation, Inc.
• Pure Energy
• Regina Hauser, Executive Director of the
• Oregon Natural Step Network
• 32BJ, Service Employees International Union
• Sun Power Builders
• The Southwest Energy Efficiency Project
• The Energy Doctor, Irwin, PA
• Urban Agenda
• Vermont Energy Investment Corporation
• Working Families Party

For more information, visit NationalSaveEnergyCoalition.org
This ad is paid for by the Northeast Energy Efficiency Council.

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