“A decade after 9/11, millions of Americans remain at risk of a poison gas disaster because Koch Industries and other oil and chemical companies have blocked comprehensive chemical security legislation,” said Greenpeace Toxics Campaigner John Deans. “Instead of converting their dangerous chemical facilities to safer alternatives, Koch has deployed an army of lobbyists and funded key lawmakers to make sure their facilities are allowed to continue threatening more than 4 million Americans.”
Among the report’s findings:
* According to the company’s own reports to the EPA, Koch Industries and its subsidiaries Invista, Flint Hills, and Georgia Pacific operate 57 dangerous chemical facilities in the United States that together put more than 4 million people at risk.
* Analysis of lobbying disclosure records shows that since 2005, Koch has hired more lobbyists who lobbied on chemical security issues than the largest chemical companies such as Dow and Dupont. Koch lobbyists even outnumber those at trade associations including the Chamber of Commerce and American Petroleum Institute – only the American Chemistry Council hired more.
* Data from the Center for Responsive Politics show that all of the key Senators and Representatives who have taken a lead role during the last year in pushing legislation that supports Koch’s chemical security agenda have received Koch campaign contributions, including Representatives who introduced HR 908 and HR 901, Tim Murphy (R-PA), Gene Green (D-TX), Peter King (R-NY) Dan Lungren (R-CA).
* All of the cosponsors of similar legislation in the Senate (S 2996) received KochPAC contributions during their most recent elections, including Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Rob Portman (R-OH), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Mark Pryor (R-AR), and former senator George Voinovich (R-OH).
* Twenty-nine of the thirty-three Energy and Commerce Committee members whose votes supported Koch’s agenda during the May 26, 2011 Energy and Commerce Committee vote on HR 908, including all five Democrats, have received contributions from KochPAC.
The Greenpeace report is available at: https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/toxickoch/
Center or Public Integrity investigation is available at: http://www.iwatchnews.org/2011/08/24/5939/911-koch-industries-has-fought-against-tougher-government-rules-chemical-plants
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CONTACT: John Deans, Greenpeace Toxics Campaigner, 202-319-2454
Rick Hind, Greenpeace Legislative Director, 202-319-2445
Joe Smyth, Greenpeace Media, 831-566-5647, [email protected]
