Clean Cities Hosts Energy Independence Days

For the first time, Clean Cities Coalitions, from across the country, hosted Energy Independence Days in Washington, D.C. on March 5-7, 2007. Thank you to our industry partners for making this event a success.

Over 30 coalition representatives made more than 100 visits to their representatives and senators. The mission of Energy Independence Days was twofold:

• Raise the understanding and awareness level, on the Hill, of the Clean Cities program
• Explain how Clean Cities is the deployment mechanism for alternative fuels and related technologies throughout the United States.

CICCA's Executive Director, Kellie Walsh, met with Senator Lugar, Congressman Burton and their respective staffs on Capital Hill. Accompanied by Jerry Leanderson from General Motors, Walsh updated both Senator Lugar and Congressman Burton on CICCA accomplishments in 2006 and detailed their plans for 2007. They discussed the program on a national level and gave examples of some of the program's accomplishments in the 15 years since its existence.

While in D.C., Walsh had the opportunity to meet with Assistant Under Secretary David Rodgers and other Department of Energy staff members. This meeting served to strengthen the relationship between Clean Cities Coalitions and DOE, by discussing ways that DOE and local coalitions can best work together to achieve program goals. Walsh was asked to be the coordinators' liaison, representing all coalitions from across the country.