Many of the environmental problems we face are a result of an energy policy that is rigged to favor special interests.

• The United States is 5% of the world's population, yet consumes 25% of the world's fossil fuels.
• More than 1,000 toxic Superfund sites remain dangerous due to lack of Congressional funding for clean-up.
• The United States remains oil-dependent, importing almost 75% of its oil from other countries.
• In 2006 the oil and gas industry gave over $18 million in campaign contributions while donations from environmental groups totaled $889,748.
• Energy companies donate 20x as much money as environmental groups to federal campaigns.

"Congress submits to the pressure of timber, oil, chemical, agribusiness and other big-money interests by trying to weaken environmental safeguards," said former Sierra Club President Chuck McGrady. "The main reason many politicians side with the polluters is their never-ending need for campaign cash. Public campaign financing will eliminate the influence of donors who want to weaken environmental laws, and it will shift power back to voters and volunteers."

There is hope... 

Clean Elections allows environmental advocates who lack financial support from big energy to run for office and help inform the debate on energy policy and environmental stewardship.  Legislation no longer can be dominated by oil, gas and energy company contributions to candidates.  

When VP Dick Cheney was charged with developing an energy police for the US, he consulted wit those he knew best—the energy industries that had been so generous to the Bush-Cheney campaign.

Cheney’s task force report recommended drilling for oil in Alaska in ANWR, weakening regulation for air pollution controls at power plants, increasing oil and gas exploration on public land, repealing a Depression-era law preventing national utility monopolies, expanding nuclear energy, building new refineries, and increasing reliance on coal.

Overall, from January – September 2001, according to an analysis by NRDC, task force officials had 714 direct contacts with industry representatives and only 29 with non-industry representatives.

Industry groups contacting Cheney vs. all environmental groups:

• INDUSTRY GROUPS: $54.5 million (Republicans), $25.2 million (Democrats)
• ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS: $3.7 million (Democrats), $411,300 (Republicans)

Requiring cars and especially SUVs to get more miles to the gallon is the single biggest step we could take to curb the greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. Congress, however, has said “no” to strengthening the fuel economy standards, under pressure from intense lobbying and millions of dollars in campaign contributions from the auto industry and union.

The car or SUV you are driving, however, doesn’t need to be such a big polluter. If federal fuel economy standards were raised to 45 miles per gallon for cars and 34 mpg for SUVs, not only would carbon dioxide be cut by 600 million tons, but consumers would also save at least $45 billion a year at the gas pump.

Politicians bought by the automotive industry:

• $66.8 million (Republicans)
• $23.1 (Democrats)

Politicians bought by the auto union:

• $18.3 million (Democrats)
• $198,000 (Republicans)