[StBernard] New Republican report says a 'billionaire's club' funnels money to environmental groups for 'faux' grassroots

[Westley Annis]

New Republican report says a 'billionaire's club' funnels money to
environmental groups for 'faux' grassroots

	
	


http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/07/new_republican_report_says_a_
b.html 

WASHINGTON -- A new report by Republicans on the Senate Environment and
Public Works Committee says liberal donors with a bias against fossil fuels
are funding supposed grassroots organizations working for regulations that
hurt "farmers, miners, roughnecks, small businesses and families."

"In advancing their cause, these wealthy liberals fully exploit the benefits
of a generous tax code meant to promote genuine philanthropy and charitable
acts, amazingly with little apparent Internal Revenue scrutiny," the report
says. "Instead of furthering a noble purpose, their tax deductible
contributions secretly flow to a select group of left wing activists who are
complicit and eager to participate in the free-for-service arrangement to
promote shared political goals."

Environmentalists questioned the accuracy of the report and said it tries to
create an image that oil companies and other businesses trying to fight off
Clean Air and Water regulations are being out financed and maneuvered by the
environmental movement -- when reality is the direct opposite.

Sen. David Vitter, R-La., the top Republican on the Senate Environment and
Public Works Committee, released the report Wednesday during an appearance
at the Washington office of Cause of Action, which says it advocates for
more government transparency.

"There is an unbelievable amount of money behind the environmental movement
and far too much collusion between far-left environmental groups and the
Obama EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)," Vitter said. "This report
really gets to the core of tracking the money and exposing the collusion."

The Republican report said wealthy donors, it refers to as the
"Billionaire's Club," funnel money into foundations and environmental groups
with significant amounts going toward political activity.

Here's an example cited by the report.

"Between 2010 and 2012, both foundations (Hewlett Foundation and Packard
Foundation) donated hundreds of millions of dollars to Climate Works
Foundation, a 501(c) (3) foundation. ClimateWorks then gave nearly $170
million to the Energy Foundation. Hewlett and Packard gave directly to the
Energy Foundation. The Energy Foundation then gave $5,676,000 to Green Tech,
and ClimateWorks gave it $1,520,000. The Energy Foundation was incredibly
brief, broad and vague in describing the purpose of its 2011 and 2012 grants
of $1 million, respectively, to Green Tech."

It said that Green Tech, in turn, donated heavily to "at least three far
left environmental activist organizations during the 2010 and 2012 election
cycles.

The report suggests that there's been a revolving door between environmental
organization leaders and top positions at the Environmental Protection
Agency, that the EPA provides grants to groups that supports its regulatory
efforts, including the Natural Resources Defense Council, Environmental
Defense Fund and Louisiana Bucket Brigade, and relies on information from
these advocacy groups and others to promulgate regulations, including new
limits on power plant carbon emissions.

"Some of the most valued services activists provide the Billionaire's Club
include promulgation of propaganda, which creates an artificial echo
chamber, appearance of a faux grassroots movement, access to nimble and
transient groups under fiscal sponsorship arrangements, distance/anonymity
between donations made by well-known donors and activities of risky activist
groups and above all -- the ability to leverage tens of millions of dollars
in questionable foreign funding."

Anne Rolfes founding director of the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, which is
cited in the Republican report as receiving an EPA grant, called the
Republican committee report "laughable."

"There is no comparison between the rich guys in the oil industry and our
scrappy environmental movement," Rolfes said. "We just had a Dance-a-thon in
which I begged people to sponsor me with $10 checks."

Rolfes said the report is inaccurate when it says that the Bucket Brigade
received $400,000 from the Marisla Foundation in 2011 and 2012. "We received
$120,000," she said.

"I wish this committee would write a report on the ongoing chemical releases
from Shell Chemical and IMTT / Shell's facility in St. Rose (it produces
asphalt), Rolfes said. "They have had a leak for over a month. Residents are
nauseous, coughing and having all sorts of health effects from chemical
smells. And Vitter, EPA and (Louisiana) Department of Environmental Quality
are not helping the neighborhood at all."

Franz Matzner of the Natural Resources Defense Council, said Vitter "ought
to focus his now skeptical eye on efforts by the Koch Brothers and groups
like ALEC to promote private polluter interests."

Cause of Action's Executive Director Dan Epstein said the Republican report,
called "The Chain of Environmental Command," should get the attention of the
IRS.

"Even the President has spoken out against millionaires and billionaires
'bankrolling whoever they want, however they want, in some cases
undisclosed.'" Epstein said. "But what EPW's report shows is the
environmental movement is following the very model President Obama
criticized, manipulating the tax code in the process, with no repercussion
from the IRS."