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www.e2.org |
November 1, 2007
Members of the U.S. Congress
Washington, DC
Dear Senator/Congressman,
As members and supporters of E2 (Environmental Entrepreneurs), we urge you to pass an energy bill this year as a big step towards a cleaner, more prosperous American economy. Specifically, as Congress begins the process of conferencing the House and Senate energy bills, we urge you to keep the bill strong by ensuring that improved performance standards for vehicle fuel economy and renewable energy are cornerstones of the final product. It is essential that energy legislation sets us on a course to achieve the reductions in heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions that are needed to avert the most dangerous consequences of the looming threat of global warming.
E2 comprises more than 850 business leaders from across the nation who realize that good environmental policy makes economic sense. Our members come from 22 states and work in technology, consulting, venture capital, financial services and a number of other sectors. These members have been involved in financing, creating or working in the early development of over 800 companies, which have created more than 400,000 jobs nationwide. They currently represent more than $20 billion in private equity capital that will flow over the next several years into new companies. E2 supports fundamental energy policy reform that would spur clean, efficient solutions and create jobs by addressing the growing economic risk of our dependence on fossil fuels.
Entrepreneurs are the lifeblood of our economy, and the Cleantech sector is an increasingly vital source of such leaders. This sector grew more than two-and-a-half times as fast as the next strongest industry (electronics) from 2001 to 2006. In 2006, Cleantech became the third-largest North American venture capital investment category (11 percent of all venture investments), behind software and biotechnology. Total North American venture capital invested into Cleantech companies reached $2.9 billion in 2006, a leap of 78 percent over the $1.6 billion invested in 2005.
The growth in Cleantech has been remarkable, however, new public policy is crucial for sustained investment in this sector. State performance requirements for clean vehicles, renewable fuels and electricity, as well as policy to reduce carbon emissions, have unleashed a healthy round of innovation in Cleantech. Now we urge you to raise the bar by reforming federal energy policy, a move which would boost green entrepreneurship, job creation and economic growth nationwide.
Specifically, we urge you to pass an energy bill that includes:
- The Renewable Electricity Standard passed in the House Energy Bill , similar to good state policies, which would diversify our energy supply by making clean, domestic resources a competitive part of the mix. This proposed standard would expand our use of clean energy resources - such as wind, solar, geothermal and biomass - to 15 percent by 2020, while also allowing four percent of this requirement to come from efficiency improvements. This policy would also help stabilize electricity prices, reduce natural gas prices, reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other harmful air pollutants, create jobs, and bring new income to farmers and ranchers.
- The provisions in the Senate Energy Bill which increase the Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards to save 1.2 million barrels of oil a day and $25 billion dollars a year by 2020 and help curb global warming. This provision is an essential component of energy legislation that seeks to decrease our dependence on imported energy and increase our national security. It provides ample flexibility for manufacturers while requiring them to meet an overall performance standard.
- The strong Energy Efficiency provisions of the House Bill , which will save consumers and businesses money and reduce global warming pollution by setting aggressive targets for strengthening state building energy efficiency codes, reforming Department of Energy authority to issue energy efficiency standards for appliance and equipment products, and establishing new efficiency standards for products such as light bulbs, dishwashers and clothes washers. Again, this is good policy which doesn’t dictate results, but will spur entrepreneurs to design energy-consuming products that provide services less wastefully.
- An extension of the Renewable Energy Production Tax Credit. In order to avoid the boom and bust development cycle that has resulted from previous Congressional renewals of the tax credits in two-year increments, the conference report should include the extension of the renewable production tax credit (PTC) through 2013, a reasonable time horizon for investment decisions.
- Meaningful oil and gas reform. In addition to providing important incentives for clean energy, the House bill takes important steps toward balancing a tax code that has benefited the oil and gas industry for nearly 100 years. Such favorable treatment has long tilted the playing field steeply against Cleantech entrepreneurs. In total, the bill eliminates approximately $15 billion in oil and gas tax breaks, denying oil and gas companies the Section 199 deduction, reducing the benefit of the geological and geophysical tax deduction, as well as eliminating certain overseas tax deductions for oil and gas companies.
- Sustainable Biofuels Production. Biofuels can contribute to reducing global warming, decreasing fossil fuel dependence, and expanding rural economies. But critical to the success of any Renewable Fuel Standard included in the final energy bill are environmental safeguards to protect our air, land, water, public health and climate. A sustainable biofuels economy will depend on how we manage our land, soil, and water resources. Capturing the promise of biofuels demands strategic investment in next-generation technologies, critical environmental safeguards, and incentives for best practices. Without these measures, imprudent harvesting of feedstocks threatens to deplete water resources, impact soil fertility, engender costly water pollution, and ultimately undermine the economic and environmental feasibility of biobased fuels. Conservation and resource efficiency policies are needed to encourage innovations in advanced cellulosic technologies and improved on-farm yield and production practices.
Entrepreneurs and investors in our nation’s energy future need clear leadership from Congress. Now is the time to enact these fundamental energy policy reforms to provide a clear signal to the marketplace, unleashing cleantech innovations and growth in this emerging and extremely promising sector while achieving greater energy security and economic prosperity.
Thank you for considering our views.
Sincerely, |
Daniel Abbasi (Connecticut) Curtis Abbott (California) CEO, Lucesco Lighting Inc Maryvonne Abbott (California) Dan Abrams (California) President/CEO, Cross River Pictures Clifford Adams (New York) Managing Director, Coady Diemar Partners Adam Albright (Oregon) ARIA Foundation Christopher Arndt (New York) Patty Arndt (New York) Anne Avis (California) Greg Avis (California) Founding Managing Partner, Summit Partners Gina Baldwin (California) Jay Baldwin (Massachusetts) Partner, Wind River Capital Partners, LLC Joshua Bar-Lev (California) Constance Barbour (Massachusetts) Silkscreen Printer, Migrantwinds Dora Barlaz Hanft (New York) Environmental Science Teacher, Horace Mann School Jayne Battey (California) Co-founder, Essex Environmental, Inc. Joan Belden (California) Jeff Bennett (Colorado) Founder, Big Kid Science Lisa Bennett (Colorado) Laura Berland-Shane (California) Director, Utility Markets - West, Comverge Tony Bernhardt, PhD (California) Northern California Director, Environmental Entrepreneurs Aron Bernstein (Massachusetts) Professor of physics, MIT Suzanne Biegel (California) Janine Bisharat (California) Certified Public Accountant, Frank, Rimerman + Co. LLP Maureen Blanc (California) Director, CHARGE ACROSS TOWN Jonathan Bloch (California) Partner, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP Lisa Bloch (California) Peter Blum (California) Renewable Energy Portfolio Manager, Mineral Acquisition Partners, Inc. Julie Blunden (California) CEO, ClimateWorks Foundation David Bowen (California) Consultant Eric Bowen (California) Executive Director, Business Development & Legal Affairs, Renewable Energy Group George Brandt (California) Scott Bryan Director of Operations, Imagine H2O Barbara Brenner Buder (California) CFO, San Francisco Theological Seminary Marisa Bueno (Montana) Doctoral Student, Stanford University Wendy Buffett (California) Steve Chadima (California) Senior Vice President, Communications & Director of California Initiatives, AEE Advanced Energy Economy Stacie Cheng (California) Director of Business Strategy and Operations, Dell Roger Choplin (California) Proprietor / Owner, Our Earth Music, Inc. Diane Christensen (California) President, Manzanita Management Corp Deborah Cincotta (California) Writer Tom Cole (California) CEO, Consuming, Inc. Ann Colley (New York) Executive Director, The Moore Charitable Foundation Lee Cooper (California) Professor Emeritus, UCLA Anderson School of Management Sally Fay Cottingham (Massachusetts) Filmmaker, Moving Scrapbook Productions William Cottingham (Massachusetts) Joy Covey (Utah) President, Beagle Foundation Catherine Crystal Foster (California) Consultant, Policy & Advocacy Consulting Andrew Currie (Colorado) Investor, Active Minds LLC John Cusack Financial Services Risk Management, Maplecroft Limited Paul Danielsen (California) VP Business Development, MMA Renewable Ventures Peter Danzig (California) Tim Dattels (California) Managing Director, Newbridge Capital Duncan Davidson (California) Senior Advisor, NetServices Venture Group Jean Davidson (California) Managing Director, VantagePoint Venture Partners Peter Davis (California) Retired Attorney John Dawson (California) Co-founder, Zentek Technology Rob Day (Massachusetts) Anne DeGheest (California) Principal, Medstars Ventures Rick DeGolia (California) Partner, Exigen Capital Andrew Deitz (California) Co Founder, Climate Earth Michael Delapa (California) DeLapa Consulting Anne Delehunt (California) Marketing Consultant, Delehunt-Ricketts Marco DeMiroz (California) Managing Director, Selby Ventures Harry Dennis (California) Pediatrician, Palo Alto Medical Clinic Susan Dennis (California) Fine Arts Advisor, Self-employed John DeSantis (Massachusetts) President, Civic Capital Group, LLC Nathan Diemer (California) Founder and Executive Vice President, DreamHammer, Inc. George Dies (California) Scott Dietzen (California) CEO, Pure Storage Gary Dillabough (California) Principal, The Westly Group Christopher Dillion (Illinois) Managing Director, Vermilion Development Corporation Bob Ditchey (California) Principal, Robert Ditchey Brian Dougherty (California) CEO, AirSet Inc. Ted Driscoll (California) Director, Digital Healthcare Lead, Claremont Creek Ventures David Duehren (Massachusetts) Co-founder, Brooktrout Techology Alvin Duskin (California) CEO of Clean Coal Energy Sara Duskin (California) DayOne Bob Epstein (California) Co-founder, Sybase, New Resource Bank, Environmental Entrepreneurs Arah Erickson (Oregon) VP, Wells Fargo Rob Erlichman (California) Founder & President, Sunlight Electric, LLC John Esposito (Tennessee) President and CEO, Warner/Electra/Atlantic Chris Eyre (California) Managing Director, Legacy Venture Hedy Eyre (California) Lynn Feintech (California) Anne Feldhusen (California) Noel Fenton (California) General Partner, Trinity Ventures Sally Fenton (California) Paul Ferreri (California) Co-Founder, Blossom Investment Management Adrienne Fioretti (California) Asst Portfolio Mgr, Encinal Partners Steve Fioretti (California) VP, CRM Product Strategy, Oracle Corporation Bob Fisher (California) Chair, Gap, Inc. Randi Fisher (California) Kacey Fitzpatrick (California) President, Avalon Enterprises Inc Peter Fortenbaugh (California) Executive Director, Boy and Girls Club of the Peninsula Jon Foster (California) Chief Financial Officer, LS9 Tod Francis (California) Founding Partner, Shasta Ventures Mike Freed (California) Post Ranch Inn Ivor Frischknecht Investment Director, Starfish Ventures Andy Funk (California) Managing Director, Funk Ventures Kristi Funk (California) Kristi, Pink Lotus Medical Bonnie Gemmell (California) GoFavo Rob Gemmell (California) Co-founder, AlikeList Aaron Gershenberg (California) Managing Director, Silicon Valley Bank Lee Gerstein (Utah) Nancy Gail Goebner (California) Gardenpeach Place Mitchell Golden (New York) Principal, Jun Group Susan Goldhor (Massachusetts) Biologist, C.A.R.S. Dan Goldman (Massachusetts) Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Clean Energy Venture Group Diana Goldman (Massachusetts) Founder, ICanPlanIt Ken Goldsholl (California) CEO, x.o.ware, Inc.
| Nancy Goldsholl (California) Randy Goldstein (California) CEO, OptiSolar Holdings LLC. Lydia Graham (California) Bill Green (California) Senior Managing Director, Macquarie Capital Funds Inc Nancy Green (California) Barrie Gromala (California) President, Beantrees Organic Coffee Marianna Grossman (California) President & Executive Director, Sustainable Silicon Valley David Groves (California) Representative, Angeles Medical, Inc. Joseph Guth (California) Legal Director, Science and Environmental Health Network Tom Haggin (California) Co-Founder, Sybase and Tilden Park Software Vicki Haggin (California) Debbie Hall (California) Chair of the Board, Village Enterprise Fund Russell Hall (California) Managing Director, Legacy Venture Bob Hambrecht (California) Self-Employed Elissa Hambrecht (California) Gary Hammer (California) Chairman, Great Circle Water, Inc. Xenia Hammer (California) R.B. Webber & Company Noah Hanft (New York) General Counsel, MasterCard Gina Harman (New York) CEO, Accion New York/New Jersey Arno Harris (California) CEO, Recurrent Energy, Inc. Paul Harris (New York) Senior Advisor, GRT Energy Berl Hartman (Massachusetts) E2 New England Chapter Director, Hartman Consulting Hyman Hartman (Massachusetts) Research Scientist, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Laura Hattendorf (California) Carol Hazenfield (California) Mark Heising (California) Managing Director, Medley Partners Heather Henriksen (Massachusetts) Director, Office of Sustainability, Harvard University James Higgins (California) Partner, Lakeside Enterprises Jill Tate Higgins (California) General Partner, Lakeside Enterprises Jerry Hinkle (California) Manager, Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight Nathalie Hoffman (California) Managing Member, California Renewable Energies LLC Rick Holmstrom (California) Partner & Vice Chairman, Menlo Equities Colin Horowitz (California) Jennifer Howard DeGolia (California) Realtor-retired Ogden Hunnewell (Massachusetts) President, Nordic Properties Janet Huseby (California) Volunteer coordinator, Berkeley High School Tom Jacoby (California) CEO, Tymphany Corporation Wendy James (California) President, Better World Group Kristine Johnson (California) Director, Kingfisher Foundation Leigh Johnson (California) Dir. of Programs, Stanford Precourt Institute for Energy Roy Johnson (California) CEO, EcoFactor Charlene Kabcenell (California) Former Vice President, Oracle Corporation Derry Kabcenell (California) Former Executive Vice President, Oracle Corporation Jerome Kalur (Montana) Attorney at Law Timothy David Karsten (California) TDKA Group Bruce Katz (California) Chairman & CEO, Rosewood Stone Group Dasa Katz (California) Andy Kau (California) Jonathan Kaufelt (California) Private Investor; Former Attorney Holly Kaufman (California) CEO, Environment & Enterprise Strategies Robert Keith (Montana) Partner, Beartooth Capital Partners Arthur Keller (California) Managing Partner, Minerva Consulting Adrienne Kentor (California) Eric Kentor (California) Michael Kieschnick (California) President, Working Assets Sam Kingsland (California) Managing Director, Granite Ventures Michele Kirsch (California) Co-founder, Kirsch Foundation Steve Kirsch (California) CEO, Propel Accelerator Karinna Kittles Karsten (California) Charles Knowles (California) Executive Director, Wildlife Conservation Network Chip Koch (California) Partner, Petrosus Energy Stephen Koch (California) Portfolio Manager, AIG Global Real Estate Joel Kreisberg (California) Founder and Executive Director, Teleosis Institute Susan Labandibar (Massachusetts) President, Tech Networks of Boston Beth LaDove (California) Sue Learned-Driscoll (California) Administrator, Stanford University Noelle Leca (California) Vice Chair, Chair-Elect, NCPB, Inc. Nicole Lederer (California) Co-Founder, Environmental Entrepreneurs Betty Lee (California) Grace Lee Park (Oregon) Ross Levy (California) Principal, Levy Art & Architecture Inc. Florence W. Liddell (New York) Environmental Advocate Anna Lijphart (California) East Bay Sanctuary Tony Lijphart (California) Director, User Experience, U Grok It Tracy Lyons (California) Singer-Songwriter, Mythic Records LLC Steve MacKay (California) Principal, Scourie Network Partners Andrew Magee (Massachusetts) Senior Consultant, Epsilon Associates Joel Makower (California) Chairman and Executive Editor, GreenBiz Group Marguerite Manteau-Rao (California) Entrepreneur, blogger Ughetta Manzone (California) Attorney-at-Law Drew Maran (California) President, Drew Maran Construction, Inc. Christine Martin (California) Clinical Nurse Specialist, San Francisco General Hospital Daniel Maskit (California) Technical Director, Digital Domain Julia Massa (California) Bonnie Matlock (California) Jeff Maurer (California) Wind Energy Consultant, Clipper Windpower Julie Maurer (California) Julie Cline Fine Art Services Nancy McCarter-Zorner (California) Plant Pathologist Patti McClung (California) Bill McClure (California) Attorney/Partner, Jorgenson, Siegel, McClure & Flegel LLP Christina McClure (California) Community Volunteer Jim McDermott (California) Managing Partner, U.S. Renewables Group Josie Merck (Connecticut) Founder, Ocean View Foundation Daphne Miller (California) Physician, Daphne Miller Family Practice David Miller (Massachusetts) Executive Managing Director, Clean Energy Venture Group Karen Miller (Massachusetts) President, Belly Shmooze Meredith Mills (California) Rob Moir (Massachusetts) President, Ocean River Institute Bob Molinari (California) Medstars Biotech Peter Molloy (California) Lecturer, Haas School of Business Carol Moné (California) Producer, Our Earth Productions John Montgomery (California) Chairman, Montgomery & Hansen, LLP Linda Montgomery (California) Michael Moradzadeh (California) Commodore, Corinthian Yacht Club Allen Morgan (California) Principal, Mayfield Robert Morgan (California) Founder, President & COO, Agile Energy, LLC Liz Muller (California) Director of Sustainability, U.S. Biodiesel Group Anne Murphy (Massachusetts) Gib Myers (California) Partner Emeritus, Mayfield Fund and Founder/board of the Entrepreneurs Foundation Susan Myers (California) Jim Nail (Massachusetts) Principal Analyst, Forrester Research Wendy Neu (New York) Senior Vice President, Hugo Neu Corporation
| Armand Neukermans (California) Founder, Xros Eliane Neukermans (California) M. Kent Norton (California) Rita Norton (California) Tori Nourafchan (California) Rick Nowels (California) Jay Nussbaum (New York) Attorney, Ginsburg & Redmond, P.C. Kathy Nyrop (California) Consultant Lise Olson Larry Orr (California) Managing Partner, Trinity Ventures Alex Osadzinski (North Carolina) Jiali Osadzinski (North Carolina) Jack Oswald (California) CEO, SynGest Inc. Jim Panttaja (California) Vice President, Corporate Development, RebelVox Mary Panttaja (California) Vice President, Product Management, RebelVox Eric Park (Oregon) Director, Ziba Design J Park Lea Park Senior Vice President, Collier Nicholas Parker Chairman, Cleantech Capital Group LLC Mark Parnes (California) Attorney, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Matt Peak (California) Director of Clean Technologies, Prize Capital, LLC. Marina Pelosi (California) Sam Perry (California) President, Ascendance Ventures Nancy Peterson (California) Jean Pierret (California) Dave Pine (California) Attorney at Law Harry Plant (California) Investment Banker, Lawyer, retired Keith Powers (California) President, Powerful Concepts Michiko Powers (California) Jordan Ramer (California) Director of Business Development, AeroVironment Amy Rao (California) Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Integrated Archive Systems Prad Rao (California) Investor Zeb Rice (California) Partner, Angeleno Group Grant Ricketts (California) Co-Founder and VP Business Development, Saba Kate Ridgway (California) Rosemary Ripley (New York) Managing Director, NGEN Partners Jenny Robb (Ohio) Assistant Professor/Associate Curator, Ohio State Univ. Cartoon Research Library Martin Roscheisen (California) Jonathan Rose (New York) President, Jonathan Rose Companies Randy Rosenberg (California) Curator, Natural World Museum David Rosenstein (California) President, Intex Solutions Amy Roth (California) Julie Rudick (California) Stuart Rudick (California) Partner, Mindful Investors, LLC Kate Sandrini (California) Diana Sanson (California) Field Trip Foundation Amy Santullo (California) California Clean Tech Open, Downtown College Prep Scholarship Committee Michael Santullo (California) Co-Founder and Board Member, California Clean Tech Open Guy Saperstein (California) Saperstein Goldstein Demchak & Baller Jeanine Saperstein (California) Tedd Saunders (Massachusetts) Co-Owner, The Saunders Hotel Group Bette Schuster (California) Stu Schuster (California) Novus Ventures David Schwartz (California) James Schwartz (Massachusetts) Vice President, Independence Solar Paul Seeman (California) Anneke Seley (California) CEO, ALIO Inc. Joel Serface (Colorado) Co-Founder and Managing Director, Clean Range Ventures Marita Seulamo-Vargas (California) Journalist, (Freelance) Reid Shane (California) Producer/Partner, Frequency Films JoAnn Shernoff (Colorado) Former President, Institute for Ecolonomics Barbara Simons (California) Research Staff Member, Retired, IBM Research Liz Simons (California) Lori Sinsley (California) Principal, All Things Green PR, All Things Green PR Jon Slangerup (California) CEO, NEI Treatment Systems, LLC Sandra Slater (California) Owner, Sandra Slater Environments Bob Smith (California) Former COO & CFO, Nellcor Inc. Jennifer Solow (California) Author June Stein (California) Virtual Group, LLC Lee Stein (California) Chairman and CEO, Virtual Group, LLC Marc Stolman (California) Attorney, Stolman Law office, E2 Climate Project Leader Tricia Stone (California) Founder, Stone Communications Jeanne Sullivan (New York) Co-chair and Founder, StarVest Partners John Sullivan (New York) Ed Supplee (California) Former CFO, UTStarcom Sally Supplee (California) Former Chief Financial Officer, various companies Gary Swart (California) CEO, Odesk Kathy Swart (California) Jim Sweeney (Massachusetts) President, Sustainable New Energy Lava Thomas (California) Cariad Thronson (California) CEO, Forefront Communications Robert Thronson (California) VP Business Development, Vigilent Christopher Tilley (California) CEO, SunLink Corporation Sharon Tilley (California) Director of Product Management, Fair Isaac & Co Jane Turnbull (California) Deceased- Principal, Peninsula Energy Partners And the League of Women Voters of California Roger Ullman (New York) Executive Director, Linden Trust for Conservation Bill Unger (California) Partner Emeritus, Mayfield Fund Kathleen Unger (California) Of Counsel, Freeman, Freeman & Smiley Stephen Unger (California) Managing Director, KSMU, LLC Mark Vander Ploeg (California) Chris Vargas (California) Founder, Cleantech Circle LLC Maria Vidal (California) Cindy Walden (California) Mark Walden (California) COO, Data Robotics, Inc. Kirby Walker (California) Independent film/video producer Deirdre Wallace (California) President, The Ambrose Group Bill Weihl (California) Sustainability guru, Facebook Sara Weinheimer (New York) Managing Partner, Verde Venture Partners Dave Welch (California) Chief Technology Officer, Infinera Corporation Heidi Welch (California) Haskell Werlin (Massachusetts) Solar Project Developer, SolarPowerPartners Clint Wilder (California) Contributing Editor, Clean Edge Robert Wilder (California) CEO, WilderShares, LLC Alexa Willson (New York) Principal, Bessemer Trust Tonia Wisman (California) Erik Wohlgemuth (Oregon) COO, Future 500 John Woolard (California) President and CEO, BrightSource Energy Ion Yadigaroglu (California) Managing Partner, Capricorn Investment Group Carroll Yandell (California) George Yandell (California) Director of Real Estate, Nature Conservancy Stephanie Yulga Deitz (California) Head of Lower School, Hillbrook Paul Zorner (California) Chairman, Kuehnle AgroSystems Holly Zuklie (California) Direct of Admissions/Co-Founder, Girls Middle School Mitch Zuklie (California) Partner, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
| 337 members
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