Key leaders from these Illinois companies will gather at a press conference to announce key aspects of the proposal on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 at 11:00 a.m., State Capitol Blue Room. Ranging from manufacturers to local governments, these organizations work with the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (MEEA) to further Illinois' clean energy future.
Citing a recent report by the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, which estimates that a clean energy policy could generate $1 billion in electricity bill savings for Illinois consumers and businesses in 2021, the companies are backing a plan to increase Illinois' commitment to energy efficiency.
"Energy efficiency is the cheapest energy you can buy," said Scott Young, Portfolio Director of Energy Efficiency for Dow Building Solutions a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company.
"By investing aggressively in energy efficiency, Illinois can create jobs and generate new, sustainable economic development" says Gale Tedhams, Director of Sustainability at Owens Corning. "We believe that legislative initiatives can reduce dependence on volatile fossil fuel markets, and reduce energy bills for Illinois' residents and businesses."
"Municipalities can be a significant and important source of clean energy," stated Mayor Thomas J. Murawski, mayor of the Village of Midlothian and Chair of the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus's Environmental Committee. "Municipalities that produce clean energy through renewables and energy-efficiency projects not only improve air quality, they help lower the overall need for energy generation."
More than $22 billion leaves Illinois every year to pay for imported energy. Increasing the state's commitment to clean energy will keep more money in the Illinois, to be spent, saved, and invested by Illinoisans, further stimulating the economy. Regardless of the decisions made about the future of electricity rates and regulation in Illinois, energy efficiency must be part of the solution. It is the one tool that will help our families and businesses cope with the ever increasing cost of energy.
