United Illuminating Company: Let's Save the Conservation Fund

Submitted by ckwebacct on Tue, 2011-07-12 14:57
The Challenge: 

In February 2003, faced with creating a biennial budget, Governor Rowland proposed diverting all or a portion of the CLM Fund into the General Fund to help alleviate the deficit. This would effectively limit or eliminate altogether the successful conservation programs that had been in place since 1998.

Our Public Relations arm was tasked with communicating the importance of the Fund to various audiences – legislators, the press and the state’s electric customers – in an effort to generate support for the CLM Fund and opposition to the Governor’s proposal.

The Approach: 

To communicate the importance of the Fund, we communicated the difference it had already made. A difference that would disintegrate if the Fund was cut. From communications with legislators and a targeted media mailing, to pitching the story and incorporating the CLM message into all UI public relations efforts, we worked tirelessly to spread the success of the Fund. We also responded to other activities that arose, often quickly, including creating posters for Representative Bob Megna’s press conference in defense of the Fund, assisting Environment Northeast in media relations activity when supermodel Christie Brinkley hit the Capitol to speak about conservation, and writing stories and providing information for internal UI newsletters.

The Results: 

Working with the UI team and other organizations, our efforts made a dramatic impact. Several articles appeared in key publications including an energy series in CT Business Magazine beginning in the May/June issue and continuing throughout the year, and a news feature in Hometown Publications’ various papers on the CLM Fund situation. And when the budget was passed in August 2003, the CLM Fund was spared, with $57 million remaining for conservation programs.