EESI History (1984-2000)

In 2000 EESI…

• Assisted Evelyn Hurwich of the Circumpolar Conservation Union in a briefing and report release on Persistent Organic Pollutants in Alaska.
• Assisted the National Neighborhood Coalition in spreading the word about a smart growth forum in Philadelphia, PA.
• Planned and coordinated the Hill activities for the Solar Energy Forum.
• Planned, organized, and conducted 25 congressional briefings and events to educate Members of Congress and their staffs.
• Began drafting the Sustainable Energy Coalition’s blueprint for the New Administration and Congress.

In 1999 EESI…

• Helped the Smart Growth America Coalition develop its federal policy team.
• Was pleased to send Executive Director Carol Werner to the Administration’s Bioenergy Initiative. Her participation led to EESI achieving a place on the White House roundtable where President Clinton signed his Executive Order on bioenergy and biobased products.
• Addressed new issues such as Energy Smart Schools, Eco-Tax Initiatives, and Agricultural Biotechnology.
• Developed a website for the organization.
• Created the Ethanol, Climate Protection, and Oil Reduction (ECO) newsletter, published monthly.
• Held 17 Congressional briefings.
• Participated in the Transatlantic Environmental Dialogue, which encourages exchanges of information between U.S. and European environmental organizations.

In 1998 EESI…

• Saw Carol Werner take on the role of Executive Director.
• Held 24 Congressional forums.
• Organized the Washington Metropolitan Regional Forum to address local development concerns about federal policy and urban sprawl.
• Was successful in promoting the passage of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century and the reauthorization of the Air Quality Improvement Program by Congress.
• Co-chaired the Combined Heat and Power Summit with the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency.
• Served on the board of the New Uses Council.
• Presented a paper on European ecological tax reform at the Progressive Challenge tax policy forum, which was broadcast on C-SPAN.
• Had Program Director Don Gray appointed by the Speaker of the House as the environmental public interest member of the Defense Environmental Response Task Force.
• Produced a paper entitled “Road Relief: Tax and Pricing Shifts for a Fairer, Cleaner, and Less Congested Transportation System in Washington State,” which was used by policymakers to review current transportation projects and corridors.

In 1997 EESI…

• Put on more than 15 Congressional briefings.
• Gave particular focus to the implications of reauthorizing the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) on the environment.
• Published a report on Alternative Environmental Compliance Strategies for businesses looking to meet pollution regulations.

In 1995 and 1996 EESI…

• Developed proposals on how to cut the costs of federal drinking water regulations. Several EESI recommendations were integrated into the Safe Drinking Water Act, one of the few environmental bills to pass Congress and be signed into law.
• Helped create a Congressional Renewable Energy Caucus, which was successful in boosting federal funding for renewables.
• Published more than 50 reports on environmental and energy issues and legislation.
• Served as a two-way conduit of information and ideas between communities and federal policymakers to help support improved planning to reduce urban sprawl.
• Continued to facilitate the cleanup of shut-down military bases.
• Focused on water conservation efforts in the arid West.
• Researched possible tax reforms that could help do a better job of protecting the environment, producing jobs, and drawing investments.

In 1994 EESI…

• Celebrated its 10th Anniversary.
• Assumed the writing of the Weekly Bulletin, a non-partisan update of Congressional developments on energy and environmental priorities.
• Organized 32 Congressional briefings and released 23 publications.
• Promoted the principles of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) and pushed to replace the National Highway System with the National Transportation System, which looks more holistically at alternative transportation methods nationwide.
• Strengthened bonds with those involved in Native American water rights negotiations and resource issues.
• Developed a proposal to expand market access to products of export interest, such as textiles and footwear, for the world’s least developed countries. This policy would encourage foreign investment and help conserve overexploited natural resources in underdeveloped nations.
• Began publishing PULSE Reports (Policy Updates and Legislative Series on the Environment) to provide a timely, objective source of periodic insight on environmental and energy issues.

In 1993 EESI…

• Developed 46 educational programs for policymakers.
• Held its 8th Annual Congressional Leadership Dinner, this year honoring Republican Senator John Chafee from Rhode Island for his contributions to clean air and water efforts and wetland protection.
• Hosted the Sustainable Energy Budget Coalition and testified on the Coalition’s behalf before six Congressional subcommittees.
• Pushed for strong implementation of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991 through the Surface Transportation Policy Project coalition.
• Formulated a proposal to enable small, low-income communities to comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act.
• Co-founded a Congressional staff working group to explore the links between trade and the environment. The working group also considered policy strategies to minimize the negative impacts of liberalized trade on the environment.
• Organized a 120-member national coalition to preserve the “rubberized asphalt” provision of ISTEA. This provision was the largest federal recycling program at the time, turning 250 million tires annually into asphalt pavement.

In 1992 EESI…

• Brought together Congressional staff, public and private organizations, and other key government officials to define energy efficiency and renewable energy policies to include in the Energy Policy Act of 1992.
• Worked with a consortium of groups on a five-part “green” tax package, which was incorporated into the Energy Policy Act.
• Worked to mobilize support for a U.S. commitment to stabilize carbon dioxide in conjunction with the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED or Earth Summit).
• Was instrumental in the eventual signing of the Earth Summit's biodiversity convention by the Clinton Administration. EESI published several reports on the topic and served on working groups that brought together industry and government representatives to address the biodiversity initiative.
• Organized a series of round tables for Members of Congress and specialists to explore the relationship between environmental security and economic security.
• Remained closely involved in Water Quality 2000, a broad-based effort by more than 80 organizations to reach consensus on protecting U.S. water quality for the next century.

In 1991 EESI…

• Mourned the passing of Senator John Heinz and former Congressman John Fisher, both founders and directors of the organization.
• Influenced the environmentally conscious nature of the new Transportation Bill through the Surface Transportation Policy Project, for which EESI served on the steering committee.
• Prepared an Energy Legislative Summary to compare more than 140 bills that were introduced in the wake of the Gulf War and the Bush Administration's National Energy Strategy.
• Had Program Director Don Gray appointed by the Speaker of the House as the only non-governmental member of the task force charged with finding ways to clean up groundwater at military bases scheduled for closing. The task force report included many of Don’s proposals.
• Organized a national workshop on agricultural water conservation in Denver, Colorado.
• Published a task force report entitled “Partnership for Sustainable Development.” The report was critical to international sustainability initiatives for Members of Congress, the U.S. delegation to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), and the EPA.
• Began publishing Earth Summit Update, a newsletter meant to inform readers of the role that Congress must play at the UNCED.

In 1990 EESI…

• Saw Gus Speth become chairman of its Board, replacing Roger Sant.
• Put together a Task Force on International Cooperation for Sustainable Development.
• Initiated a Congressional working group on the 1992 U.N. Conference on Environment and Development.
• Began a World Forest Agreement Working Group.
• Held EARTHTECH 90, a major technology fair and forum. Ninety-five companies, non-profits, and federal agencies mounted exhibits.
• Worked with Congress to require the Architect of the Capitol to begin improving the lighting efficiency of Congressional buildings.
• Served on the steering committee for the Surface Transportation Policy Project.
• Organized a Water Supply Alternatives Workshop in Tucson, Arizona.
• Hosted a Congressional Leadership Dinner honoring Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell. At the dinner, Mitchell told the 340 people in attendance that “EESI’s contributions serve a great national purpose.”

In 1989 EESI…

• Saw the energy policy statement it had developed in 1988 begin to produce concrete results. The statement helped prompt the inclusion of conservation and renewable energy topics in the acid rain title of the Clean Air Act and move forward tougher automobile fuel economy standards.
• Held workshops on landfills, incineration, source reduction, plastics, garbology, state and local programs, recycling markets, and a Congressional Office of Technology Assessment study.
• Hosted a recycling fair and helped Congress set up its own recycling program.
• Served as the catalyst for a project to improve the Superfund waste cleanup program.
• Co-hosted three private educational dinners for key Members of Congress.
• Began a new, cross-cutting, project entitled “Sustainability Begins at Home.”
• Began an intensive effort to organize “EARTHTECH 90,” a major event on the Mall coinciding with the 20th anniversary celebration of Earth Day.
• Organized more than 75 educational sessions, with an attendance of more than 4,500.

In 1988 EESI…

• Published a special report entitled Energy Policy: Is the U.S. Ready for the 1990’s? This paper analyzed the effectiveness of outdated energy security laws of the 1970s.
• Added three new staff members, bringing the total staff to ten.
• Organized a policy strategy group on energy efficiency policy.
• Held a fundraising dinner honoring retiring Senator Bob Stafford. Money raised was allocated to special efforts to develop leadership on climate, energy, and agricultural groundwater contamination.
• Developed a Solid Waste Project plan, to be implemented in the next year.

In 1987 EESI…

• Published a final report on hazardous waste management which prompted a key House subcommittee to begin overseeing the Resource Conservations and Recovery Act (RCRA) program.
• Conducted a major conference on groundwater protection, which featured Board member John Heinz. The conference was attended by more than 250 Members of Congress, Congressional staff, and others. It was also shown on the C-Span TV network.
• Testified on two House bills involving groundwater, which were based on EESI recommendations for future policies.
• Worked with the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment and the Agency for International Development on EESI recommendations involving Research and Development Transfer and Improved Cost/Benefit Analysis for environmental concerns.
• Sponsored the official U.S. release of the U.N. report on Environment and Development, also known as the Brundtland Report.

In 1986 EESI…

• Completed an examination of national groundwater protection policies and made recommendations to Congress. EESI also prepared an extensive briefing paper on the topic after conducting a national policy workshop and holding several regional conferences.
• Served on the steering committee for a national convocation on drinking water sponsored by the American Water Works Association.
• Convened a blue-ribbon task force to make recommendations on the topic of resource management in developing countries. All EESI proposals were acted on in some degree by Congress.
• Prepared a report on legislation as well as status reports on agency progress in initiating "shared energy savings" contracts between the government and the private sector.
• Drafted a policy options paper addressing the potential contribution that electricity demand management, such as energy conservation, could make to utility emissions control.

In 1985 EESI…

• Encouraged passage of legislation to allow federal agencies to do "shared energy savings" projects with the private sector. This legislation was incorporated into the omnibus reconciliation bill of 1985.
• Promoted recommendations contained in its Developing Countries Task Force Report to Congress with the help of its sister group, the Environmental and Energy Study Conference.
• Co-sponsored a global resource issue retreat for 35 senior Congressional staff in Coolfont, West Virginia, with the World Resources Institute.
• Was designated as a liaison between then EPA Administrator Bill Ruckelshaus, the World Commission on Environment and Development, and the U.S. Congress.

In 1984 EESI…

• Identified its first four priority programs: energy conservation and renewable energy, hazardous waste management, environmental challenges in developing countries, and groundwater protection.
• Began working on a project investigating obstacles to greater private sector investments in “shared energy savings” deals with the federal government (these are deals in which private companies pay for energy efficiency improvements, and receive a share of the savings).
• Focused on promoting changes in the “superfund” cleanup law for abandoned waste dumps that would lead to less costly, more effective, and permanent cleanup solutions.
• Emphasized basic education and policy development in the field of groundwater protection, helping this field emerge as a public policy issue.
• Proposed a “legislative exchange” between Northeastern and Midwestern Members of Congress to address each others’ concerns about acid rain.