Mayors Sound Alarm on Rising Fuel Costs

WASHINGTON, (U.S. Newswire) — With record-level gas prices and rising fuel costs in America, The United States Conference of Mayors (USCM), led by Conference President Long Beach Mayor Beverly O’Neill and Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, hosted an urgent National Summit on Energy and the Environment on May 10 to 11 in Chicago to sound a national alarm on the country’s energy/environmental challenges and to stress the importance of energy/environmental conservation. Approximately 35 mayors joined with industry experts and the private sector to discuss a broad range of topics including air quality, climate change, alternative energy sources, alternative vehicles, public transit and green housing and buildings.

“Mayors are very concerned about the recent spike in fuel and energy costs and the financial burden it places on American citizens and their families. We know that aggressive action is necessary to turn this tide, and we are taking the lead in addressing the nation’s energy challenges to reduce our dependency on foreign oil. We can not wait on the federal government; we must do what mayors do best and act now,” said Conference President Beverly O’Neill.

The nation’s mayors have heard President Bush’s declaration that America is “addicted to oil,” and the Conference is on the forefront of the national effort to find comprehensive, long-term solutions to move the country from this energy crisis toward energy independence.

Already, mayors have implemented innovative programs in their cities that provide short-term solutions to energy dependence, and released a best practice guide that outlines these programs at the Summit. Numerous cities like Chicago, Ill., Austin, Texas, Los Angeles, Calif. and Charlotte, N.C., contributed to the guide that illustrates specifically how mayors are dealing with this crisis on a local level.

U.S. Newswire