Tobacco, Tea Party, and Dirty Energy: Lobbyist C. Boyden Gray
2013-03-25
As someone with deep ties to right-wing political circles, and strong financial ties to the tobacco industry, C. Boyden Gray fits the bill as the ideal lobbyist for the dirty energy industry. Dirty energy in many ways is the successor to the tobacco industry, given how it uses front groups and pundits to avoid public… Read more »
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Senators get it wrong on oil & gas production at Jewell nomination hearing; Industry is following the oil to nonfederal lands
2013-03-8
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources convened, Thursday, to question President Obama’s Interior Sec. nominee, REI Chief Executive Officer Sally Jewell. The three-hour hearing was generally friendly, but some Senators couldn’t pass up the chance to repeat oil and gas industry talking points, rather than deal in facts. The Checks and Balances Project watched the… Read more »
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Industry and allies twist facts on U.S. oil and gas production report
2013-03-6
Price and geology have incentivized oil and gas companies to drill on nonfederal lands in recent years.  Yet this fact hasn’t stopped industry group Western Energy Alliance (WEA) and Congressmen Ed Whitfield (R-KY.), who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and Power, from mischaracterizing a recent Congressional Research Service (CRS) report on… Read more »
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Eyes on Enefit: Conflicting Claims
2013-03-5
For over a century, conflicting claims have surrounded the rock called oil shale. Estonian oil shale company Eesti Energia, and its U.S. arm, Enefit, are no exception to this rule. Whether it’s company executives, other oil executives or financial experts, we’ve seen numerous inconsistencies about Enefit’s financial health, technological capability, impact on the environment, and… Read more »
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Conservation group sends BLM Director Hankins a sign
2013-02-28
This week, Alan Prendergast wrote in Westword about a new Environment Colorado campaign to protect Colorado’s national parks from drilling: “When you’re a bureaucrat under fire, accused of being a tool of Big Oil, there’s nothing like a big, wet kiss from your critics to let you know you’re being watched — closely. Particularly if… Read more »
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Eyes on Enefit: Under fire for risky investments
2013-02-27
Eesti Energia, known as Enefit in the U.S., has been under fire from both the Estonian press and high-level Estonian officials for its poor investment record. As Raimo Poom, a columnist for Estonian publication Eesti Paevaleht wrote: “Eesti Energia’s plan to build up a huge shale oil industry raises a lot of questions; financing the… Read more »
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Fact Check on #SOTU and Rep. Doc Hastings
2013-02-14
In Tuesday night’s State of the Union address, President Barack Obama stated: “Now, in the meantime, the natural gas boom has led to cleaner power and greater energy independence. We need to encourage that. That’s why my administration will keep cutting red tape and speeding up new oil and gas permits.” House Natural Resources Committee… Read more »
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