January 24, 2006 marked the launch of Plug-In Partners (to get a flavor of that event, see transcript at http://www.calcars.org/­partners-launch-transcript.html). Quite a bit has happened since then!

As of now, CalCars won't be at the event, unfortunately -- mostly because of budget, also because of time. Here's the announcement:

Environmental and Energy Study Institute Carol Werner, Executive Director 122 C Street, NW, Suite 630 •Washington, DC 20001 Phone (202) 628-1400 •eesi@... •www.eesi..org

National Plug-In Partners Anniversary Celebration Tuesday, January 23, 2007 10:30 - 11:30 a.m., 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Austin Energy and the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invite you to the one-year anniversary celebration of the National Plug-In Partners Campaign which is helping to spur the development and deployment of plug-in hybrid technology in the nation's transportation sector. The campaign, spearheaded by the City of Austin and its municipal electric utility Austin Energy, is helping to demonstrate that flexible-fuel plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) offer a promising opportunity to reduce dependence on foreign oil, decrease greenhouse gas and other transportation emissions, revitalize local economies, and lower fuel costs.

Learn how National Plug-in Partners Campaign has united cities and counties, national policy organizations, businesses electric utilities, national security experts, and environmental groups in support of plug-in hybrid vehicles. Hear from Members of Congress on legislative efforts to promote plug-in hybrids.

Speakers to date include:
• Austin Mayor Will Wynn
• Roger Duncan, Deputy General Manager, Austin Energy
• Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
• Pacific Gas & Electric Representative
• Rep. Lloyd Doggett D - 25th TX
• Mike Jackson, Chief Executive Officer, Auto Nation
Additional speakers will be included in upcoming announcements

During the past year, the National Plug-In Partners Campaign has received tremendous response from state and local governments, businesses, utilities, as well as national security, environmental and public interest groups. More than 500 entities have joined the campaign including a number of the nation's largest cities including Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Memphis, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle. In addition, the campaign has now surpassed 8,000 fleet orders, helping to prove to automakers that if they build plug-in vehicles, Americans will buy them.

Less than one year after the launch of a nationwide grassroots campaign to promote the mass production of plug-in hybrid vehicles -- carmakers are responding. General Motors, Toyota and Nissan have all signaled their intentions to explore the production of plug-in hybrids. The President and Members of Congress also have signaled their strong support.

Several Senate and House bills in support of plug-in hybrids were introduced in the last Congress. The Alternative Energy Research and Development Act (H.R 6203), passed by the House in September 2006, includes $100 million for research and development and $50 million for a demonstration program for plug-ins. Other bills, including H.R 5965, H.R 5531, H.R 5331, H.R 4409, S. 4039, S. 3694, S.2829, and S. 2025, focused on demonstration projects, incentives for consumers, battery research, and tax incentives also were introduced in the 109th Congress.

To find out more about the National Plug-In Partner Campaign, please visit http://pluginpartners.org

This briefing is open to the public and media. Questions will be taken from the media. No reservations are required. Please feel free to forward this notice. For more information, contact Shefali Ranganathan (sranganathan@...), 202-662-1883.

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute is a non-profit organization established in 1984 by a bipartisan, bicameral group of members of Congress to provide timely information on energy and environmental policy issues to policymakers and stakeholders and develop innovative policy solutions that set us on a cleaner, more secure and sustainable energy path.