Sarah Pullman's blog

The recent US Interior Department decision to drop claims against Chevron Corp. for unpaid natural gas revenues is a good illustration of how the rich get richer while exacerbating climate change. The department had ordered the company to pay $6 million in additional royalties for gas produced from federal property in the Gulf of Mexico, but could have sought tens-of-millions more had it prevailed.

The case involved Chevron’s accounting of natural gas sales to a company it partly owned. The decision likely sets a precedent for oil and gas companies to slash their royalty payments instead of having a portion of those revenues go to public health, environmental and citizen organizations for use in the battle against climate change. It also has renewed criticism the US government is reluctant to confront oil and gas companies and collect royalties – instead leaving more money in the hands of its cohorts in industry.

First night at the SEJ Conference, and things started off with a small bang as representatives from several major auto manufacturers – all men – took the stage for a panel discussion about alternative fuel vehicles, moderated by Jim Motavalli, Editor of E/The Environmental Magazine. Also speaking was one lone woman – representing the ethanol promotion board.

After they had all spoken, the audience was asked for questions. DeSmogBlog's Kevin stood up and asked his question of the Ford rep (paraphrased here). "If you say that you're so concerned about climate change, and acknowledge that it's happening, and are involved in things like Terrapass and alternative fuels, then why are you still funding think tank groups like the CEI, who have a position that climate change is not happening and is nothing to worry about?" The audience was as appreciative of his question as they had been of a couple of other pointed questions calling the auto companies on their apparent greenwashing.

Remarkably, Ford's senior representative up on stage didn't even attempt to answer the question, and instead turned it right over to one of his PR people, seated in the audience. "We completely divorced ourselves from that particular campaign," she claimed, while members of the audience muttered in obvious disapproval and disbelief. She went on to say that while Ford does fund the Competitive Enterprise Institute – though not that campaign – they do acknowledge that climate change is a reality.

Kevin commented that that was the same answer he had received back when Ford had been revealed as a CEI donor during the time of the ridiculous ads.