March 31, 2015 President Barack Obama The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, D.C. 20500 Dear Mr. President, As members of Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2)[i], we recognize that carbon pollution is creating economic and environmental disruptions, that strong climate policies will create jobs, and that U.S. leadership is essential to secure aggressive action by other countries. Therefore, we write in support of your proposal to commit the U.S. to further reduce its emissions by up to 28% below 2005 levels by 2025 as a part of the new international agreement to be adopted this December. Your Administration has finalized or begun to implement a number of measures to reduce America’s emissions that are driving climate change. These are important efforts to meet the U.S. commitment to cut emissions 17% below 2005 levels by 2020. Continued robust action on carbon pollution standards from power plants, oil and gas methane, and super-potent heat trapping HFCs will be critical. The commitment to further cut U.S. emissions by 2025 will send an even stronger market signal than existing policies can do alone. It will build upon these current efforts and help drive even more innovation, job creation, and pollution reduction. We have seen first-hand the ability of robust U.S. policies to spur clean energy deployment. Although clean energy is still an emerging energy sector, representing only 6 percent of generation, it is a strong economic growth sector. Including all clean energy sectors, the U.S. has an estimated 3.4 million clean jobs as of 2013 – a number which is steadily growing.[ii] In the last two years E2 has tracked nearly 700 clean energy and clean transportation project announcements that could create more than 233,000 jobs when completed.[iii] Well-designed additional measures will capitalize on these existing investments in clean energy and support new investments that create more opportunities to unleash America’s clean energy economy. The innovations we develop domestically will also help American entrepreneurs export to the expanding international market for clean energy - a multi-trillion dollar opportunity. U.S. manufacturers can be the leading global suppliers of cleaner cars, cleaner fuels, cleaner power, and technologies that improve industrial, power plant and building efficiency. Our actions at home also send a powerful signal abroad by helping spur action in other CALIFORNIA, PACIFIC NORTHWEST & ROCKY MOUNTAINS 111 Sutter Street, Fl 20 San Francisco, CA 94104 TEL 415 875-6100 FAX 415 875-6161 NEW YORK & NEW ENGLAND MID-ATLANTIC MIDWEST 40 West 20th Street 1152 15th Street NW, Suite 300 20 N Wacker Drive, Suite 1600 New York, NY 10011 Washington, DC 20005 Chicago, IL 60606 TEL 212 727-2700 FAX 212 727-1773 TEL 202 289-6868 FAX 202 289-1060 TEL 312-663-9900FAX 312-332-1908 countries, helping to create the necessary global action and stimulating new clean energy markets throughout the world. The recent joint announcement between the U.S. and China demonstrates that when the U.S. shows it is prepared to act at home it can help secure strong commitments in other major emitters. As the world’s strongest economy, America can and must lead in this arena. For all of these reasons, we strongly support your goals to cut U.S. emissions 26-28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025. We are ready to work with you to ensure this plan works for our communities to protect them from the risks of climate change while providing new economic opportunities and helping spur global action. Sincerely, Dan Abrams (California) President/CEO, Wynkoop Properties Clifford Adams (New York) Managing Director, Coady Diemar Partners Dora Barlaz Hanft (New York) Environmental Science Teacher, Horace Mann School Frederick Baron (California) Partner, Cooley LLP Mark Bauhaus (California) Former Executive Vice President, Juniper Networks Elizabeth Bekiroglu (Washington) Pacific Northwest Director, Environmental Entrepreneurs Dave Belote (Virginia) Senior Vice President, Cassidy and Associates Tod Bensen (California) Director, WildAid Laura Berland-Shane (California) Director, Utility Markets - West, Comverge Eric Berman (Washington) Angel VC Tony Bernhardt, PhD (California) Northern California Director, Environmental Entrepreneurs Maureen Blanc (California) Director, CHARGE ACROSS TOWN Environmental Entrepreneurs Stewart Greenfield (Connecticut) Chairman, Alternative Investment Group Eric Grunebaum (Massachusetts) Chief Business Development Officer, Business Dev't. at TeraCool & Producer ''The Last Mountain'' Tom Haggin (California) Co-Founder, Sybase and Tilden Park Software Berl Hartman (Massachusetts) E2 New England Chapter Director, Hartman Consulting Carol Hazenfield (California) Communications Coach Sheryl Heckmann (California) Events Coordinator, Law Foundation of Silicon Valley Mark Heising (California) Managing Director, Medley Partners Ward Hendon (California) Cofounder, Axiom Legal Mitch Hescox (Pennsylvania) President and CEO, Evangelical Environmental Network Shiela Hingorani (California) First Vice President, Morgan Stanley Jerry Hinkle (California) Northern California Regional Coordinator, Citizens Climate Lobby David O'Leary (Maryland) Technology Strategy, Better World Telecom Doug Ogden (California) CEO, North Ridge Investment Management Michael Brian Orr (Washington) Senior Computer Scientist, Adobe Systems Lyn Oswald (California) E2 Membership Director Peter Papesch (Massachusetts) Architect, Papesch Associates Vic Parker (California) Managing Director Neela Patel (California) Director, Biology, Poniard Pharmaceuticals Rebecca Patton (California) Ethan Podell (New York) President, Babel Networks Limited Christopher Pribe (California) Emily Rice (Iowa) Business Development Manager, The Energy Group Kate Ridgway (California) Real Estate Professional Jamila Rockette (Colorado) Consultant Laurie Rothenberg (New York) Jacqueline Royce (Massachusetts) Independent Scholar Paul Salinger (California) VP, Marketing, Oracle John Santoleri (New York) Page 2 of 5 Barbara Blumenthal (New Jersey) Executive Coach, Leaders In Motion Julie Blunden (California) Former CEO, ClimateWorks Foundation Bill Boyk (Oregon) CEO/Founder, GyroVolts by Ameristar Solar, LLC Tim Brummels (California) CEO, Canergy LLC Reid Buckley (California) Principal, Orion Renewable Energy Group Barbara Brenner Buder (California) CFO, San Francisco Theological Seminary Dianne Callan (Massachusetts) Independent Legal Consulting, Green Tech Legal Hamilton Candee (California) Partner, Altshuler Berzon LLP Peter Carson (California) Partner, Sheppard Mullin Hampton & Richter LLP Pete Cartwright (California) CEO, Avalon Ecopower Steve Chadima (California) Senior Vice President, Communications & Director of California Initiatives, AEE Advanced Energy Economy Michael Cuddehe (New York) Principal, Strategic Global Advisors, LLC Andrew Currie (Colorado) Investor, Active Minds LLC Mary Ann Cusenza (California) Independent Consultant for high tech and cleantech companies Vincent Cushing (Illinois) President & CTO, QCoefficient, Inc. Peter Davis (California) Retired Attorney Michael Delapa (California) DeLapa Consulting Chris Dennett (Oregon) Environmental Entrepreneurs David Hitchcock (Virginia) Senior Vice President, Corporate Operations, Harvest Power Wendy James (California) President, Better World Group Delayne Johnson (Iowa) CEO & Founding Board Member, Quad County Corn Processors Nicholas Josefowitz (California) Executive Director, Leadership For A Clean Economy Derry Kabcenell (California) Former Executive Vice President, Oracle Corporation Jerome Kalur (Montana) Attorney at Law Ron Kamen (New York) CEO, EarthKind Solar Energy Christopher Kaneb (Massachusetts) Principal, Catamount Management Corporation Arthur Keller (California) Managing Partner, Minerva Consulting Will Kenworthy (Illinois) Vice President, Regional Operations - Midwest, Microgrid Solar Charly Kleissner (California) Co-Founder, KL Felicitas Foundation Stephen Koch (California) Portfolio Manager, AIG Global Real Estate David Kolsrud (South Dakota) President, DAK Renewable Energy Philip Korsant (Florida) Managing Member, Korsant Partners Felix Kramer (California) Founder, California Cars Initiative Chip Krauskopf (California) Chief Operating Officer, Chromasun Inc. Pete Krull (North Carolina) President and Founder, Krull & Company DC Kuhns (Delaware) Partner, StoneWork Capital Tedd Saunders (Massachusetts) CSO, The Saunders Hotel Group David Schwartz (California) Kathleen Scutchfield (California) Lt Gen (ret) Noman Seip (Virginia) Owner, NS Solutions, LLC Laura Shenkar (California) Principal, The Artemis Project Barbara Simons (California) Research Staff Member, Retired, IBM Research Jon Slangerup (California) CEO, Port of Long Beach Sandra Slater (California) Owner, Sandra Slater Environments Bryce Smith (Washington) CEO, OneEnergy Renewables Gregrey Smith (Ohio) President, Energy Optimizers Peter Sullivan (California) Founder, Clear Light Ventures Sally Supplee (California) Former Chief Financial Officer, various companies Todd Thorner (California) CEO / Founder, JTN Energy John Tourtelotte (Massachusetts) Managing Director, Rivermoor Energy Mike Ubell (California) Architect, Oracle Bill Unger (California) Partner Emeritus, Mayfield Fund Thomas Van Dyck (California) Sr. Vice President, RBC Wealth Management Mark Vander Ploeg (California) Retired, Investment Banker Alex Wall (Oregon) Attorney, Wall at Law Bill Weihl (California) Sustainability guru, Facebook Jeffrey Weiss (Rhode Island) Member, Clean Energy Venture Group Eric Wepsic (New York) Managing Director, D. E. Shaw & Page 3 of 5 Manager, ACME Business Consulting Ted Driscoll (California) Partner, Digital Healthcare Lead, Claremont Creek Ventures Tim Dwight (Iowa) Business Development, Integrated Power Corporation Niko Elmaleh (New York) Vice President, World-Wide Holdings Corp. Bob Epstein (California) Co-founder, Sybase, New Resource Bank, Environmental Entrepreneurs Rob Erlichman (California) Founder & President, Sunlight Electric, LLC Lynn Feintech (California) Anne Feldhusen (California) Consultant, Green Business Technology Marketing Steve Flick (Missouri) Principal, Environmental Ecologist, Flick Seed Company Nancy Floyd (California) Founder and Managing Director, Nth Power Jon Foster (California) Chief Financial Officer, Nexant Chris Fowle (New York) VP, Investor Initiatives, CDP Nell Freudenberger (New York) Author Rona Fried (New York) President, SustainableBusiness.com Guillaume Gauthereau (New York) Founder and Chairman, Sequoia Lab Nancy Gail Goebner (California) Owner, Gardenpeach Place Mitchell Golden (New York) Principal, Jun Group Susan Goldhor (Massachusetts) Biologist, C.A.R.S. Ken Goldsholl (California) CEO, x.o.ware, Inc. Environmental Entrepreneurs CEO, Executive Director, Founder, EDEN Delmarva Susan Labandibar (Massachusetts) President, Tech Networks of Boston Nicole Lederer (California) Chair and Co-Founder, Environmental Entrepreneurs Waidy Lee (California) Advisory Board Member, Sustainable Silicon Valley Sam Leichman (California) Co-Founder, LivingPlug Florence W. Liddell (New York) Environmental Advocate Mark Liffmann (Washington) Vice President of Business Development, Clean Power Research Steve MacKay (California) Principal, Scourie Network Partners Ryan Martens (Colorado) Founder, CTO & CSO, Rally Software Development James Marvin (Massachusetts) Regional Manager, East & Canada, Expeditors Andy Mendelsohn (California) Sr. Vice President, Server Technologies, Oracle David Miller (Massachusetts) Executive Managing Director, Clean Energy Venture Group Carol Moné (California) Producer, Our Earth Productions Jay Morrow (Pennsylvania) Senior VP, AIG Property Casualty Liz Muller (California) Director of Sustainability, U.S. Biodiesel Group Susan Nedell (Colorado) Consultant Carl Nettleton (California) President, Nettleton Strategies LLC Armand Neukermans (California) Co. Bonni Widdoes (Massachusetts) President, Gladden House Erik Wohlgemuth (Oregon) COO, Future 500 Gary Wolff (California) Former Vice Chair, CA State Water Resources Control Board Ion Yadigaroglu (California) Managing Partner, Capricorn Investment Group George Yandell (California) Director of Real Estate, Nature Conservancy Mary M. Yang (California) Scientist and Entrepreneur Daniel Yost (California) Partner, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP Paul Zorner (California) Venture Partner, Finistere Ventures Page 4 of 5 Founder, Xros Wes Goldstein (California) Senior Partner, Hobbs & Towne, Al Nierenberg (Massachusetts) Inc. President, Evergreen Consulting & Training Standish O'Grady (California) Managing Director, Granite Ventures, LLC 144 members [i] E2 is a nonpartisan, national community of business leaders who promote sound environmental policies that grow the economy. We are entrepreneurs, investors, and professionals from every sector of the economy who collectively have been involved in the financing, founding or development of more than 1,700 companies that have created more than 570,000 jobs. Our members manage billions of dollars in venture and private equity capital that will flow over the next several years into new companies. [ii] “Employment in Green Goods and Services – 2011,” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, March 2013.http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/ggqcew.pdf [iii] Available at http://www.cleanenergyworksforus.org. Environmental Entrepreneurs Page 5 of 5
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