Hundreds of Events Organized as Senate Prepares for Historic Fall Session

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 3, 2009

Contact: Alex Posorske at alex@1sky.org.

Takoma Park, MD – Activists and groups throughout the country have organized over 100 events during the final days of the congressional recess to urge senators to support a strong, comprehensive clean energy jobs bill as they head back to Washington, D.C. for the start of the fall session.

The events, taking place from Aug. 31 to Sept. 8, are part of a national “Back to D.C.” push organized by 1Sky, the largest collaborative campaign in the country for bold action on climate and energy policy.

“At this critical moment in our fight for millions of clean energy jobs and a halt to dangerous climate destabilization, our senators must remember how many of their constituents are counting on a comprehensive clean energy jobs bill this fall,” said 1Sky Campaign Director Gillian Caldwell. “As they head back to D.C., our senators must deliver on their number one priority – to bring green jobs home by putting our country on the path to a clean energy economy.”

Several themes make up the “Back to D.C.” series of actions. Dozens of large scale events are taking place in key swing states throughout the country. In addition, hundreds of activists are stopping by their senators’ state offices to present them with a mock train ticket back to Washington, D.C. aboard the “Clean Energy Express.”

Some of the notable events include an aerial art display in Homer, Alaska over Labor Day weekend advocating for strong climate legislation; a clean energy business roundtable in Miami, Florida; and a series of rallies aimed at Senators Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor throughout Arkansas. A full listing of the larger events is at the end of this release.

“The U.S. Senate has a historic opportunity to pass a bill that will result in unprecedented job growth,” Caldwell said. “This fall will present a key window of opportunity and the national 1Sky network will be paying very close attention to the progress our Congress makes in fulfilling America’s promise of a clean energy future.”

The House of Representatives passed a climate and energy bill on June 26. The Senate is expected to take up the issue this fall.

As the events happen, 1Sky will collect and post photos from each event at: www.1sky.org/backtodc-pics. Current highlighted “Back to D.C.” events include:

AK: Our partners at the Alaska Marine Conservation Council are hosting a Labor Day boat party and aerial art event in Homer, AK on September 6 to draw attention to the impacts of global warming and ocean acidification and call for bold U.S. and international leadership on this issue.

AR: 1Sky Arkansas will have a presence at Senator Blanche Lincoln’s town hall meetings across the state between September 1 and September 4 and will also be organizing rallies at three of Arkansas’ largest college campuses and recruiting constituents to visit Senator Lincoln’s and Senator Mark Pryor’s local offices across the state.

CA: Our partners at the National Hispanic Environmental Council are partnering with an SEIU local to host a clean energy forum in Los Angeles on September 6.

CO: 1Sky Colorado is working with former New Orleans residents as well as business, faith, environmental and community leaders to commemorate the four-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. On September 3 they will all come together for a press conference in Denver and then proceed to meet with the offices of Senator Michael Bennett and Senator Mark Udall.

DC: Our partners at the Chesapeake Climate Action Network will recruit supporters from D.C., Maryland and Virginia to visit Capitol Hill on September 8 and host a creative demonstration to coincide with the Senate’s first day back from the summer congressional recess.

FL: Our partners at the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy co-hosted a clean energy business roundtable in Miami with Repower America on September 2.

IA: 1Sky Iowa held a rally on September 1 in Des Moines with the “Clean Energy Express” theme, followed by a meeting with a staffer from Senator Tom Harkin’s office.

IN: Our partners at the Citizens Action Coalition are working with activists, students and business owners to hold a meeting at Senator Evan Bayh’s office in South Bend on September 3.

IL: A group of 1Sky Climate Precinct Captains held a rally outside the federal building in Chicago on August 31.

LA: Our partners at the Gulf Restoration Network are recruiting grassroots supporters across the state to visit Senator Mary Landrieu’s local offices.

ME: On September 2 in Lewiston, 1Sky Maine hosted a tour of the IBEW’s Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee facility. On September 3, 1Sky Maine is holding a rally in Portland with invited speakers including Congresswoman Chellie Pingree and Portland Mayor Jill Duson, followed by a rally and press conference in Bangor about the agricultural and forestry aspects of clean energy policy.

MI: Our partners at Clean Water Action are meeting with Senator Carl Levin’s Detroit office on September 3. The meeting will be followed by a press conference with the “Clean Energy Express” theme.

MN: Our partners at Clean Water Action and youth environmental groups will have a meeting at Senator Amy Klobuchar’s Minneapolis office on September 3.

MO: 1Sky Missouri held an action outside Senator Claire McCaskill’s St. Louis office on September 1.

NC: Our partners at the North Carolina Conservation Network are recruiting grassroots supporters across the state to visit Senator Kay Hagan’s local offices on September 3.

NV: Our partners at the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada are organizing a press conference outside the federal building in Las Vegas on September 3.

NY: Our partners at the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) will coordinate a massive clean energy jobs call-in day to Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles Schumer at 20 college campuses across New York on September 8.

OH: 1Sky Ohio is holding a rally outside the Ohio State House in Columbus on September 3, followed by visits to the local offices of Senators Sherrod Brown and George Voinovich.

SC: 1Sky South Carolina is hosting a house party on September 3 to raise awareness, in conjunction with recruiting constituents across the state to visit Senator Lindsey Graham’s local offices.

WA: Our partners at Climate Solutions are recruiting constituents across the state to visit local Senate offices.

WI: Our partners at Clean Wisconsin are recruiting representatives from the labor, business, faith, student and health communities to meet with Senator Herb Kohl’s staff in Appleton, Madison and Lacrosse and share their perspective on why they support clean energy and climate legislation.

1Sky is a collaborative national campaign for strong federal action to tackle global climate change and invest in building the clean energy economy of the future. As one of the largest national campaigns in the country, 1Sky combines the force of 620 allied organizations, 201,959 committed climate advocates, 4,238 volunteer Climate Precinct Captains covering more than 394 congressional districts in 50 states, and a team of 24 including 9 organizers in 50 states working to mobilize constituent support.

For more information on 1Sky contact Adi Nochur at (301) 270-4550 x224 or Adi@1sky.org