More than 50 Massachusetts Companies Call on Brown to Support a Clean Energy Climate Plan

BOSTON, July 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Ceres, the Clean Economy Network and New England Clean Energy Council joined with over 50 Massachusetts businesses to urge Senator Scott Brown (R-MA) to provide bipartisan leadership to level the playing field for Massachusetts green companies.

Organized by We Can Lead, a project of Ceres and the Clean Economy Network, the 50 companies signed on to an ad encouraging Senator Scott Brown to support a clean energy climate plan that includes a price on carbon pollution.  Highlighting the Senator's own remarks in favor of a clean energy economy, the ad quotes the Senator's response on the Howie Carr Show, where he stated that "we have great technology, we have great ideas, but we don't have the funds ... We're not providing a level playing field for these Massachusetts green companies to really get cracking. And it's unfortunate." (Listen to the audio here).

The ad states that "providing a level playing field for Massachusetts companies to raise capital, grow their operations, create thousands of jobs, and serve regional and global markets requires long term, consistent climate and energy policies that include a price on carbon pollution."

"Massachusetts businesses know that America's long term success in the clean energy economy depends on establishing a price on carbon," said Mindy Lubber, president of Ceres.  "The more than 50 Massachusetts companies on this ad are telling Scott Brown that they need his help with passing a clean energy and climate bill to grow and create jobs here in Massachusetts."

The print ad is part of a larger $1 million advertising campaign demonstrating business support for action on a clean energy climate plan.  It will run on Friday, July 2nd in the Boston Globe. All campaign ads, paid for by the Clean Economy Network, can be viewed at WeCanLead.org.  

About We Can Lead

The We Can Lead campaign is sponsored by the Clean Economy Network and Ceres' Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy (BICEP).  For more on We Can Lead, visit http://www.wecanlead.org/ or follow us on twitter @wecanlead   

The Clean Economy Network (CEN) is the largest national membership-based networking, educational, and advocacy organization shaping a new economy based on clean technology and innovation. Our members are professionals, entrepreneurs, investors, and researchers who connect to each other, learn information relevant to business and professional growth, and influence public policies that impact the clean economy.

Ceres is the largest coalition of investors, environmental and public interest organizations in North America. Ceres launched the BICEP coalition, whose members include Levi Strauss & Co., Nike, Starbucks, Best Buy Co., Inc., Target Corp., The Timberland Company, Aspen Skiing Company, Clif Bar & Company, eBay, Gap Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle, The North Face, Seventh Generation, Ben and Jerry's, Eileen Fisher, Stonyfield Farm Inc., Symantec and Outdoor Industry Association.

The New England Clean Energy Council (NECEC) was formed in early 2007. The Council's mission is to accelerate New England's clean energy economy to global leadership by building an active community of stakeholders and a world-class cluster of clean energy companies. The Council represents over 175 members, comprising clean energy companies, venture investors, major financial institutions, local universities and colleges, industry associations, area utilities, labor and large commercial end-users. The Council's ranks include more than 60 clean energy CEOs, representatives from most of the region's top 10 law firms, and partners from over a dozen of the region's top venture capital firms (with a total of over $8 billion under management). Working with its stakeholders, the Council develops and executes a wide array of programs in five key focus areas: Innovation, Growth, Education and Training, Adoption, & Policy. For additional information please visit www.cleanenergycouncil.org.

SOURCE We Can Lead