More Evidence that Opposition to Clean Energy Reform Is Funded by Fossil Fuel Companies

Clean energy legislation continues to be energetically opposed by fossil fuel companies using every avenue available, including fake “grassroots” protests. Now an investigation by ThinkProgress draws the lines clearly between many of the operatives planning the attacks on clean energy reform and the oil companies or the “petro-governments” they work for.

Some of their findings:

The lobbyist-run front group Americans for Prosperity is one of the most active anti-clean energy groups in the country. The organization was founded and is bankrolled by David Koch of Koch Industries, a major refiner of oil. Koch imports crude oil from a variety of foreign countries, including Saudi Arabia.

FreedomWorks supports continued reliance on fossil fuels. Throughout 2009, as FreedomWorks leader Dick Armey organized tea parties to oppose clean energy legislation and regulation, he also worked for the lobbying firm DLA Piper on the account of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates. The lobbying firm was paid to assist with the “development of UAE energy resources.”

Oil companies have tried to demonstrate popular support for fossil-fuel dependence by organizing “Energy Citizen” rallies around the country, attended by bused-in oil company employees. The main sponsor of the Energy Citizen campaign is the American Petroleum Institute, a trade association for companies like Chevron, Exxon Mobil and Sunoco, all of which are heavily dependent on foreign oil imports.

Related posts:

1. Fossil Fuel Lobby Focused on Disrupting Copenhagen
2. More Companies Break with Chamber over Climate Change
3. Everywhere But Washington: Support for Clean Energy, Climate Action Potent and Growing Across US
4. Businesses Demand Clean Energy Legislation to Keep U.S. from Falling Behind
5. Talk of Tianjin Climate Conference: China and U.S. Companies Are Electrifying The Car