Journal-News.com

WEST CHESTER TWP. — A group of West Chester Twp. residents hopes to kick-start a solution to America's energy issues. The Energy Rally for America is intended to motivate Congress to pass meaningful energy legislation, said its founders. The group of 15 is calling on voters nationwide to rally at their congressional representatives offices Monday, Sept. 8, to push for action on a domestic energy policy.

"I think we just started off when gas prices ticked up," said township resident Patti Alderson. She said the group began researching energy issues in June. Frustration over Congress' failure to pass an energy plan fueled the drive, said group member Chris Wunnenberg.

"Congress was arguing about the nits and gnats of rearranging the deck chairs and the Titanic was going down," he said. "This isn't Republican or Democrat; all of us are hurting."

Alderson agreed.

"We send these people to Congress and expect them to do their job, and look at the options they've presented to us – it's appalling," she said.

The group's Web site, www.energyrallyforamerica.com, features a pledge for congress members to pass House Resolution 6566, the American Energy Act, refrain from adding earmarks to the bill, and submit it for presidential consideration before Congress adjourns prior to the November elections.

The bill is sponsored by West Chester Twp. resident and House Minority leader John Boehner (R-West Chester). Members of the initiative said they know Boehner and his family, but that the initiative is not connected to him.

"They know about it but they're not involved with it,"' said Alderson of the Boehners.

Boehner was one of the first to sign the pledge, along with Deborah Pryce (R-Portsmouth) and Jean Schmidt (R-Columbus).

The Energy Rally for America founders spoke with a sense of urgency about the cause, saying that action must be taken now to avoid a severe energy crisis in the near future.

"We need to recognize we have a major problem in this country," said Wunnenberg. "We need to have an energy policy, or as a nation, our standard of living is going to go down and our standing with the world will go down."

For more information on The Energy Rally for America, go to www.energyrallyforamerica.com.