Gov Tom Wolfe virg

921

http://redgreenandblue.org/2021/09/03/organized-climate-denial-machine-fighting-action-state-level/

kos

by Climate Denier Roundup

Which perhaps is why they appear to be setting their sights a little closer to home, attempting to run the denial playbook at the state level.

For example, Pennsylvania has been moving towards joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a carbon market that’s driving down emissions and power bills across the Northeast. In response, industry has _{set up a web of front groups}_, and over the summer, even brought in the_{big guns of career deniers}_ like Steve Milloy and Marc Moranoto speak at a House committee meeting.

The state’s _{Republican party has been working hard}_ on behalf of its fossil fuel benefactors to try and prevent the Democratic governor Tom Wolfe from joining RGGI, and even _{national-level}_ _{professional}_ _{denial lackey}_ Kevin Mooney _{wrote up the situation}_ for the Daily Signal, the_{Koch/Mercer/tobacco/polluters-funded}_ Heritage Foundation’s fake news website.

While RGGI started as a Northeast and Mid-Atlantic initiative, in 2020 Virginia announced that it would be the first southern state to join. And like its northern counterparts, the state’s seen an influx of disinfo carpetbaggers. For example, the industry-fundedCFACT’s Collister Johnson Jr. _{recently bragged in}_ Koch-funded RealClearEnergy that Republicans in Virginia oppose the Virginia Clean Economy Act thanks to CFACT’s hard work and dedication of publishing “a series of articles” starting in 2021. VCEA passed with only Democratic support the year before, but thanks to CFACT’s lobbying on a bill that had already passed, Johnson wonders to what extent the 2021 Virginia state elections will be influenced by their “Repeal VCEA” message.

(Given that the only other big thing Collister has to brag about in life besides being _{frequently}_ _{wrong}_ on _{purpose}_ is that he was given a seat on the board of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation by his Yale roommate, George W. Bush, we’ll forgive his eagerness to brag about the amazing feat of turning Republicans in 2021 against climate action passed in 2020.)

Across the country, but just a click away at the organized denial clearinghouse RealClear, Duggan Flanakin, also working for CFACT, _{describes the effort in Washington state}_ to oppose a Spokane city council ban on new methane gas hookups.

Now, what Flanakin definitely won’t tell you is that, like _{it is across the country}_, the gas industry in Washington is _{pouring at least a million of dollars}_ into opposing these individually small but collectively mighty moves to kick the fossil fuel addiction, with Washington _{being home to at least one of the trade groups}_ working nationally to fight electrification.

So if you’re looking at the reconciliation fight, and _{wondering where the climate deniers vocal opposition is}_, you might want to check a little closer to home!