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Bush Names Exxon Chief to Chart America's Energy Future
Bush Names Exxon Chief to Chart America's Energy Future
Even for an administration dedicated to putting industry lobbyists in
charge of the very agencies they have devoted their careers to undermining
(coal and oil lobbyist J. Stephen Griles as Deputy Secretary of the Interior
is one of dozens of examples), President Bush has recently outdone himself.
He has named Lee Raymond, the retired chief of ExxonMobil, to head a key
study to help America chart a cleaner course for our energy needs. Raymond
currently chairs the National Petroleum Council (NPC), one of the most
powerful lobbies in Washington.
Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman says the study will address the supply and
demand of oil as well as ".assess the potential contribution of
conservation, efficiency, alternative energy sources, and technology
advances" and determine "the potential long term impact of alternative
energies that are plentiful, affordable, reliable and transportable."
Energy Department Under Secretary David Garman, added that the NPC is
"well qualified to provide a balanced and informed perspective on strategies
and action affecting the energy future for both the U.S. and for every
country on earth."
Environmentalists are outraged about the appointment of Lee Raymond.
During his long tenure at ExxonMobil, the company spent $19 million on front
groups designed to discredit the science on global warming. It also resisted
funding clean energy alternatives and lobbied aggressively to drill in the
Arctic Refuge.
In a Wall Street Journal article on June 14, 2005, Mr. Raymond said, "it's
yet to be shown how much of this [global warming] is really related to the
activities of man."
ExxonMobil is considered a rogue company even among its peers. It vocally
opposes U.S. energy independence and presses for deeper reliance on oil
producing nations such as Saudi Arabia, where the company has sunk heavy
investments. Critics argue that Mr. Raymond's legacy is to deny that oil
dependence is a problem.
ExxonMobil is the only major oil giant calling renewable energy an
"uneconomical" investment. Known for abruptly shutting off the microphone at
shareholders meetings when opposition is voiced, Mr. Raymond has the
reputation of an impatient, authoritarian leader who shows no qualms about
publicly belittling those who disagree with him.
The Exxpose Exxon coalition, a collaborative effort of many of the
nation's largest environmental and public advocacy organizations
representing millions of Americans, called on Secretary Bodman "to remove
the Global Oil and Gas Study from the purview of Raymond and the NPC."
"This issue is too vital to be handed over to a company and an industry
that have demonstrated again and again that they will maximize profits at
the expense of our national security, the environment, and U.S.
consumers," they argued. The coalition recommended the study be given to an
independent body such as the National Academy of Sciences.
"Putting Lee Raymond in charge of solving U.S. energy problems is like
putting Jack Abramoff in charge of solving corruption," said Shawnee Hoover,
campaign director for the Exxpose Exxon Coalition.
Take Action - Tell Secretary Bodman Not to Let Exxon Chart America's
Energy Future.
References:
Exxpose Exxon Backgrounder, http://www.ExxposeExxon.com
Undersecretary Garman, Presentation with notes, 6/21/06,
http://www.npc.org
Remarks for Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman, U.S. Department of Energy,
6/21/06. http://www.energy.gov/print/3764.htm
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