The newly formed American Wind Action (AWA) group has announced its formation, appointment of a board, and an initial seven-figure budget that will be used to educate the public on the many benefits of wind energy.
American Wind Action will now also lobby for the wind industry.
AWA believes in creating American jobs, providing economic benefits for state and local economies, innovating for our future, and securing our nation’s energy independence.
AWA is an independent and bipartisan 501(c)(4) issue advocacy group that will be active across the country educating the public on federal and state issues relevant to the development and benefits of wind energy.
AWA’s bipartisan Board of Directors includes Sam Enfield, Principal of Windline Development, Jeff Clark, Director of The Wind Coalition in Texas and Jim Reilly, Senior Vice President of AWEA.
“American Wind Action will help inform and educate the public on the many benefits that wind energy brings to our nation and to communities across America. We will be working to identify and activate supporters of wind energy to encourage action from their elected officials, and we will educate the public about the actions and positions those officials take on wind energy,” Enfield and Clark said in a joint statement.
“The economic benefits of wind are vast and windpower is a cheaper and cleaner source of energy that will help the United States become energy independent. Windpower is lowering energy prices for consumers and revitalizing rural economies. The importance of wind as an energy source for America cannot be overstated, and we’re proud to push the discussion on wind energy forward by launching AWA today,” they concluded.
AWA plans to increase the advocacy capacity and political strength of wind energy advocates in 2016 and beyond. In addition to its focus on ensuring that the public understand the importance of wind to energy policy and communities across the country. AWA will also help elect candidates who are strong advocates for wind, and work to defeat candidates who oppose wind energy with a leading-edge grassroots effort in the 2016 campaign.
AWA also unveiled a website (www.americanwindaction.org and not yet active) and one-minute digital ad (here) announcing the organization.
About the AWA Board of Directors
Sam Enfield is Principal of Windline Development, LLC., providing wind energy project development services, with concentration emphasis on regulatory and environmental issues. Formerly, as Investment Director at MAP Royalty, Inc. (MAP) based in Palo Alto, California, Sam supported MAP’s investment activities related to wind energy development. Prior to joining MAP, between 2000 and 2008, Enfield developed several wind energy projects in the Mid-Atlantic region under the banners of Atlantic Renewable Energy Corporation, PPM Energy, and Iberdrola Renewables.
Jeff Clark is the Executive Director of The Wind Coalition, the leading organization advocating for renewable energy within the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). Jeff manages a team of technical and policy experts working to educate the public and lawmakers on renewable energy and to support state policies that will facilitate wind and solar energy’s continued development and integration.
Jim Reilly is the Senior Vice President for Legislative and Political Affairs at the American Wind Energy Association. Previously, Jim worked in the United States Senate for 12 years, including as Chief of Staff and earlier as Senator Carper’s energy and environment advisor.
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