WASHINGTON - John Breaux, former U.S. senator from Louisiana, and Beverly O’Neill, former Long Beach, Calif., mayor and president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, have announced the formation of the “Energy Initiative,” a partnership of energy consumers and producers committed to developing recommendations to help solve U.S. energy challenges and educating the public about energy policies

Breaux and O’Neill will serve as co-chairs of the Energy Initiative and work with the initiative’s members to undertake a broad-based educational effort and formulate a set of recommendations for the federal government.

“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 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.”

“To meet the challenge of an ever increasing demand for energy, we have to come to a consensus on the most appropriate energy policies and better educate people about the country’s energy challenges,” said O’Neill. “Sen. Breaux and I spent our public careers building consensus among different groups and proposing meaningful solutions to difficult public policy challenges. That is the approach the Energy Initiative will take in its work.”

After announcing the initiative, its members, 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.

For more information, visit www.theenergyinitiative.org.

Publication date: 12/25/2006