PolluterHarmony’s launch comes at a time when dirty industry companies are spending record amounts on lobbyists and influence peddlers in an effort to undermine clean energy policy. A report last week from Greenwire revealed that the oil and gas industry spent $154 million on lobbying in 2009. And the Supreme Court recently ruled that corporations can spend unlimited amounts to directly impact the outcome of our elections – allowing Big Oil to bury clean energy candidates under millions of dollars of TV ads.
The size and aggressiveness of the polluter lobbying effort has resulted in increased media scrutiny, especially last month when the news broke that dirty industry lobbyists helped Senator Lisa Murkowski write legislation aimed at blocking the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating greenhouse gasses. The lobbyists, former Bush officials Jeffrey Holmstead and Roger Martella, helped Murkowski craft the bill shortly after several of their clients made sizable donations to her campaign account. PolluterWatch Director Kert Davies is awaiting a response from Senate Ethics Chairwoman Barbara Boxer to a letter he sent requesting an immediate investigation into the matter.
“PolluterHarmony will draw attention to the close connections between polluters, influence peddlers and friendly public officials,” said PolluterWatch Director Kert Davies. “While the relationships are not quite romantic, it’s clear that many of these individuals put their love of money and influence ahead of their concern for our health and a clean energy future.”
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, the new site launched alongside an online advertising campaign. A promotional video is also included to help market PolluterHarmony’s compatibility formula, which matches polluters based on favored dirty energy product, past environmental violations, and lack of interest in serving constituents.
To experience the pHarmony difference, go to http://www.polluterharmony.com. To see the video directly, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIfnVM4O3js
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Other contacts: Joe Smyth, 831-566-5647, [email protected]
