The Western Business Roundtable (WBR) is run by energy lobbyists with a history of using astroturf organizations as a means of advancing their client’s interests.

We have previously reported our extensive research on the Western Business Roundtable and Policy Communications Inc.,(the PR/Lobby firm that concocted the WBR), but we thought it worthwhile to summarize and update our findings in light of some anticipated activities we’ve gotten wind of.

The rumor is that the WCB will be releasing an economic impact study on the Western Climate Initiative during the week of February 16th, 2009. As we have reported previously, the WBR is providing their energy industry clients the ability to make life very difficult for the Western Climate Initiative. Considering the history and past strategies employed by Policy Communications Inc., it won’t be much of a shocker if their soon-to-be-released report will attempt to paint an extreme view of economic doom and gloom. And watch them flog the report hard with key reporters.

(If anyone gets a hold of an advance copy I would love to get my hands on it, anonymity guaranteed of course.)

Desmog Blog has uncovered an energy industry-backed astro-turf network concocted by a single PR/Lobbying firm that is working to undermine the efforts of environmental groups and organizations like the Western Climate Initiative (WCI). that are pushing for solutions to climate change.

 

The Top of the Pyramid

At the top of the network is a PR/Lobby firm with offices in Colorado and Washington, DC called Policy Communications Inc. The firms principals are:

Jim Sims,  President/CEO

Holly Propst, Senior Vice President

Greg Schnacke, Vice President

Paul Poister, Vice President

Britt Weygandt , Vice President

Cody Stewart, Policy Specialist

Welcome to a new environmental (are you kidding?) group headed by former Rep. Richard Pombo.

Pombo, former Chairman of the House Resources Committee which oversees Native American affairs, worked closely with Tom DeLay and Jack Abramoff in the House, pushing legislation favoring DeLay's constituents and Abramoff's tribal clients. The congressman has a long history of anti-environmental legislation, including fighting for drilling in ANWR and fighting the Endangered Species Act's application on private property.