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Breaux and O'Neill Kick Off Energy Initiative

Off this afternoon's wire:
Former U.S. Sen. John Breaux of Louisiana and former Long Beach, California Mayor and U.S. Conference of Mayors President Beverly O'Neill today announced the formation of the Energy Initiative, an unprecedented partnership of energy consumers and producers committed to finding new solutions to America's energy challenges.

Breaux and O'Neill, two of the nation's most respected retired public officials, will serve as cochairs of the Energy Initiative and work with the initiative's members to undertake a broad based educational effort and formulate a set of recommendations that will serve as the basis for future energy policies.

"This is the first time such a far reaching group of energy consumers and producers have come together to work on the very important issue of energy policy," said Sen. Breaux. "The recent elections show the American public demands common sense solutions to challenges such as America's energy policy, and we intend to fulfill that desire."

[...]

Immediately after today's announcement, members of the Energy Initiative, representing trade associations from nine energy producing trade associations and 22 energy consuming associations, met in break out sessions led by Breaux and O'Neill to begin what will be a six month process of deliberations, educational outreach and public meetings culminating in a final report to Congress and the Bush Administration.
NEI is one of those organizations. For more, visit EI's Web site.

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