New England Clean Energy Council Calls on Senator Scott Brown to Enact Comprehensive Energy and Climate Legislation

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Over 50 clean energy business leaders from companies throughout Massachusetts signed a letter today urging Senator Scott Brown to work across state and party lines to pass comprehensive energy and climate legislation.  These business leaders are members of the New England Clean Energy Council, an industry trade association whose 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 letter encourages Senator Brown to consider the ability of energy and climate legislation to "create millions of new American jobs by providing market certainty and enabling a transition to a new energy economy."  It urges the Senator to work with Senate colleagues to pass comprehensive legislation this session.

"Massachusetts already has a small but vibrant cluster of committed clean energy investors, entrepreneurs, and growing companies," said Nick d'Arbeloff, President of the New England Clean Energy Council.  "If Congress puts a price on carbon, this cluster will benefit tremendously, enabling the Commonwealth to become a leader in creating jobs to provide clean energy solutions to the global marketplace."  

The letter goes on to say that, "today, the United States is falling behind in the global race to lead the new clean energy economy. In order for American business to unleash a new industrial revolution in energy, we need cooperative and coordinated action in the public policy and business arenas. We are ready to compete in the global marketplace, and we urge you to act so that we can win the race for a new clean energy economy.  We stand ready to work with you to build this vital and growing economic sector."

"We believe Massachusetts is an excellent environment in which to build an innovative, clean energy business," said Tim Healy, Chairman and CEO of EnerNOC. "In the 6 years since founding our company in Massachusetts, our business alone has created nearly [250] jobs for the Commonwealth; if Congress passes comprehensive climate legislation, we would expect to see such job creation accelerate significantly."

To view the full text of the letter with logos from 56 companies showing their support for passage of comprehensive energy and climate legislation, please click here.

About the Council

The New England Clean Energy Council was formed in 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 nearly 150 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 50 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 New England Clean Energy Council