Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Utility Leaves Chamber Over Climate Issue



September 22, 2009, Pacific Gas & Electric, the big California utility, has pulled out of the United States Chamber of Commerce over what its chairman, Peter Darbee, termed “fundamental differences” over the climate change issue.

In a letter to the Chamber — a business group that has often been a vocal critic of President Obama’s policies to regulate greenhouse gas emissions — Mr. Darbee wrote: 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. In our opinion, an intellectually honest argument over the best policy response to the challenges of climate change is one thing; disingenuous attempts to diminish or distort the reality of these challenges are quite another. Excerpts from the letter were published on PG&E’s blog, Next100.com. PG&E is the dominant utility in northern California, and has aggressively pursued energy efficiency and renewable energy. More >>>