PG&E Quits US Chamber Of Commerce Over Climate Stance - NYT

[hatrack]

Amid a growing split in the business community over climate policy, Pacific Gas and Electric, a major California utility, is withdrawing from the United States Chamber of Commerce, citing “fundamental differences” with the chamber’s approach to global warming. “We find it dismaying that the chamber neglects the indisputable fact that a decisive majority of experts have said the data on global warming are compelling and point to a threat that cannot be ignored,” Peter A. Darbee, the chairman of PG&E, wrote in a letter to the chamber.

Excerpts of the letter, written last week, were published on PG&E’s blog on Tuesday.

The chamber has been sharply critical of President Obama’s efforts to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. It has recently threatened litigation if the Environmental Protection Agency does not re-examine its findings on the effects of climate change on the public. "We have over three million members, and we don’t comment on the comings and goings of our membership,” Eric Wohlschlegel, a spokesman for the chamber, said in response to PG&E’s announcement.

PG&E is the latest of a string of corporations to pull out of business organizations because of differences over climate policy. Duke Energy, a large Southern utility that supports action against global warming, pulled out of the National Association of Manufacturers in December; climate was a partial factor, according to Thomas Williams, a spokesman.

EDIT

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/23/business/energy-environment/23utility.html?_r=1

[sinkingfeeling]

1. That is excellent! The Chamber of Commerce is about number 2 on my list of organizations to avoid.

[Aragorn]

2. good move

and by utility companies no less!

[T Wolf]

3. Wow! A utility fights with the CoC. What's next? May those on the reich decimate each other

and leave the scene, permanently.

[pscot]

4. Green shoots

The CofC is evil incarnate.

[intheflow]

5. You think they actually learned something about being green

from Erin Brockovich's various lawsuits?

[Nihil]

6. Interesting that the utilities are more concerned about climate change than the CoC! (n/t)

:wow: