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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SPI MEMBERS URGED TO KEEP PRESSURE ON CONGRESS

(Washington, DC) - The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. this week congratulated the Senate on passing a comprehensive energy bill, but warned that more needs to be done to cut energy costs - especially the continuing high price of natural gas, the industry's basic feedstock.

As the legislation now heads to a House-Senate conference, SPI president Bill Carteaux called on members to again urge lawmakers to take action on natural gas supplies.

He said SPI would continue to press Congress to enact provisions that would allow states to access their offshore natural gas reserves, which offer the greatest promise for price relief in the short term.

Gene Steadmen, Jr., chairman of the SPI Energy Task Force, noted that the grassroots letter campaign waged over the previous year by companies and individuals in response to SPI's calls for action had a "tremendous impact."

"The letters sent to Congress by our members made a great deal of difference. Over the past several months, the Senate came to realize that there is a groundswell of support for opening the Outer Continental Shelf to natural gas exploration," he said.

"We are urging our members once again to write their congressmen to let them know that opening the OCS is critical for the future health of manufacturing in the United States," said Carteaux.

Founded in 1937, The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc., is the trade association representing one of the largest manufacturing industries in the United States. SPI's members represent the entire plastics industry supply chain, including processors, machinery and equipment manufacturers and raw materials suppliers. The U.S. plastics industry employs 1.4 million workers and provides nearly $310 billion in annual shipments. For more information, visit SPI on the Web at www.plasticsindustry.org.

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