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House Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl Grijalva and Representative Katie Porter, who chairs the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, are requesting documents from five public relations firms and the American Petroleum Institute detailing their climate change work for fossil fuel companies.
Chairman Grijalva cited an undercover video by Greenpeace activists from last summer in which an ExxonMobil lobbyist said the energy giant has used “shadow groups” to cast doubt on the reality of climate change. “Thanks to the accidental truth-telling by the former ExxonMobil lobbyist, we know there is a lot to uncover about the ways fossil fuel companies spread disinformation and lies about climate change,” Grijalva said.
During a House Oversight Committee hearing last fall, Rep. Porter questioned oil executives on their companies’ knowledge of climate change over the course of decades even as they publicly promoted denial of it. “Fossil fuel companies have been lying to the public for decades to cover up the damage they’re doing to the planet and our long-term economic wellbeing,” Rep. Porter said in reference to her document request with Chairman Grijalva.
The lawmakers requested all documents and communications concerning the firms' work for the fossil fuel industry from January 1, 2013, to the present, including invoices that show the payments from each oil, gas, or coal company. The firms have until June 27 to provide this information. If they fail to do so, Chairman Grijalva could compel them via his subpoena power.
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It’s climate change. I’m not a scientist, but I’ve been doing this 40-plus years, and I’ve never seen fire spread the way it is. I’ve never seen what we’re experiencing today. Given the fuel conditions, the fire conditions that we’re here talking about, I foresee a very tough four, five, six months in front of us."
