MAYVILLE – County Executive Greg Edwards announced the OBSERVER, The Post-Journal and the Westfield Republican as recipients of the County Executive’s Award for Innovative Energy Initiatives. These local newspapers have given extensive, quality coverage to the Chautauqua County Energy Conference & Expo since its inception six years ago.

“We’ve tried to put out an important message to the businesses and residents of Chautauqua County about energy initiatives and savings. With the large number of people who have attended since we started the Energy Conference and Expo it became a regional event,” Edwards said. “The educational aspects of energy savings and sustainability were enhanced by the newspapers. They fully understood the message and helped us produce the ads that reach the general public getting them to attend the conference. They’ve also done some wonderful coverage of local sustainability and energy efficiencies that our businesses and home owners have done on their own outside of the conference. We need to keep this effort moving ahead for people to see how they can become part of the energy solution while putting savings in their pockets from their efforts.”

Bill Daly, Administrative Director/CEO of the CCIDA, said, “These newspapers have been wonderful to work with over the last six years to promote our energy conference. They cooperated every way possible and have been true partners in what we’ve been trying to accomplish – hold a first-class energy event for the businesses and residents of the County.”

The Chautauqua County Energy Conference & Expo was held Friday and Saturday, at Chautauqua Suites & Expo Center, in Mayville.