Reforming American Energy - Catalyzing Innovation and Solutions

April 14, 2009

Top Experts Convene in DC to Map New Direction for U.S. Energy Policy

WASHINGTON, April 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Executives from some of America's top companies and key policymakers, together with some of the nation's leading energy thinkers, are gathering in Washington, DC on April 21, 2009 to discuss the nation's energy challenges and how best to confront them. The full-day national energy symposium, "Reforming American Energy: Encouraging Innovation, Producing Solutions," sponsored by the Reform Institute, will convene diverse interests to highlight common perils posed by current energy policy and explore comprehensive energy reform.

"I am pleased to participate in an event to discuss the importance of securing our nation's energy future," said Senator John McCain, who will provide luncheon keynote remarks at the symposium.

In addition to keynotes from prominent policymakers such as Senator McCain and Senator Lisa Murkowski, three dynamic sessions will feature practitioners and policy experts from various perspectives engaged in constructive and stimulating discussion on the most pressing energy issues.

Panel 1: Highlighting the Nation's Energy Problems - Replacing Foreign Sources of Energy

Moderated by Commissioner Marc Spitzer (FERC)

Panel 2: Maximizing our Nation's Energy Resources and Becoming More Energy Efficient

Moderated by David Brewster (President, EnerNOC)

Panel 3: Modernizing our Nation's Infrastructure and Problem Solving Through Innovation

Moderated by Susan McGinnis (CleanSkies TV)

Session participants include representatives from CleanSkiesTV, Lockheed Martin, Nissan, Alliance for Cooperative Innovation, Southwest Gas, Doty Energy, Volkswagen, Team Consulting, Dickstein Shapiro, Google, Bipartisan Policy Center, GridPoint and leaders from Federal agencies such as the Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

"The sooner we replace piecemeal initiatives and parochial politics with comprehensive reform in the best interest of the Nation, the stronger our national security, economy, climate and energy sector will be," stated symposium chair Ken Nahigian of Nahigian Strategies, LLC. "This symposium will initiate the broad and open dialogue that is required to flesh out real solutions."

A recent Reform Institute report examines the energy challenges and opportunities facing the U.S. and will serve as a discussion guide for the event. A post-symposium report from the Institute will examine issues highlighted at the forum. More information on the symposium and report can be found at www.reforminstitute.org.

The Reform Institute is a non-partisan, not-for-profit educational organization working to strengthen the foundations of our democracy and build a resilient society. The Institute formulates and advocates valuable, solutions-based reforms in vital areas of public policy, including homeland and national security, energy and environmental progress, economic opportunity and competitiveness, immigration policy, and governance and election reform. Visit our website at www.reforminstitute.org.

SOURCE Reform Institute