Donald Trump’s second inaugural fund received over $19 million from fossil fuel companies, including $2 million from Chevron and $1 million donations from ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips, and Occidental Petroleum. These donations came after Trump promised oil executives at a Mar-a-Lago meeting …
Donald TrumpTrump AdministrationChevronExxonMobilConocoPhillips+1 moreregulatory-capturegovernment-contractsfossil-fuelscampaign-finance
Wyoming lawmakers pass House Bill 75, reducing the coal severance tax rate from 6.5% to 6%, marking the second consecutive tax cut for coal producers in two years. In 2022, the Legislature reduced the severance tax from 7% to 6.5%, together costing the state approximately $20 million in annual …
Wyoming LegislatureMark GordonBlack Hills EnergyPowder River Basin Coal Producerswyomingcoalfossil-fuelscorporate-welfareregulatory-capture+2 more
On December 10, 2019, Justice Barry Ostrager of the New York State Supreme Court ruled that New York Attorney General Letitia James “failed to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that ExxonMobil made any material misrepresentations” regarding climate change risks to investors. The …
Barry OstragerLetitia JamesExxonMobilNew York Supreme CourtEric Schneidermanclimate-denialexxonknewcorporate-accountability-failurelegal-systemfossil-fuels
On July 9, 2018, Donald Trump named Andrew Wheeler as Acting EPA Administrator following Scott Pruitt’s resignation amid 14 federal corruption investigations. Wheeler, a former coal industry lobbyist who had represented Murray Energy—one of America’s largest coal companies—embodied …
Andrew WheelerDonald TrumpEnvironmental Protection Agency (EPA)Faegre Baker DanielsMurray Energy+1 moreregulatory-captureepafossil-fuelsclimate-denialrevolving-door+1 more
President Trump announced U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, making America the only nation to reject the accord after Syria and Nicaragua joined. Trump falsely claimed the agreement would cost America $3 trillion and 6.5 million jobs while allowing China and India to increase …
Donald TrumpParis AgreementFossil Fuel IndustryUnited StatesScott Pruittclimate-changeparis-agreementenvironmental-destructioninternational-isolationfossil-fuels
On March 29, 2016, a coalition of 17 state attorneys general announced coordinated investigations into ExxonMobil for potential climate denial fraud at a daylong climate change conference in Manhattan. Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey and Virgin Islands Attorney General Claude Walker …
Eric SchneidermanMaura HealeyClaude WalkerExxonMobilNew York Attorney General+2 moreclimate-denialexxonknewstate-investigationscorporate-fraudfossil-fuels+1 more
On September 16, 2015, InsideClimate News began publishing an eight-month investigation revealing that Exxon’s own scientists warned executives as early as 1977 that burning fossil fuels was heating the planet, yet the company then worked at the forefront of climate denial for decades. The …
InsideClimate NewsExxonMobilLos Angeles TimesColumbia UniversityJames Blackclimate-denialinvestigative-journalismexxonknewcorporate-fraudfossil-fuels
In October 2012, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) adopted the ‘Electricity Freedom Act’—a model bill co-written with the fossil fuel-funded Heartland Institute that called for the nullification of state Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards (RPS). The legislation was …
American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)Heartland InstituteJames TaylorEdison Electric InstituteAmerican Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers+2 morealecrenewable-energyfossil-fuelsmodel-legislationregulatory-capture+3 more
On May 4, 2012, the Heartland Institute erected a digital billboard on the Eisenhower Expressway near Chicago featuring Ted Kaczynski (the Unabomber) with text reading “I still believe in global warming. Do you?” The billboard remained live for 24 hours before widespread …
The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) launched a national television advertising campaign on May 18, 2006, featuring two 60-second spots promoting carbon dioxide as beneficial and dismissing climate change concerns. The ads aired in 14 U.S. cities from May 18-28, 2006, strategically timed to …
The Bush administration releases the National Energy Policy, revealing extensive incorporation of Enron’s recommendations. Analysis shows the task force adopted “all or significant portions” of Enron’s recommendations in seven of eight policy areas, with at least 17 policies …
Dick CheneyGeorge W. BushEnronKenneth LayNational Energy Policy Development Group+1 moreenronenergy-policycorporate-captureregulatory-capturecorruption+1 more
The Bush administration releases the National Energy Policy report developed by Cheney’s Energy Task Force, containing 105 recommendations that overwhelmingly favor fossil fuel industries while giving minimal attention to renewable energy. The report recommends opening the Arctic National …
George W. BushDick CheneyNational Energy Policy Development GroupExxonMobilShell Oil+6 moreenergy-policycorporate-captureoil-industrycheney-task-forceregulatory-capture+3 more
On May 5, 2000, the American Legislative Exchange Council’s (ALEC) Natural Resources Task Force adopted the ‘Environmental Literacy Improvement Act’ at ALEC’s Spring Task Force Summit, with full approval by ALEC’s Board of Directors in June 2000. The model bill was …
American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)Sandy Liddy BourneHeartland InstituteKoch IndustriesExxonMobil+4 morealecclimate-denialeducationdisinformationmodel-legislation+3 more
The American Petroleum Institute (API) organized and funded a Global Climate Science Communications Plan, revealed in the leaked “Victory” memo outlining a multiyear, multimillion-dollar scheme to create uncertainty about established climate science. Created months after the Kyoto …
American Petroleum InstituteRandy RandolExxonMobilChevronSouthern Companyclimate-denialdisinformationfossil-fuelspublic-manipulationmedia-influence
In April 1998, the American Petroleum Institute (API) convened a secret meeting of oil industry executives and public relations consultants to draft the “Global Climate Science Communications Plan.” The leaked document reveals a coordinated strategy to manufacture doubt about climate …
American Petroleum InstituteExxonMobilChevronSouthern CompanyGlobal Climate Coalition+1 moreenvironmentalclimate-denialcorporate-disinformationfossil-fuelsregulatory-capture
Between 1990 and 2010, the American Legislative Exchange Council’s (ALEC) Environment Task Force—directly funded by Koch Industries, ExxonMobil, and Peabody Energy—systematically passed over 100 model bills designed to weaken state environmental protections. The task force operated as a …
American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)Koch IndustriesExxonMobilPeabody EnergyDuke Energy+2 morealeclegislative-captureregulatory-capturefossil-fuelsclimate-denial+3 more
By 1991, the George C. Marshall Institute (GMI) had evolved into a central node in the fossil fuel industry’s climate denial infrastructure, receiving funding from ExxonMobil and other energy companies to attack climate science. Founded in 1984 by physicists Frederick Seitz (former President …
George C. Marshall InstituteFrederick SeitzFred SingerRobert JastrowWilliam Nierenberg+2 moreclimate-denialthink-tank-fundingfossil-fuelsscientific-disinformationfred-singer
In 1989, major fossil fuel and automobile companies formed the Global Climate Coalition (GCC), an industry front group that would spend over a decade blocking international climate action while publicly claiming the science was uncertain. Internal documents later revealed the coalition’s own …
ExxonMobilShellChevronFord Motor CompanyGeneral Motors+3 moreenvironmentalclimate-denialcorporate-lobbyingfossil-fuelsregulatory-capture+1 more
Senior Exxon scientist James Black delivered a sobering message to company executives about carbon dioxide warming the planet, marking the beginning of documented internal knowledge at Exxon about climate change risks. Internal research from 1977-1982 created remarkably accurate climate models …
James BlackRoger CohenExxonMobilExxon CorporationHarvard Climate Research Teamclimate-denialregulatory-capturefossil-fuelscorporate-knowledgeenvironmental-capture+1 more