A Powerpoint deck has been leaked showing how oil companies plan to prevent California from passing laws that would reduce carbon emissions, much to the fear of environmentalists.
The leak shows slides created by the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA), one of the biggest oil and gas lobbies in the U.S., for a presentation to the Washington Research Council on Nov. 11, according to Bloomberg Businessweek. The slides, which come with talking points, outline a plan that targets clean energy bills like AB-32, a.k.a. the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, as well as low carbon fuel standards (LCFS) in California, Oregon and Washington.
The WSPA's plan, called "WSPA Priority Issues," appears to be what environmentalists refer to as an "astroturf campaign," which involves creating groups that look and sound like pro-environmental companies but actually promote the goals of the oil industry and work against those of AB 32 and similar policies. Such groups include the Oregon Climate Change Campaign, Washington Consumers for Soul Fuel Policy and AB 32 Implementation Group.
Another revelation in the leak was how the WSPA managed to seize on a line from a California Air Resources Board memo on the state cap-and-trade program for gas and diesel, which discussed the possibility that the program could affect gas prices, Green Car Reports reported. The WSPA started an ad campaign against the program, which goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2015, warning that it comes with a "hidden" gas tax.
The National Resources Defense Council said in a blog post that such methods in preserving the oil industry have been practiced before, and that the WSPA's 15-plus groups are the latest in such deceitful tactics.
WSPA spokesman Tupper Hull said while the organization did not oppose AB 32 when it was passed, it was against many of the additions made, and it is concerned about what will result from the cap-and-trade program going into effect, Bloomberg Businessweek reported. Hull insisted that the company has not created any groups to thwart pro-environmental policies, saying the organization has been funding groups that share the same concerns about gas and diesel.
While companies say, at times, that their concerns can be misunderstood and that they want to correct the record to fix issues, the leaked deck is still getting heat for describing a plan to confuse people about current and future policies designed to fight environmental destruction.
California, Oregon and Washington appear to be the three biggest targets for the WSPA's plan since they are, arguably, the top three states that are invested in energy right now.
