URGENT ACTION REQUIRED — PVEA ENERGY ASSISTANCE FUNDS AT RISK — In an e-mail message to CEOs and CBOs Fred Harris, Chancellor's Office Facilities Planning & Utilization Administrator, urged college personnel to contact their legislators to help save a $10 million proposed allocation of funds for community college energy assistance projects.

The Chancellor's Office proposes to allocate these funds to all colleges on the basis of qualifying energy efficiency project proposals, but it won't happen unless the funds are approved. District personnel need to contact their legislators to urge the members of the Budget Conference Committee to approve the Assembly Version on Issue 026 on Page 496 of the Conference Agenda.

The urgent part of the message is that the Conference Committee will likely be addressing this issue either later today or early tomorrow morning. It is imperative that contact be made today as early as possible.

The Assembly action to approve the $10 million was taken upon recommendation of the Governor in his May Revision of his proposed budget. The funding is very likely to survive if the Conference Committee can be persuaded to approve the Assembly Version. Grass roots input at this point is critically important — now is when you can make an impact. Senators Peace (D-El Cajon), Brulte (R-Cucamonga) and Johnston (D-Stockton) are the Senate members of the Conference Committee. Any districts which are able to contact these key members can have critically important input.