FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | May 19, 2011

American Chemical Society hosts Capitol Hill briefing on clean energy on May 25

WASHINGTON, May 19, 2011 — The American Chemical Society (ACS) Science & the Congress Project invites news media to attend a luncheon briefing on “Clean Energy: Perspectives on Sustainability.” It will be held Wednesday, May 25, from noon to 1:30 p.m. in Room 325 of the Russell Senate Office Building. Please RSVP to http://tinyurl.com/EnergyClean.

This is the first of a two-part series. The second Capitol Hill briefing, “Clean Energy: Perspectives on Innovation,” will be held Tuesday, June 14. See http://www.acs.org/science_congress for details. The briefings are co-hosted by the ACS Science and the Congress Project and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE).

This year, the term “clean energy” has been used with increasing frequency and prominence in policy-making circles, at the federal, state, local and international levels. In his 2011 State of the Union address, President Obama challenged Americans to produce 80 percent of their electricity from “clean energy” sources by 2035. But stakeholders have different definitions of “clean,” use different metrics to gauge whether energy is “clean,” and, frankly, have different goals. Even their proposed paths of progress are divergent. The May 25th briefing will explore some of the dimensions of generating clean energy, examine the trade-offs involved and how some clean energy solutions impact land, water use and other aspects of our environment.

The briefing will feature the following panelists and an open discussion:

Opening remarks: Sen. Christopher Coons (D-Del.)

Moderator: Dale Keairns, Booz, Allen, Hamilton

Panelists:

  • Scott Tinker, State Geologist of Texas, overview and fossil fuels
  • Mike Corradini, University of Wisconsin, nuclear
  • Josh Linn, Resources for the Future, solar and wind

The Science & the Congress Project was established in 1995 to provide a neutral and credible source of scientific information targeted to policymakers on Capitol Hill. Expert speakers are chosen to provide a balanced presentation about the topic under discussion, and their comments are independent of any position that may be held by the ACS, the sponsors of Science & the Congress, or its co-hosts. More information.

The American Institute of Chemical Engineers is a professional association with more than 40,000 members in 92 countries. Its members work in corporations, universities and government, using their knowledge of chemical processes to develop safe and useful products for the benefit of society. Through its publications, meetings, educational offerings and research projects, AIChE, which was founded in 1908, continues to be the focal point for information exchange at the frontiers of chemical engineering. Current programs emphasize such areas as energy, sustainability, biological engineering, nanotechnology, water resources and chemical plant safety and security. For additional information on AIChE, please visit www.aiche.org.

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Media Contact

Audrey Leath
202-437-0411
a_leath@acs.org

Rachael Bishop
202-872-4445
r_bishop@acs.org