‘Coping with Climate Change’ event announced for Feb. 11

MADISON, Wis. – Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, Congressman F. James Sensenbrenner Jr., and former Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chair James Hoecker will highlight a “Coping with Climate Change” conference on Monday, Feb. 11.

The half-day conference at the Monona Terrace Convention Center in Madison will bring together energy experts with Wisconsin, Midwest and Washington, D.C. perspectives to discuss the ins and outs of how energy providers, energy distributors and energy regulators are coping with the prospect of broad and rapid climate change.

The confirmed keynote speakers:

— Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner is the ranking Republican on Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. Sensenbrenner, the former chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and the House Science Committee, was first elected to the U.S. House in 1978. Residing in Menomonee Falls, he represents Wisconsin’s 5th Congressional District.

— Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, is a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. She has represented Wisconsin’s 2nd Congressional District since being elected in 1998. Her committee was instrumental in passing the new Energy Independence and Security Act, which aims to move the United States closer to energy independence. Baldwin, a member of the committee’s energy subcommittee, added language to the bill to increase industrial and home energy efficiency standards, encourage advanced battery and plug-in hybrid programs, minimize exposure to mercury in energy-efficient light bulbs, and study the adequacy of railroad transportation for renewable fuels.

— James J. “Jim” Hoecker is a retired partner of the Washington, D.C., office of Vinson & Elkins. He now is the principal of a new firm, Hoecker Energy, Law & Policy PLLC. He was chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) from 1997-2001 during the Clinton administration. In all, he served nearly eight years as a commissioner and was responsible for, among other things, instituting regional transmission organizations (RTOs) to administer the bulk electric power system and streamlining the agency’s regulatory processes.

Other conference participants include: former Wisconsin and federal regulator Branko Terzic of Deloitte Services (also chairman of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Ad Hoc Group of Experts on Cleaner Electricity Production from Coal and Other Fossil Fuels); Wisconsin Public Service Commission Chair Dan Ebert; Robert Garvin, a former PSC commissioner who now is vice president of regulatory affairs for FPL Energy; former Wisconsin PSC Chair Ave Bie, a partner at Quarles & Brady; Brett Hulsey, president, Better Environmental Solutions; Dave Parker, senior utility analyst at Robert W Baird & Co.; Jim Turnure, Environmental Policy Manager for the Xcel Energy service territories in Minnesota, Wisconsin and the Dakotas; Lou Hayden, policy analyst and Climate Change Team Leader for the American Petroleum Institute; Charlie Severance, General Manager – Wholesale Electric & Renewable Energy at Wisconsin Public Service Corporation; and other experts.

The exact composition of the panels and other participants will be announced in coming weeks.

The event is open to the public. Individual tickets cost $50 if purchased by Jan. 31; tickets after that cost $75 each. Tables are available for purchase on a first-come, first-served basis at a cost of $600. Student discounts also will be available. The ticket price includes two meals.

For ticket information, contact Jim Greer at 608-237-6296 and greer@wispolitics.com.

Initial sponsors for this event include We Energies, Xcel Energy, and the American Petroleum Institute. For sponsorship information, contact Jim Greer at 608-237-6296 or greer@wispolitics.com.

WisPolitics.com and WisBusiness.com are independent, non-partisan news services based in Madison. Go to www.wispolitics.com and www.wisbusiness.com for more on the services.

EVENT DETAILS

FUTURE OF MIDWEST ENERGY: Coping with Climate Change

Event Description: The FUTURE OF MIDWEST ENERGY: Coping with Climate Change conference will

assemble key business, government and research representatives to explore

energy issues in light of climate change predictions for the Midwest United

States and the world. This forum will also address potential new advances in

energy, their business applications and their impact on government policy.

Event details and a tentative agenda are listed below.

Date: Monday, February 11, 2008

Location: Monona Terrace Convention Center, located in downtown Madison.

Format: Half-day, with keynote speakers plus breakout sessions.

TENTATIVE AGENDA:

**Monday**

8 AM – Registration Begins

9 AM – Breakfast Begins

Welcome Keynote: Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, Committee on Energy and

Commerce.

Keynote: Former Clinton Administration FERC Chair Jim Hoecker

http://velaw.com/lawyers/lawyer_detail.asp?H4AttyID=000322423201

10 AM – Breakout Panel Sessions

Session I – Panel Discussion

10 AM – 10:45 AM

Energy Today

Session II – Panel Discussion

10:45 AM – 11:30 AM

Energy Tomorrow

Session III – Panel Discussion

11:30 AM – 12:15 PM

Energy Policy — Today and Tomorrow

12:15 PM- Luncheon Begins

Keynote: Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner, Ranking Republican, Select Committee

on Energy Independence and Global Warming.

1:30 PM – Conference Concludes