| For Immediate Release | CONTACT: | Holly Anderson, ext. 114 |
| March 5, 1998 | ||
| (202) 835-3323 | ||
Washington, D.C....March 5, 1998.... The National Consumers League and the Electric Consumers' Alliance started day two of their third-annual consumer conference on electric utility deregulation with an address by Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM). Bingaman, soon to be the Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, addressed more than 120 consumer activists from around the country.
"The most important decisions about restructuring the industry are being made at the state level. I believe that's the appropriate forum to decide how competition will be implemented,..but there are steps that Congress can and must take...." Bingaman told an enthusiastic crowd.
The electric utility deregulation conference, which began on March 4, brought together U.S. community activists from consumer, senior, rural, and small business organizations.
"Consumers said to us, we need to know more about competition in the electric industry and we need to know it now,'" declared Linda F. Golodner, NCL's President. "That's why we are pleased to host this conference, so that every voice -- consumer, worker, and business -- can be heard."
Day two of the conference (Thursday, March 5) was held in the Russell Senate Office Building Caucus Room. The final day (Friday, March 6) will be held at the Holiday Inn on Capitol Hill starting at 8:45 a.m. For the full agenda, click here.