Does Dow Chemical support climate action? Or think it would destroy America? Depends on which Dow Chemical you’re listening to.
Is it the Dow Chemical that’s a member of the U.S. Climate Action Partnership? That Dow made a major investment in clean energy in Michigan last week. From MLive.com’s The Mudpuppy:
Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm says it was a great week for Michigan and the Dow Chemical Co., with Dow announcing three clean-energy projects in the state that will create up to 6,900 new jobs.
“Dow announced a combined investment of almost $1.3 billion in three clean-energy projects that’ll create thousands of new jobs in our state,” Granholm said today in her weekly radio address.
Or is it the Dow that’s a member of the American Chemistry Council? That Dow’s membership dues are supporting a dirty attack on the Clean Air Act in several states. The Chemistry Council was apparently the money behind the ads attacking the Environmental Protection Agency for trying to do its job and protect our air as mandated by the Clean Air Act — passed by a Democratic Congress, signed by a Republican president, and approved by a conservative Supreme Court.
I say “apparently” because the announcer in the ad never actually says who paid for them. In tiny, semi-transparent type at the bottom of the ad are the words “Paid for by the Coalition for American Jobs.” If that name sounds about as credible as the law firm of Dewey, Cheatem & Howe, you’re on the right track.
You see, the “Coalition” won’t say who’s in the coalition. Its website just makes a vague reference to “businesses, industries and others.” And its “resource” page is completely blank. Who’s the website registered to? The “Coalition” doesn’t want you to know, having hidden its registration information. And why not? The website is as flimsy and phony as the group itself. (The firm that created the site didn’t return my call asking who’d paid for it.)
Here’s a photo from the site:
A “Coalition” supporter? Not exactly. More like a stock photo:
You’d think front groups would have learned from Big Coal’s embarrassing “FACES of Coal” stock photo scandal. Guess not. In fact, the entire Flickr account of the “Coalition” appears to be stock photos.
The group’s phone number is a cell that goes straight to voicemail … but a search shows up as having it registered to “Chemis American.” Considering the “Coalition” ads are prominently featured on the Chemistry Council’s front page, it’s safe to say the American Chemistry Council is pulling the strings.
It would be understandable if Dow Chemical’s position was to support Congressional clean energy & climate legislation but not direct EPA regulation. But the Chemistry Council campaign isn’t calling for legislation — it’s calling for complete inaction:
What needs to be done?
The Administration and Congress can promote a reasonable policy outcome that makes sense for the U.S. economy, jobs, and the environment by taking prompt action to postpone EPA regulation of GHGs from stationary sources under the Clean Air Act.
Not “postpone” and pass legislation — just postone. The “Coalition” website also throws out ridiculous lies about EPA regulation, like, “Investment in American manufacturing and clean energy technologies will come to an immediate halt, putting creation of many new jobs at risk.” And its TV ad says nothing about either the climate crisis or urgent need for the Senate to pass clean energy and climate legislation. It’s even more of a red flag considering the Chemistry Council was consistently critical of the American Clean Energy and Security Act, saying after the bill passed the House that “more work remains to be done.”
I know on the interwebs this is where I’m supposed to get all DOW IS A FRAUD and THEY SHOULD QUIT CHEMISTRY COUNCIL and WE MUST BOYCOTT TEH SCRUBBING BUBBLES. But it’s not like you can pin the “Coalition” fiasco directly on Dow. And remember in Jackass when Steve-O says, “It’s like when your parents say, ‘I’m not mad at you; I’m just disappointed.’ That hurts so much more, you know?”
Dow Chemical — I’m not mad; I’m just disappointed.
