Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Green Energy Good Business

A major focus for the Chamber’s annual Cap to Cap trip to Washington DC.

Green energy powers to the top of Sacramento chamber's lobbying list in D.C.
By David Whitney - dwhitney@mcclatchydc.com
Published 12:00 am PDT Tuesday, April 8, 2008


WASHINGTON – Clean-energy technology, which last year was not even on the agenda, was a top advocacy item for the Sacramento Metro Chamber on Monday as 350 of its members spread out over Capitol Hill on the business organization's annual Capitol-to-Capitol lobbying trip.

"For Sacramento and the region, clean energy is becoming an economic driver," said John DiStasio, a Sacramento Municipal Utility District general manager and co-leader director of chamber's Clean/Green Technology Team.

The team, like the dozen others, will meet with the Sacramento congressional delegation, California Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, and other congressional and Bush administration leaders in search of federal dollars and specific legislation benefiting the region.

Among the larger teams are those focused on flood control, transportation, clean technology and health care issues – the four leading topics of the chamber's 38th annual lobbying trip.

The Sacramento Metro Chamber's entourage has taken over several floors of the Mayflower Hotel where the participants will stay until the trip winds down Wednesday. Attendance has been capped for several years at 350 members.