Colorado congressmen continue putting donors before families

Posted by & filed under Colorado, Permitting, Statements, Virginia.

Matt Garrington, Denver-based co-director of The Checks and Balances Project, offered the following statement and facts regarding today’s markup of three bills sponsored by Colorado House Republicans that would create more giveaways to the oil and gas industry: H.R. 4381, H.R. 4382 and H.R. 4383. “Reps. Doug Lamborn, Scott Tipton, and Mike Coffman should have… Read more »

Confidential, ‘subversive’ campaign documents show fossil fuel-funded advocacy groups coordinating with local anti-wind groups

Posted by & filed under Uncategorized.

On Tuesday, The Guardian newspaper used documents obtained by the Checks & Balances Project to expose coordination between local anti-wind groups and fossil fuel-funded advocacy groups’ attacking clean energy. On February 1st and 2nd, at least 2 prominent advocacy groups connected to fossil fuel interests (American Tradition Institute (ATI) and Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow… Read more »

After a century’s worth of lessons, government needs to stop picking the same loser

Posted by & filed under Virginia.

Matt Garrington, Denver-based co-director of The Checks and Balances Project, offered the following statement and facts regarding today’s Subcommittee on Energy and Environment hearing discussing the failed energy source, oil shale. “Chairman Hall and others have argued against clean energy, saying the government shouldn’t pick winners and losers. Yet today they’re holding a hearing on… Read more »

It’s summer, time for flip flops

Posted by & filed under Gas Prices, Virginia.

Gas prices have decreased for the past five weeks, in response to the same sort of global economic factors that cause them to increase. But that answer doesn’t work well for oil company politicians and their spokespeople at Fox News. Media Matters takes a good look at how Fox News is flip flopping and saying… Read more »

New Push For Oil Shale Is Continued Failure

Posted by & filed under Virginia.

On May 1, 1982, nearly 10,000 people worked at Exxon’s Colony Oil Shale project on Colorado’s Western Slope. Twenty-four hours later, Exxon shut the Colony project down. Thousands of people were left jobless and the region’s economy was devastated. This week marks 30 years since the disaster at Colony; what was to become known as… Read more »

Coloradans welcome “Flat Earth Society” members of Congress

Posted by & filed under Release, Virginia.

Groups call for energy reality check, end of excessive taxpayer handouts to Big Oil DENVER – Several Colorado groups took members of Congress to task today over their failed energy policies, political rhetoric, and ties to industry. Clean Water Action, Colorado Fair Share Alliance, the Checks and Balances Project and local activists gathered on the… Read more »

Oil Shale: A Century of Failure

Posted by & filed under Uncategorized.

Wednesday, May 02, 2012, marks 30 years since Black Sunday hit the Western Slope of Colorado, putting thousands of people out of work and devastating the region’s economy. Just two days prior, the Checks and Balances Project released a report, which examines 100 years of failed investment in oil shale.   Executive summary Since 1917, when… Read more »