Contact: 

Emily Samsel, LCV, emily_samsel@lcv.org, 202-454-4573
Lukas Ross, Friends of the Earth, lross@foe.org, 202-222-0724
Derek Goldman, Endangered Species Coalition, 406-370-6491
Don Owens, Public Citizen, dowens@citizen.org, 202-588-7767
Ryan Schleeter, Greenpeace, (415) 342-2386

Washington, D.C. — In response to outgoing Secretary of Energy Rick Perry’s appearance today at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as the organization moves forward with it’s so-called “Task Force on Climate Actions,” the League of Conservation Voters, Sierra Club, Environment America, Friends of the Earth, Endangered Species Coalition, Public Citizen, and Greenpeace sent a letter demanding that the Chamber support science-based climate policies, deploy significant resources to advance the policies, and stop taking funding from climate denying front groups.

Secretary Perry, like the Chamber itself, has a long record of putting fossil fuel industry interests ahead of public health and clean energy. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has a history of climate denial and fighting policies that would reduce carbon emissions. The organization continued to back the Trump administration’s dirty power scam that would erase the Clean Power Plan’s first-ever carbon emissions limits on power plants as recently as July of this year.

“The Chamber of Commerce’s legacy of climate denial, anti-environmental lobbying and loyalty to the dark tangled web of climate denying front groups is one of the reasons our planet is in such a dire situation right now,” said Matthew Davis, Legislative Director for LCV. “If the Chamber is serious about addressing climate change, they must set clean energy goals dictated by the science. We cannot let organizations, politicians, or anyone else get credit for saying they’re ‘for climate action’ publicly when they’re actually making things worse behind the scenes.”

“Pretty words don’t change the fact that the Chamber of Commerce has and continues to be at the forefront of every major effort to kill serious climate action in Washington,” said Melinda Pierce, Legislative Director for the Sierra Club. “The Chamber is an organization that responsible companies should flee.”

“With climate impacts mounting, we need to act to curb emissions now more than ever,” said Jesse Torrence, Senior Director of Climate Campaigns for Environment America. “Today, we are encouraging companies who are members of the Chamber of Commerce to hold them accountable so that their deeds match their words and they stop obstructing progress on climate policy.”

“The Chamber of Commerce should not be in the business of fueling climate misinformation with its dark money dollars,” said Lukas Ross, Senior Policy Analyst at Friends of the Earth.

“The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has been obstructing meaningful efforts to address carbon pollution for years,” said Derek Goldman, Communications Director for the Endangered Species Coalition. “So we are skeptical that whatever the Chamber is now claiming to do relative to the climate crisis is little more than a smoke and mirrors game, at best.”

“We run our ChamberWatch project explicitly to keep tabs on the duplicitous work of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce,” said Lisa Gilbert, VP of Legislative Affairs for Public Citizen. “Their work to fund climate denier front groups is right in line with their betrayal of the realities of how a changing climate impacts business. We strongly urge them to rethink their position on climate change and work to protect our planet.”

“The Chamber’s approach to climate change thus far has brought us to a state of emergency,” said Greenpeace USA Senior Climate Campaigner John Noël. “Now, nothing less than a heroic reordering of the economy and energy system is necessary to stave off the worst impacts of the climate crisis. Waltzing back into the climate debate with a half-formed plan does not change the fact that the Chamber still takes money from climate deniers, nor does it erase its history of blocking climate action.”

The full coalition letter is available here and below.

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The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) builds political power to protect people and the planet. We influence policy, hold politicians accountable, and win elections. This is how we fight to build a world with clean air, clean water, public lands, and a safe climate that are protected by a just and equitable democracy. Our national movement includes more than 2 million members, 30 state affiliates, and grassroots and community organizing programs across the country. Our Earth is Worth Fighting For. Please join us at www.lcv.org.

The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person’s right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.

Environment America is a national network with affiliates in 29 states. Our staff and members work to protect the places we love, advance the environmental values we share, and win real results for our environment. Environment America is part of The Public Interest Network, which runs organizations committed to our vision of a better world, a set of core values, and a strategic approach to getting things done.

Friends of the Earth fights to protect our environment and create a healthy and just world. We speak truth to power and expose those who endanger people and the planet. Our campaigns work to hold politicians and corporations accountable, transform our economic systems, protect our forests and oceans, and revolutionize our food & agriculture systems.

Endangered Species Coalition is a national network of hundreds of conservation, scientific, education, religious, sporting, outdoor recreation, business and community organizations – and more than 200,000 individual activists and supporters – all dedicated to protecting our nation’s disappearing wildlife and last remaining wild places.

Public Citizen is a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization that champions the public interest in the halls of power. We defend democracy, resist corporate power and work to ensure that government works for the people – not for big corporations. Founded in 1971, we now have 500,000 members and supporters nationwide.

Greenpeace is a global, independent campaigning organization that uses peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future.