Energy companies large and small, including some that had offices in the World Trade Center, are continuing to pour financial, material and emotional support into relief efforts for victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the United States. By the end of last week, Exxon Mobil Corp. had pledged up to $20 million, while BP, Chevron, Texaco and Amerada Hess were but a few announcing $5 million in corporate donations (see Daily GPI, Sept. 17). As much as money, however, many companies across the country are continuing to pledge their blood, time and a commitment to persevere.

By Tuesday afternoon, more monetary pledges continued to support the needs of the victims and their families in the wake of the disaster, including Houston’s Shell Oil Co., which announced a $5 million contribution, including $3 million for the September 11th Fund, which is spreading donations through various related rescue and relief organizations, $1 million for the Cantor Fitzgerald Foundation, and $1 million for The Survivors’ Fund.

The Cantor Fitzgerald Foundation was set up in memory of approximately 750 Cantor Fitzgerald and TradeSpark employees who remain missing in the 1 World Trade Center attack. Shell affiliate Coral Energy is an equity owner in TradeSpark, an energy commodity exchange.

Conoco, also based in Houston, announced it would contribute $1 million in individual and corporate pledges to assist “families of fallen firefighters, police officers and Department of Defense personnel.” CEO Archie W. Dunham said the corporation will contribute $500,000 to help meet immediate needs of families and will match donations from employees, retirees and other associates, guaranteeing a total of an additional $500,000.

Houston-based Anadarko Petroleum Corp. contributed $300,000 to the American Red Cross National Disaster Relief Fund. CEO Robert J. Allison said the company was pleased to join the “many corporations and countless ordinary citizens” in relief efforts.

Sempra Energy and its wholesale energy trading subsidiary, Sempra Energy Trading, have pledged up to $1.25 million, which will be in addition to its annual corporate giving program. Earmarked mostly for The Power of America Fund, initiated by Exelon and Entergy to ensure education for surviving children of Tuesday’s victims, and the September 11th Fund, Sempra Energy Trading will donate $750,000 while Sempra Energy will match combined employee contributions up to $500,000.

Also, on behalf of subsidiary San Diego Gas & Electric, Sempra Energy will donate another $10,000 to support electrical workers who were victims of the tragedy, through the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Sempra Energy also will match a $10,000 contribution by the YMCA of San Diego County to the YMCA of Greater New York, which will go toward grief counseling, child care and emergency housing. Another Sempra Energy employee charitable giving organization will pledge $10,000.

“We have lost many colleagues and friends as a result of last week’s senseless acts of terrorism,” said Sempra Energy Trading CEO Steven J. Prince. He said he hoped the donations would “in some small way help heal the wounds of the victims and our nation.”

St. Louis-based Laclede Gas Co. teamed up with its employees to donate to funds through a modification in its existing Matching Gift Program. Through Oct. 31, Laclede will match employees’ donations to the American Red Cross, Backstoppers’ New York Fund, The Salvation Army and the United Way’s September 11th Fund. Laclede also offered its employees time off with pay to donate blood.

“This is a simple, yet effective way to join our employees in reaching out to help people in need,” said Laclede CEO Douglas H. Yaeger. “We see such pain and suffering, yet much strength and heroism.”

“Countless lives have been lost and thousands of families have been touched by this event,” said Rob Routs, CEO of Houston-based Equilon Enterprises LLC. “Our hearts are saddened by this tragedy,” he said, as his company donated $500,000 to the September 11th Fund, established to mobilize resources for urgent needs of victims of the World Trade Center attack.

Motiva Enterprises LLC, a sister company of Equilon, kicked off its “Pump Pennies” promotion through Shell Oil Co. and Texaco stations in the Northeast. Participating stations in the state of New York will donate two cents for every gallon of gasoline sold through the end of September, while stations in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New Jersey and Pennsylvania will donate one cent per gallon.

The web site of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which is adorned with a flag now, provides a host of contacts and phone numbers of the reputable organizations accepting donations to aid the the rescue efforts and family victims of the terror attacks, as well as information on how to spot “scams and fraud” among the groups soliciting donations. It also gives information on the recruiting efforts of the military. FERC’s web site is https://www.ferc.fed.us.

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