The event, which is sponsored by the United States Energy Association and Johnson Controls, brought in several government leaders to address the crowd, including Christine Whitman, Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Spencer Abraham, Secretary of Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
Whitman, the leadoff speaker, stated, “America’s energy future is brighter today than a year ago.” She said that progress has been made without expense to the environment. “Economic prosperity can go hand-in-hand” with protecting the nation’s environment, she said.