Suffolk U
<p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">note that beacon hill uses the works suffolk U in its Name and logo:</font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">404 on list of donors</font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">founf it</font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">https://www.suffolk.edu/documents/ORSP/orsp_news_may_2014.pdf</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">===</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;"><a href="http://www.beaconhill.org/BHI-STAMP-Brochure.pdf">http://www.beaconhill.org/BHI-STAMP-Brochure.pdf</a></span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"> escape this impasse is to build and
use a comprehensive computer model
that captures the details of how
proposed tax policy changes will affect
the economy. The Beacon Hill Institute
State Tax Analysis Modeling Program
(STAMP) and Local Area Modeling
Program (LAMP) have been designed
with this purpose in mind. Over the
past 12 years, these models have been
refined and applied to tax policy issues
in dozens of states and localities</font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">
</font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">gce team</font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>David G. Tuerck is Executive Director of the Beacon Hill Institute and
Professor and Chairman of the Department of Economics at Suffolk
University in Boston, MA</b>. He holds a doctorate in economics from the
University of Virginia and has written extensively on issues of taxation
and public economics.</font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"> Jonathan Haughton is a Senior Economist at the Beacon Hill Institute and
Associate Professor of Economics at Suffolk University. He holds a
doctorate in economics from Harvard University and has published widely
in refereed journals on economic development, taxation, and demography.</font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b> Paul Bachman is the Director of Research at the Beacon Hill Institute.</b> He
holds a Master of Science in International Economics degree from Suffolk
University and a Bachelor of Arts (Politics) degree from the St. Joseph's
University in Philadelphia. He also teaches introductory economics at
Suffolk University and has authored several studies on economic policy. </font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Alfonso Sanchez-Penalver is an Economist at the Beacon Hill Institute.
He holds a Master of Science degree in Finance from Boston College, and
a BSBA in Finance from Suffolk University. He is currently enrolled in the
PhD program in Economics at Suffolk University. He has an extensive
career in web programming and project management, as well as in
accounting and financial analysis.</font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"> Phuong Viet Ngo is a Research Assistant at the Beacon Hill Institute. He
received his undergraduate degree at the National Economics University
in Hanoi, Vietnam, majoring in Monetary and Financial Economics. Before
enrolling in the PhD program in Economics at Suffolk University, he
received a Masters of Science in International Economics</font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">eg</font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Texas-STAMP. In 2005, the <b>Texas Public Policy Foundation</b> used Texas-STAMP to
examine a proposal calling for a payroll tax combined with higher taxes on sales,
cigarettes and property. Texas-STAMP showed a loss of 40,000 jobs, $13 billion in
annual investment and $9 billion in personal disposable income. The Wall Street
Journal reported the results and the legislature dropped the payroll tax.
• Alabama-STAMP. In 2002, the Governor of Alabama sought to increase state taxes
by $1.2 billion. The Alabama Policy Institute used Alabama-STAMP in its study,
Tax Changes in Alabama: the Economic Consequences which detailed the economic
effects of the proposal. Voters defeated the proposal by a margin of more than two
to one in a referendum vote</font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">==</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;"><b>David Tuerck College of Arts &</b></span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;"><b>Sciences</b></span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">A Proposal to Study the Economic Effects of</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">EPA Rules on Selected States</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Employment Policies</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Institute</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">$41,500</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">David Tuerck College of Arts &</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Sciences</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">EVT Study Direct Impact $15,000</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">David Tuerck College of Arts &</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Sciences</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">RPs Studies <b>Searle Freedom </b>Trust $59,600</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">David Tuerck College of Arts &</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Sciences</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Franchise Tax Study Manufacturing</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Association of NY</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">$20,000</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">David Tuerck College of Arts &</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Sciences</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">General Operating Expenses <b>The Koch Foundation $16,000</b></span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">David Tuerck College of Arts &</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Sciences</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">General Operating Expenses <b>Castle Rock</b></span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Foundation</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">$20,000</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">David Tuerck College of Arts &</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Sciences</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">North Dakota STAMP North Dakota Policy</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Council</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">$8,500</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">David Tuerck College of Arts &</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Sciences</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Minority Business in Green Energy Advansa $1,500</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">David Tuerck College of Arts &</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Sciences</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Tax Cut Modeling Maine Heritage Policy $11,000</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">David Tuerck College of Arts &</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Sciences</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Survey of Health Insurance for Members Care Samaritan Healthcare $25,000</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">$584,060</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;"><b>Table 3 Awarded Grants 2013</b></span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Name</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">College</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">/School Project title Funding Agency Amount</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;"><b>Paul Bachman</b> College of Arts</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">& Sciences</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Arizona Renewable Portfolio</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Standard Study</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">The Koch Foundation $8,000</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Paul Bachman College of Arts</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">& Sciences</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Lousianan STAMP Model Employment Policies</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Institute</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">$12,500</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">5</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Paul Bachman College of Arts</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">& Sciences</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Georgia Stamp <b>Technomic Associates </b>$18,500</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">...</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">
</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;"><b>David Tuerck</b> College of Arts</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">& Sciences</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">DC Plastic Bag Survey</span><b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> Americans for Tax Reform</span> </b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">$8,000</span></span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">David Tuerck College of Arts</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">& Sciences</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Enterprise Value Tax Managed Funds</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Association</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">$49,000</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">David Tuerck College of Arts</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">& Sciences</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Kansas Tax Reform Study <b>Kansas Policy Institute</b> $5,250</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">David Tuerck College of Arts</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">& Sciences</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Texas Study Franchise and</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Property Tax Study</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Texas Conservative</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Coalition</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">$23,500</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">David Tuerck College of Arts</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">&Sciences</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Study of Consumed Income Tax The<b> John Locke</b></span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;"><b>Foundation</b></span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">$21,250</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">David Tuerck College of Arts</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">& Sciences</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Investigate the relationship between</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">state tax policies and the rate of</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">economic growth</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;"><b>American Legislative</b></span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;"><b>Exchange Council</b></span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">$9,500</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">David Tuerck College of Arts</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">& Sciences</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Oklahoma STAMP Model State Chamber of</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Oklahoma Research</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Foundation</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">$18,500</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">David Tuerck College of Arts</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">& Sciences</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Peer Review of RTI International</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Study</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">The John Locke</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Foundation</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">$3,500</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">David Tuerck College of Arts</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">& Sciences</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Pennsylvania STAMP Employment Policies</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Institute</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">$11,600</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">David Tuerck College of Arts</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">& Sciences</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">RPS Studies for Six States Searle Freedom Trust $61,875</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Julie Yeterian College of Arts</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">& Sciences</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Examining the role of spiritual ad</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">religious processes in adolescents'</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">recovery from substance use</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">disorders</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">National Institutes of</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Health: Kirschstein</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">National Research Service</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">Award</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">$67,964</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">David Tuerck College of Arts &
Sciences
A Proposal to Study the Economic Effects of
EPA Rules on Selected States
Employment Policies
Institute
$41,500
David Tuerck College of Arts &
Sciences
EVT Study Direct Impact $15,000
David Tuerck College of Arts &
Sciences
RPs Studies Searle Freedom Trust $59,600
David Tuerck College of Arts &
Sciences
Franchise Tax Study Manufacturing
Association of NY
$20,000
David Tuerck College of Arts &
Sciences
General Operating Expenses The Koch Foundation $16,000
David Tuerck College of Arts &
Sciences
General Operating Expenses Castle Rock
Foundation
$20,000
David Tuerck College of Arts &
Sciences
North Dakota STAMP North Dakota Policy
Council
$8,500
David Tuerck College of Arts &
Sciences
Minority Business in Green Energy Advansa $1,500
David Tuerck College of Arts &
Sciences
Tax Cut Modeling Maine Heritage Policy $11,000
David Tuerck College of Arts &
Sciences
Survey of Health Insurance for Members Care Samaritan Healthcare $25,000
$584,060
Table 3 Awarded Grants 2013
Name
College
/School Project title Funding Agency Amount
Paul Bachman College of Arts
& Sciences
Arizona Renewable Portfolio
Standard Study
The Koch Foundation $8,000
Paul Bachman College of Arts
& Sciences
Lousianan STAMP Model Employment Policies
Institute
$12,500
5
Paul Bachman College of Arts
& Sciences
Georgia Stamp Technomic Associates $18,500</font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">David Tuerck College of Arts
& Sciences
DC Plastic Bag Survey Americans for Tax Reform $8,000
David Tuerck College of Arts
& Sciences
Enterprise Value Tax Managed Funds
Association
$49,000
David Tuerck College of Arts
& Sciences
Kansas Tax Reform Study Kansas Policy Institute $5,250
David Tuerck College of Arts
& Sciences
Texas Study Franchise and
Property Tax Study
Texas Conservative
Coalition
$23,500
David Tuerck College of Arts
&Sciences
Study of Consumed Income Tax The John Locke
Foundation
$21,250
David Tuerck College of Arts
& Sciences
Investigate the relationship between
state tax policies and the rate of
economic growth
American Legislative
Exchange Council
$9,500
David Tuerck College of Arts
& Sciences
Oklahoma STAMP Model State Chamber of
Oklahoma Research
Foundation
$18,500
David Tuerck College of Arts
& Sciences
Peer Review of RTI International
Study
The John Locke
Foundation
$3,500
David Tuerck College of Arts
& Sciences
Pennsylvania STAMP Employment Policies
Institute
$11,600
David Tuerck College of Arts
& Sciences
RPS Studies for Six States Searle Freedom Trust $61,875
Julie Yeterian College of Arts
& Sciences
Examining the role of spiritual ad
religious processes in adolescents'
recovery from substance use
disorders
National Institutes of
Health: Kirschstein
National Research Service
Award
$67,964</font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">==</font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 15.5938px;">https://www.suffolk.edu/documents/ORSP/facilities_boilerplate.pdf</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Suffolk University is a private, non-sectarian, university located in Boston, Massachusetts with 8,046 full
and part-time students. Founded as a law school in 1906 and named after its location in Suffolk County,
Massachusetts, the university is co-educational and is comprised of the Suffolk University Law School,
the Suffolk College of Arts and Sciences, the Sawyer Business School, and the New England School of Art
and Design (NESAD). In addition to its main campus on Beacon Hill in Boston, adjacent to the
Massachusetts State House and the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, it also has a satellite campus
in Lawrence, MA and in international campus in Madrid, Spain. The university occupies 16 buildings
located on Beacon Hill and Downtown Boston, which includes 4 residence halls, two theatres, two
galleries and three libraries.
Suffolk University provides an overall supportive academic research environment that will help to
ensure the success of this research. The university has a strong reputation for fostering and supporting
both basic and applied research that transcends traditional boundaries. Suffolk encourages the
advancement of scholarly pursuits that enrich the local community and expand the boundaries of
science.
The Suffolk University Law School has provided a superior legal education for over 100 years and is an
ambitious institution that prides itself on its intellectual breadth and diverse legal perspectives. Its
expansive curriculum combines a strong academic foundation with expertise in an array of specialty
areas, joint degree options, and international study opportunities. Nationally known faculty and a
range of practical experiences provide superior preparation for practice in the 21st century.
The Sawyer Business School is internationally accredited in business and accounting by AACSB
International -- the Association to Advance the Collegiate Schools of Business and the premier
accrediting body for business schools. This elite distinction is shared by less than 10% of the world's
business schools. The Business School is also accredited by the National Association of Schools and
College of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA). With a dual mission of preparing successful
leaders in global business and public service, the Sawyer Business School offers full-time and part-time
undergraduate and graduate degree programs in business administration, public administration and
health administration...</font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">hope:</font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">
</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><strong>BHI's Director Denies Scientific Consensus That Human Activities Are Primary Cause Of Global Warming. </strong><em>The Guardian</em> reported that BHI director David Tuerck told the newspaper "he had mixed views on climate change," and quoted Tuerck as saying: "I am not certain that those emissions are significant enough to offset other factor changing the climate." However, according to the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), "It is extremely likely that human influence has been the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century." The IPCC defines "extremely likely" as having 95-100% probability. NASA similarly notes: "Most climate scientists agree the main cause of the current global warming trend is human expansion of the 'greenhouse effect' -- warming that results when the atmosphere traps heat radiating from Earth toward space." [<em>The Guardian</em>, <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/feb/23/lobbyist-dubbed-dr-evil-behind-front-groups-attacking-obama-power-rules">2/23/15</a>; IPCC, <a href="http://www.climatechange2013.org/images/report/WG1AR5_SPM_FINAL.pdf">2013</a>; NASA.gov, accessed<a href="http://climate.nasa.gov/causes/">4/10/15</a>]</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><strong>BHI Was Repudiated By Its Own Host University For Seeking To Undermine A Climate Change Initiative. </strong><em>The Guardian </em>reported the Beacon Hill Institute, which is based in the economics department of Suffolk University in Boston, issued a grant proposal to carry out research that would help "pare back or repeal" the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a program by northeastern states to reduce their carbon pollution.<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> Suffolk University responded that the grant proposal's goals "were inconsistent with Suffolk University's mission," and that the only reason the proposal wasn't rejected is that it "did not go through the university's approval process."</span> [<em>The Guardian, </em><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/05/host-university-research-group-climate-suffolk-university">12/5/13</a>]</font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">
</font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"></font></p><p style="padding: 0px 0px 1em; margin: 0px; outline: none; list-style: none; border: 0px none; line-height: 19.5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>The UnKoch My Campus movement aims to bring more clarity and transparency to donations like these so students know where the money goes on their campus, said co-founder Kalin Jordan.</b></font></p><p style="padding: 0px 0px 1em; margin: 0px; outline: none; list-style: none; border: 0px none; line-height: 19.5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">UnKoch officially works with nine colleges in the nation, including George Mason University, University of Central Florida and Utah State University. It also works informally with more than 10 other schools, meaning that there is no formal UnKoch My Campus chapter at these schools, but the organization still helps students through the process of requesting records and other information, Jordan said.</font></p><p style="padding: 0px 0px 1em; margin: 0px; outline: none; list-style: none; border: 0px none; line-height: 19.5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">“We really support philanthropy and any kind of organization that wants to give to a university,” Jordan said. “But when the Kochs give, they have a very specific agenda set out and that agenda is to increase their political belief and their financial bottom line.”</font></p><p style="padding: 0px 0px 1em; margin: 0px; outline: none; list-style: none; border: 0px none; line-height: 19.5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">According to a database curated by Greenpeace, which is based on the Koch’s 990 tax filings, <b>the Koch brothers have given more than $68 million to more than 300 colleges from 2005 to 2013.</b> The Koch brothers, who are tied for sixth on Forbes’ list of billionaires as of Sunday, are each worth $42.9 billion. Charles Koch, 79, serves as the CEO of Koch Industries, which is the second-largest private conglomerate in America. David Koch, 74, is the executive vice president of Koch Industries.</font></p><p style="padding: 0px 0px 1em; margin: 0px; outline: none; list-style: none; border: 0px none; line-height: 19.5px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Suffolk University, Jordan’s alma mater, was given more than </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">$700,000 to fund a think tank named the Beacon Hill Institute, which has authored reports that “discredit policies designed to mitigate climate change,” Jordan said in an email.</span></font></p><p style="padding: 0px 0px 1em; margin: 0px; outline: none; list-style: none; border: 0px none; line-height: 19.5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">“They’re giving to a think tank that produces economic research, and a lot of the times, they’re studying energy policies, and those energy policies directly affect Koch Industries and their profits,” Jordan said. “So we’re seeing a link between their financial interests and … what they’re asking of when they donate to a university.”</font></p><p style="padding: 0px 0px 1em; margin: 0px; outline: none; list-style: none; border: 0px none; line-height: 19.5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">The Kochs have also given $1.5 million to Florida State University after both parties agreed to let Koch representatives screen any new faculty members in the economics department, according to the <i style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: none; list-style: none; border: 0px none; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial;">Tampa Bay Times</i>....Lantern</font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">
</font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">an article published Thursday by <span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;">The Guardian</span> revealed that the <b>Beacon Hill Institute (BHI), which describes itself as the research arm of Suffolk's Economic Department, wrote a research grant proposal with a stated goal: "[to] </b><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;"><b>pare back or repeal RGGI [</b>the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative].</span>" The initiative is a hugely successful agreement amongst Northeastern states and Canadian provinces to reduce carbon emissions.</font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">You might be asking yourself: <span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;">Why would a respected higher education institution like Suffolk University determine the outcome of a research project before even starting the actual research?</span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Two words: <span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;">Koch money. </span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;"><b>Between the years of 2008 and 2012, the oil and gas billionaire Koch brothers donated over $784,560 to Suffolk University</b></span>—an unknown amount of which has been allocated to the conservative Beacon Hill Institute </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">(the exact amount is not specified because Suffolk will not disclose the itemization of these funds). </span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">The university released the following statement in response to the debacle: <span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;">"The stated research goals, as written, were inconsistent with Suffolk University's mission."</span> <span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;">It's clear Suffolk is feeling the need to take action. If we act fast, we can encourage them to reject the Kochs' money and maintain their integrity and independence. </span>Sign the petition while the pressure is still mounting: </font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a rel="nofollow" target="blank" href="http://act.forecastthefacts.org/go/535?t=3&akid=285.100725.XNz74F" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;"><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;">Tell Suffolk University: Stop accepting Koch-tainted money that unfairly influences the outcomes of economic climate research.</span></a></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">The Beacon Hill Institute claims to "provide objective analysis to examine and influence public policy," but given its track record, that's a tough lie to sell (even with the Kochs' fortune). Since 2009, BHI has issued 16 reports claiming that state-based renewable energy standards would destroy local economies. Yesterday's report is just one more egregious example of BHI's attempts to reinforce its funders' climate misinformation agenda.</font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;">Suffolk University now joins the ranks of other public education institutions tainted by the Koch brothers' money and agenda.</span> First came WNET, New York City's PBS affiliate who engaged in self-censorship due to David Koch's presence on their board. Next was WGBH, Boston's PBS station and largest producer of national PBS content. At WGBH, David Koch remains a board member and uses his sponsorship of <span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;">NOVA, </span>an award-winning science program, to legitimize his role as a "philanthropist of art and science."</font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Forecast the Facts members have closely followed the Kochs' destruction-via-donation in Boston and beyond—we're the ones who can make this case effectively and stop the Kochs' dirty money trail. </font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;"><a rel="nofollow" target="blank" href="http://act.forecastthefacts.org/go/535?t=4&akid=285.100725.XNz74F" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;">Tell Suffolk University: the Kochs' money isn't worth sacrificing the integrity of your research and the reputation of your university. Stop accepting dirty donations from the Koch brothers.</a></span></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0em; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Factually yours,</font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Emily, Brad, Sylvie, and the rest of the Forecast the Facts team</font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">MORE INFORMATION</font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Free-market research group's climate proposal denounced by host university, <span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;">The Guardian</span>, 12-05-2013 <br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;" /><a rel="nofollow" target="blank" href="http://act.forecastthefacts.org/go/536?t=5&akid=285.100725.XNz74F" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;">http://act.forecastthefacts.org/go/536?t=6&akid=285.100725.XNz74F</a></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Koch Brother Fronts Flood Into Kansas to Attack Wind Industry Report, <span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;">The Environmentalist</span>, 2013 <br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;" /><a rel="nofollow" target="blank" href="http://act.forecastthefacts.org/go/537?t=7&akid=285.100725.XNz74F" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;">http://act.forecastthefacts.org/go/537?t=8&akid=285.100725.XNz74F</a></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Charles Koch Foundation's 2012 990 Tax Forms<br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;" /><a rel="nofollow" target="blank" href="http://act.forecastthefacts.org/go/540?t=9&akid=285.100725.XNz74F" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;">http://act.forecastthefacts.org/go/540?t=10&akid=285.100725.XNz74F</a></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Climate skeptic group works to reverse renewable energy mandate, <span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;">The Washington Post</span>, 11-24-2013 <br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;" /><a rel="nofollow" target="blank" href="http://act.forecastthefacts.org/go/538?t=11&akid=285.100725.XNz74F" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;">http://act.forecastthefacts.org/go/538?t=12&akid=285.100725.XNz74F</a></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">A Word From Our Sponsor, <span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;">The New Yorker</span>, 5-27-2013 <br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;" /><a rel="nofollow" target="blank" href="http://act.forecastthefacts.org/go/157?t=13&akid=285.100725.XNz74F" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;">http://act.forecastthefacts.org/go/157?t=14&akid=285.100725.XNz74F</a></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Why is WGBH Legitimizing David Koch's Climate Change Denial?, <span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;">The Huffington Post</span>, 10-15-2013 <br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;" /><a rel="nofollow" target="blank" href="http://act.forecastthefacts.org/go/539?t=15&akid=285.100725.XNz74F" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;">http://act.forecastthefacts.org/go/539?t=16&akid=285.100725.XNz74F</a></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"> =</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">To Washington insiders he is <a data-component="in-body-link" data-link="" href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/meet-rick-berman-aka-dr-evil/" name="in body link" id="in body link" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Dr Evil:</a> <span class="print-footnote">[3]</span> the hidden orchestrator of industry campaigns against the Humane Society, Mothers against Drunk Driving, and other seemingly uncontroversial groups.</font></p><p><font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);" face="Times New Roman" size="4">Now Richard Berman, a one-time lobbyist turned industry strategist, has zeroed in on another target: <a data-component="in-body-link" data-link="" href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jun/02/obama-rules-coal-climate-change" name="in body link" id="in body link" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Barack Obama’s new power plant rules</a> <span class="print-footnote">[4]</span>.</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Over the last year, Berman has secretly routed funding for at least 16 studies and launched at least five front groups attacking Environmental Protection Agency rules cutting carbon dioxide from power plants, the Guardian has learned.</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">The rules, the centre-piece of Obama’s climate agenda, are due to be finalised in mid-summer. They have come under sustained assault from industry and Republican-controlled Congress – and Berman is right at the heart of it.</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>The attacks may be gaining traction. The EPA chief, Gina McCarthy, suggested in a speech this week the rules were likely to change in response to public comment.</b></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">From the offices of Berman’s PR firm in Washington, at least </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">five new front groups have launched attack ads against the EPA, environmental groups, fishermen and sportsmen, and green building organisations. The groups all use Berman’s address.</span></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Meanwhile, the<a data-component="in-body-link" data-link="" href="https://www.epionline.org/" name="in body link" id="in body link" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Employment Policies Institute</a> <span class="print-footnote">[5]</span>, a tax-exempt organisation headed by <font color="#ff0000">Berman and operating out of his office according to tax filings, funded a series of reports by an ultra-conservative thinktank, the <a data-component="in-body-link" data-link="" href="http://www.beaconhill.org/" name="in body link" id="in body link">Beacon Hill Institute</a> </font><span class="print-footnote">[6]</span>.</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">The reports, claiming the power plant rules would lead to rolling blackouts, send electricity prices skyrocketing, and devastate local economies, are being published in 16 states by a network of pro-corporate and ultra-conservative thinktanks.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">All of the reports were funded by EPI, according to Suffolk University, the host institution for Beacon Hill. Suffolk released a <a data-component="in-body-link" data-link="" href="http://http//www.suffolk.edu/documents/ORSP/orsp_news_may_2014.pdf" name="in body link" id="in body link" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">list of such grants.</a> <span class="print-footnote">[7]</span></span></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Berman did not respond to requests for comment. However, a spokesman, Jordan Bruneau, confirmed that EPI was funding the analyses of the EPA regulations.</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">“Currently IPA is working with economists to determine the effects of certain EPA regulations on particular states,” he said in an email. He said the research was entirely funded by foundations but refused to identify those funders.</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Those familiar with Berman say he is a prime example of a new industry strategy of bypassing traditional lobbying organisations, and using thinktanks, foundations, experts, and social media to shape the public conversation and – ultimately – legislation.</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">“Richard Berman is very well known for certain front groups and for taking money from anonymous sources to fund aggressive campaigns in the interests of the individuals and the corporations who fund him with the understanding that that funding will be kept secret,” said Nick Surgey, research director of the Center for Media and Democracy.</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Indeed, Berman claims his ability to hide the funding sources for such campaigns as a particular expertise.</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">“People always ask me one question all the time: ‘How do I know that I won’t be found out as a supporter of what you’re doing?’” Berman told a conference of energy executives last year. The talk was <a data-component="in-body-link" data-link="" href="http://http//www.nytimes.com/2014/10/31/us/politics/pr-executives-western-energy-alliance-speech-taped.html?_r=1" name="in body link" id="in body link" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">secretly recorded</a> <span class="print-footnote">[8]</span> and leaked to the New York Times.</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">“We run all of this stuff through non-profit organisations that are insulated from having to disclose donors. There is total anonymity. People don’t know who supports us,” Berman told the energy executives.</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">He claimed at the time to have already collected six-figure sums from some of the companies in the room – and solicited $3m more to defeat opponents of fracking.</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">On such a scale, the funding for an economic study taking down the EPA rules appears relatively economical. Beacon Hill received $41,500 from the Employment Policies Institute for a study of the EPA rules, according to the grants list maintained by Suffolk University.</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">The funds were allocated to produce reports on the impact of the EPA rules in 16 states including: Iowa, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Tennessee, Wisconsin, South Carolina, Virginia, Louisiana, Rhode Island, Washington Ohio, Alaska and Utah, a spokesman for Suffolk University said.</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>The university spokesman said in an email that the grants followed university protocol. “Suffolk does not accept research funds from unknown sources,”</b> the spokesman said in an email.</font></p><p><font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);" face="Times New Roman" size="4">Beacon Hill is associated with a network of ultra-conservative groups working with the American Legislative Exchange Council and funded by patrons of anti-government causes such as the Koch brothers and Searle Freedom Trust.</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>Its director, David Tuerck, appears on the roster of experts at the Heartland Institute,</b> which adopts an extreme-sceptic position on the existence of human-caused climate change. Tuerck has also featured as a keynote speaker at Heartland’s climate conferences.</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">He told the Guardian he had mixed views on climate change. “I am not certain that those emissions are significant enough to offset other factor changing the climate,” he said. But he was categorical that efforts to cut emissions were “a waste of time”.</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">“We are just heaping unnecessary costs on the American economy,” he said. “It’s as obvious as the nose on anybody’s face these EPA regulations are inevitably going to drive up electricity rates.”</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Over the years, BHI has been accused of using discredited economic models to exaggerate the costs and downplay the benefits of government regulations.</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">“I think what is dangerous about BHI is that on the face of it appears to be an academic institute producing independent reports but when you peel back the first layer of the onion you find that Beacon Hill often skews reports in favour of their funders,” Surgey said.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">In 2013, Suffolk University <a data-component="in-body-link" data-link="" href="http://http//www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/05/host-university-research-group-climate-suffolk-university" name="in body link" id="in body link" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">publicly repudiated Beacon Hill </a> <span class="print-footnote">[9]</span>after the Guardian reported the organisation told prospective funders its studies could undermine a regional climate change initiative. The claim did not follow Suffolk University rules for grant proposals, the university said.</span></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Jay Duffy, a legal fellow at the Clean Air Task Force, said the current BHI analysis of the EPA rules did not meet the usual academic standards. “BHI’s interpretation of EPA’s analysis just doesn’t hold up,” he said. “BHI has skewed timelines, underestimated the social cost of carbon, and overestimated the effect on electricity prices. As a result, their study badly inflates the costs and minimises the benefits of EPA’s draft rules.”</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">BHI defended the study. “Our costs are within the broad range of costs that the EPA produces,” said<b> Paul Bachman, who directly oversaw the study</b>. “It’s just that we don’t include – we exclude – what they call the co-benefits of the proposal.”</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Berman’s other forays into the environmental arena this year have been hard-hitting.</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">One prime example was the <b>Environmental Policy Alliance – a mirror image of the government agency </b>– which, according to the website, is “devoted to uncovering the funding and hidden agendas behind environmental activist groups and exploring the intersection between activists and government agencies”.</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">The group oversees four projects aimed at discrediting the government agency and environmental and conservation groups.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">In a full page ad in Politico last year, one of the projects, </span><a data-component="in-body-link" data-link="" href="http://https//epafacts.com" name="in body link" id="in body link" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">EPA Facts</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> </span><span class="print-footnote" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">[10]</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, asked: “What would you call a radical organisation that threatens to shut down 25% of our electrical grid?” The ad crossed off responses including anarchist</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">, terrorist </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">and militia before coming to Obama’s EPA.</span></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Another Berman creation <a data-component="in-body-link" data-link="" href="http://http/https://www.biggreenradicals.com" name="in body link" id="in body link" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Big Green Radicals</a> <span class="print-footnote">[11]</span> claims environmental groups are funded by Russian oil interests close to Vladimir Putin, put up billboards on the Pennsylvania turnpike attacking Lady Gaga, Robert Redford and other <a data-component="in-body-link" data-link="" href="http://https//www.biggreenradicals.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Robert-Redford-Billboard.jpg" name="in body link" id="in body link" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">celebrities who oppose fracking</a> <span class="print-footnote">[12]</span>, and sent a poison Valentine to the <a data-component="in-body-link" data-link="" href="http://http//350.org/breaking-up-with-fossil-fuels-is-easy-to-do/" name="in body link" id="in body link" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">fossil fuel divestment campaign.</a> <span class="print-footnote">[13]</span></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a data-component="in-body-link" data-link="" href="http://%20https//www.greendecoys.com" name="in body link" id="in body link" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Green Decoys </a> <span class="print-footnote">[14]</span>takes on sportsmen and fishermen who support the power plant rules. <a data-component="in-body-link" data-link="" href="http://http//www.leedexposed.com/" name="in body link" id="in body link" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Leed Exposed</a> <span class="print-footnote">[15]</span> opposes green building codes.</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">The outrageous claims are a key part of the strategy, Berman has claimed. “Berman and Company isn’t your average PR firm,” his company website said. “We don’t just change the debate. If necessary, we start the debate.”</font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">=
</font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">=</font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">beacon hill bak 815 italics</font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">
</font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 15.59375px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">
<i>
</i></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><i></i></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>promoted to primary 6/15, evil pending</b></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>berman, alford</b></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>capt 815
</b></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>see suffolk, pres tuerck</b></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>=</b></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">http://mediamatters.org/research/<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">2015/</span>04/13/a-web-of-climate-deception-the-beacon-hill-inst/203263
</font></p><div class="item-summary">
<p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>A deceptive op-ed campaign to undermine action on climate change is underway in states across the country. Infamous
corporate lobbyist Richard <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Berman is funding sham "studies" attacking
the EPA's Clean Power Plan </span>that are produced by the Beacon Hill
Institute and distributed by the State Policy Network -</b>- two
organizations with financial ties to the oil billionaire Koch brothers.
The Beacon Hill Institute studies, which will appear in 16 states this
year, dramatically inflate the Clean Power Plan's projected costs and
admittedly don't even analyze the EPA's actual proposal -- so newspapers
owe it to their readers to avoid promoting these studies or publishing
op-eds that do.</font></p>
</div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"></font><div class="item-body">
<h2><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Beacon Hill Institute Analyzed An Imaginary Proposal To Massively Inflate The Clean Power Plan's Projected Costs And
Deny Its Projected Benefits</font></h2>
<p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><strong>Beacon Hill Institute Alleged That Clean Power Plan Will Have Far Greater Costs, Far Smaller Benefits Than EPA Predicted. </strong>Upon
announcing the Clean Power Plan, the EPA released a detailed regulatory
impact analysis of the proposal. The EPA found that once the plan is
fully implemented in 2030, its annual compliance costs would be $7.3-8.8
billion, while its total annual climate and health benefits would be
worth $55-93 billion. By contrast, the Beacon Hill Institute's national
study claimed that in 2030 the Clean Power Plan will cost $19.5 billion
annually and produce annual benefits worth just $3.5 billion. [EPA
Regulatory Impact Analysis of the Clean Power Plan, <a href="http://www2.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-06/documents/20140602ria-clean-power-plan.pdf#page=32">June 2014</a>; EPA Fact Sheet: Clean Power Plan Overview, accessed on <a href="http://www2.epa.gov/carbon-pollution-standards/fact-sheet-clean-power-plan-overview">4/10/15</a>; Beacon Hill Institute, <a href="http://docs.house.gov/meetings/IF/IF03/20150225/103014/HHRG-114-IF03-20150225-SD008.pdf">January 2015</a>]</font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">But BHI Admitted Their Study Did Not Actually Examine EPA's Plan.</span> </strong>In
a blog post, the Natural Resources Defense Council's (NRDC) Laurie
Johnson pointed out that the BHI studies do not actually analyze the
Clean Power Plan. Johnson explained that while the EPA plan "sets limits
on a very specific industry, the electricity system," the Beacon Hill
Institute instead "applies a back-of-the-envelope calculation to an
economy-wide carbon tax analysis done by the Department of Energy's
Energy Information Administration." In response to NRDC, BHI defended
its studies -- but tellingly did not deny that they fail to address the
Clean Power Plan itself:</font></p>
<blockquote><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">In order to analyze the effects of the CPP, it is
necessary to determine the cost of achieving the reduction in carbon
emissions aimed for the EPA. Because the EIA analyzes a scenario in
which carbon emissions are reduced by about the amount intended by the
EPA, its analysis provides a useful benchmark for the cost of achieving
the intended reductions in emissions. This cost, put by the EIA at $10
per tonne of carbon eliminated, helps get us to an estimate of the cost
of the EPA rules on the economy. [NRDC's Switchboard, <a href="http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/ljohnson/beacon_hill_study_bizarre_alge.html">2/24/15</a>; Beacon Hill Institute, <a href="http://www.beaconhill.org/BHI-Response-to-NRDC-Criticism20150313FINAL.pdf">3/13/15</a>]</font></p>
</blockquote>
<p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><strong>Media Fact-Checkers Previously Declared It "False" To Cite A Study That Didn't Analyze EPA's Actual Plan. </strong>The
BHI study is reminiscent of another study attacking the Clean Power
Plan by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber study was published
before the Clean Power Plan was released and analyzed an imaginary
proposal that was nothing like what EPA ultimately laid out, but that
didn't stop critics from frequently citing the Chamber study to attack
the EPA proposal after it was unveiled<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">. PolitiFact</span> noted that the
Chamber acknowledged its "estimates are not based on the [EPA] goals as
announced," and determined that the Chamber's numbers were "false." The Washington Post's Fact
Checker blog similarly noted that the Chamber had admitted its figures
"do not apply at all to the EPA rule as written," and awarded "four
Pinocchios" to Republican officials who cited it to criticize the EPA.
[PolitiFact, <a href="http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2014/jun/02/john-boehner/Boehner-says-Obama-climate-change-jobs-bills-costs/">6/2/14</a>; The Washington Post, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/wp/2014/06/03/gop-lawmakers-rush-to-cite-study-to-discredit-new-epa-rule-but-study-assumed-epa-rule-would-be-tougher/">6/3/14</a>]</font></p>
<h2><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Environmentalists, Economists Highlighted Other Major Problems With BHI's Research Methods</font></h2>
<p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Union of Concerned Scientists:</span> BHI Ignored Savings From Energy Efficiency. </strong>The
Union of Concerned Scientists criticized the BHI studies of the Clean
Power Plan for "assum[ing] that states will not choose to use renewable
energy and energy efficiency to cost effectively meet their targets":</font></p>
<blockquote><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">BHI wrongly assumes that states will not choose to use
renewable energy and energy efficiency to cost effectively meet their
targets for reducing carbon pollution under <a href="http://www.ucsusa.org/node/5185">the EPA's proposal</a>. In reality, many states already choose to require utilities to meet targets for <a href="http://www.ucsusa.org/global-warming/reduce-emissions/how-much-will-clean-power-plan-cost#buildingblocks">increasing renewable energy and improving energy efficiency</a>, policies that will count towards compliance. By excluding energy efficiency from its analysis, BHI is simply ignoring <a href="http://www.ucsusa.org/global-warming/reduce-emissions/how-much-will-clean-power-plan-cost#minimalcosts">savings on electricity bills</a> projected by the EPA, and those delivered by <a href="http://www.ucsusa.org/global-warming/reduce-emissions/how-much-will-clean-power-plan-cost#buildingblocks">actual energy efficiency programs in the real world</a>. [Union of Concerned Scientists, <a href="http://www.ucsusa.org/global-warming/fight-misinformation/beacon-hill-institute-study-clean-power-plan#.VSLie_nF98F">3/12/15</a>]</font></p>
</blockquote>
<p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><strong>NRDC: BHI Used Lowball Estimate For Social Cost Of Carbon. </strong>The
National Resources Defense Council noted that Beacon Hill used an
implausibly low estimate for the social cost of carbon (SCC), which
measures the economic damages associated with increased carbon dioxide
emissions and was used by the EPA to estimate the Clean Power Plan's
climate-related benefits. While the EPA -- with input from economic
experts and other federal agencies -- has estimated that the SCC is
approximately $40 per metric ton of carbon pollution, the Beacon Hill
Institute used a SCC of just $10 per metric ton of CO2. Both the EPA and
United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have
noted that even the $40/metric ton figure likely underestimates the true
social cost of carbon. As the EPA explained: "The models used to
develop SCC estimates do not currently include all of the important
physical, ecological, and economic impacts of climate change recognized
in the climate change literature because of a lack of precise
information on the nature of damages and because the science
incorporated into these models naturally lags behind the most recent
research." However, when challenged on its use of a low SCC by NRDC, the
Beacon Hill Institute resorted to a form of climate science denial,
stating: "Many economists argue that the social cost of carbon should be
assumed to be zero due to the uncertainty as to the level of warming
that is induced by CO2 emissions, and the level of harm that said
warming would produce." [NRDC's Switchboard, <a href="http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/ljohnson/beacon_hill_study_bizarre_alge.html">2/24/15</a>; EPA Fact Sheet: Social Cost of Carbon, <a href="http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/Downloads/EPAactivities/scc-fact-sheet.pdf">November 2013</a>; Beacon Hill Institute, <a href="http://www.beaconhill.org/BHI-Response-to-NRDC-Criticism20150313FINAL.pdf">3/13/15</a>]</font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><strong>NRDC: BHI <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Ignored Co-Benefits</span> From Reducing Other Pollutants. </strong>BHI's Paul Bachman admitted to The Guardian
that its studies excluded the "co-benefits" of the Clean Power Plan,
which the EPA describes as "ancillary emission reductions ... of SO2
[sulfur dioxide], NO2 [nitrogen dioxide], and directly emitted PM2.5
[fine particulate matter], which would lead to lower ambient
concentrations of PM2.5 and ozone." The NRDC explained the significance
of these "co-benefits":</font></p>
<blockquote><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">BHI's net "cost" calculation (quotes because the CPP actually has a high <a href="http://www2.epa.gov/carbon-pollution-standards/fact-sheet-clean-power-plan-benefits">net benefit</a>, not cost) is dramatically inflated because it removes "co-benefits" from reducing carbon pollution emissions. <a href="http://www2.epa.gov/carbon-pollution-standards/fact-sheet-clean-power-plan-benefits">These are all the lives saved, heart attacks avoided, asthma attacks avoided (and many more benefits)</a>
due to reductions in other pollutants on top of the carbon pollution
reduction--that also happen to decline when you reduce carbon pollution.
[The Guardian, <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/feb/23/lobbyist-dubbed-dr-evil-behind-front-groups-attacking-obama-power-rules">2/23/15</a>; EPA Regulatory Impact Analysis of the Clean Power Plan, <a href="http://www2.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-06/documents/20140602ria-clean-power-plan.pdf#page=34">June 2014</a>; NRDC's Switchboard, <a href="http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/ljohnson/beacon_hill_study_bizarre_alge.html">2/24/15</a>]</font></p>
</blockquote>
<p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><strong>Beacon Hill Studies Used Highly Flawed Economic Model. </strong>As
the Iowa version of the Beacon Hill Institute study noted, "Beacon Hill
used their State Tax Analysis Modeling Program <b>(STAMP)</b> to estimate the
economic effects of the CPP regulations." But the STAMP model is deeply
flawed, as documented in a 2013 report by economists at Synapse Energy
Economics that examined how the <b>American Legislative Exchange Council
(ALEC) used STAMP </b>to estimate the economic impacts of renewable energy
standards. The report noted that STAMP "misses reality by a mile" by
assuming "an imaginary world of full employment" where new jobs can only
be created "by cutting taxes or electric rates," and that "[a]rbitrary
judgments are used where data are not available, boosting estimates of
job losses." As one of the Synapse report's authors, Tuft University's
Frank Ackerman, explained in Grist<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">: "STAMP has never seen a government
program that it liked or a tax cut that it disliked. </span>Those who want an
objective analysis of the costs and benefits of renewable energy,
however, will need to look elsewhere." [Public Interest Institute, <a href="http://www.limitedgovernment.org/publications/pubs/studies/ps-15-3.pdf">February 2015</a>; Synapse Energy Economics, <a href="http://frankackerman.com/publications/climatechange/ALEC_vs_renewable_energy.pdf">1/4/13</a>; Grist, <a href="http://grist.org/climate-energy/not-so-smart-alec-how-the-lobbying-group-uses-bad-data-to-fight-clean-energy/">2/23/13</a>] </font></p>
<h2><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Reports Part Of Coordinated Campaign Connected To Fossil Fuel Interests</font></h2>
<p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><strong>BHI Is Jointly Releasing Clean Power Plan Studies With Members Of The<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> State Policy Network</span>. </strong>So
far, the Beacon Hill Institute has jointly released state-based reports
with the following organizations, all of which are members of the State
Policy Network (SPN). [State Policy Network directory, accessed <a href="http://www.spn.org/directory/organizations.asp">4/8/15</a>]</font></p>
<ul><li><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Iowa: Public Interest Institute, <a href="http://www.limitedgovernment.org/publications/pubs/studies/ps-15-3.pdf">February 2015</a></font></li><li><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Louisiana: <b>Pelican Institute </b>for Public Policy, <a href="http://www.thepelicanpost.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Pelican_BHI_Final1.pdf">February 2015</a></font></li><li><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">New Mexico: The Rio Grande Foundation, <a href="http://www.riograndefoundation.org/downloads/rgf_beaconhill_new_mexico.pdf">January 2015</a></font></li><li><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">North Carolina: The Civitas Institute</span>, <a href="http://www.nccivitas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/beaconhill_NorthCarolina_FINAL.pdf">January 2015</a></font></li><li><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">South Carolina: Palmetto Promise Institute (<a href="http://www.palmettopolicy.org/">formerly</a> Palmetto Policy Forum), <a href="http://media.wix.com/ugd/690417_8e911cc0ba994c76a156422d882b927d.pdf">February 2015</a></font></li><li><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Virginia: Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy <a href="http://www.thomasjeffersoninst.org/files/3/EPAStudy_March2015.pdf">March 2015</a></font></li><li><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Wisconsin: MacIver </span>Institute for Public Policy, <a href="http://static.maciverinstitute.com/EPA%20Rules%20WI%20-%20MacIver%20Beacon%202015%20FINAL.pdf">January 2015</a></font></li></ul><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><strong>BHI And State Policy Network Both Have Financial Ties To Oil Billionaire<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> Koch Brothers</span>. </strong>The Washington Post reported that both BHI and SPN "have received donations from foundations funded by the Koch brothers." As Politico reported,
a 2013 Center for Media and Democracy analysis of the State Policy
Network's IRS filings found that "its think tanks' combined revenue in
2011 topped $83 million, in large part with funding from conservative
money groups like the Donors Trust and Donors Capital Fund, which
receive large donations from groups tied to the Koch brothers and other
prominent conservatives." The Center for Public Integrity has reported
that oil is the "core of the Koch business empire," and that it is in
the Koch brothers' "commercial interest" to oppose policies -- such as
the Clean Power Plan -- that would reduce America's dependence on
carbon-based energy sources. [The Washington Post,<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/climate-skeptic-group-works-to-reverse-renewable-energy-mandates/2012/11/24/124faaa0-3517-11e2-9cfa-e41bac906cc9_print.html"> 11/24/12</a>; Politico, <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2013/11/koch-brothers-think-tank-report-99791.html">11/13/13</a>; Center for Media and Democracy, <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/files/spn_national_report_final.pdf">November 2013</a>; Center for Public Integrity, <a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/2011/04/06/3936/kochs-web-influence">4/6/11</a>]</font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><strong>BHI's Director Denies Scientific Consensus That Human Activities Are Primary Cause Of Global Warming. </strong>The Guardian
reported that<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> BHI director David Tuerck </span>told the newspaper "he had
mixed views on climate change," and quoted Tuerck as saying: "I am not
certain that those emissions are significant enough to offset other
factor changing the climate." However, according to the United Nations'
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), "It is extremely
likely that human influence has been the dominant cause of the observed
warming since the mid-20th century." The IPCC defines "extremely likely"
as having 95-100% probability. NASA similarly notes: "Most climate
scientists agree the main cause of the current global warming trend is
human expansion of the 'greenhouse effect' -- warming that results when
the atmosphere traps heat radiating from Earth toward space." [The Guardian, <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/feb/23/lobbyist-dubbed-dr-evil-behind-front-groups-attacking-obama-power-rules">2/23/15</a>; IPCC, <a href="http://www.climatechange2013.org/images/report/WG1AR5_SPM_FINAL.pdf">2013</a>; NASA.gov, accessed <a href="http://climate.nasa.gov/causes/">4/10/15</a>]</font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><strong>BHI Was Repudiated By Its Own Host University For Seeking To Undermine A Climate Change Initiative. </strong>The Guardian reported
the Beacon Hill Institute, which is based in the economics department
of Suffolk University in Boston, issued a grant proposal to carry out
research that would help "pare back or<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> repeal" the Regional Greenhouse
Gas Initiative (RGGI), a program by northeastern states to reduce their
carbon pollution. Suffolk University responded that the grant proposal's
goals "were inconsistent with Suffolk University's mission,"</span> and that
the only reason the proposal wasn't rejected is that it "did not go
through the university's approval process." [The Guardian, <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/05/host-university-research-group-climate-suffolk-university">12/5/13</a>]</font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><strong>BHI Previously Released Koch-Funded Studies Used By Fossil
Fuel Front Group In Campaign Against<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> State Renewable Energy Standards. </span></strong>The
Huffington Post reported how BHI studies were similarly released in
states across the country in 2012 as part of a nationwide campaign
against states' renewable energy standards:</font></p>
<blockquote><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">[T]he Washington Post reported ALEC's board of directors
adopted a Heartland-crafted model bill that would repeal state standards
requiring utilities to ramp up their use of renewable energy. The model
legislation, the "Electricity Freedom Act," claims these
requirements--currently on the books in 29 states and the District of
Columbia--will dramatically drive up electricity rates.</font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">[...]</font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">To make its case, ALEC--whose <a href="http://www.commoncause.org/site/pp.asp?c=dkLNK1MQIwG&b=8078765">members </a>include major coal, oil and electric utility industry companies--cites analyses by Suffolk University's <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/beacon-hill-institute">Beacon Hill Institute</a> commissioned by the Koch-funded <b><a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/american-tradition-institute">American Tradition Institute</a> </b>and "free-market" state think tanks associated with the Koch-funded <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=State_Policy_Network">State Policy Network</a>.</span>
The analyses examine current or proposed standards in more than a dozen
states, including Colorado, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota and New Jersey.
The studies were partly funded by, you guessed it, the Koch brothers.
[Huffington Post, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elliott-negin/koch-brothers-fund-bogus-_b_2253472.html">12/7/12</a>]</font></p>
</blockquote>
<h2><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">BHI Studies Funded By Rick Berman, </span>The "Dr. Evil" Of Corporate Front Groups</font></h2>
<p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><strong>Reports Funded By Rick Berman's<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> Employment Policies Institute.</span> </strong>The Guardian
reported that the<b> recent BHI studies were funded by the Employment
Policies Institute, a group run by Richard Berman</b>, a corporate lobbyist
known as "Dr. Evil," whose front groups "have launched attack ads
against the EPA, environmental groups, fishermen and sportsmen, and
green building organisations." As CBS' 60 Minutes documented,
Berman is infamous for being the "arch-enemy" of government efforts to
reduce the use of "products like caffeine, salt, fast food and the oil
they fry it in," and for opposing "Mothers Against Drunk Driving, animal
rights activists, food watchdog groups and unions of every kind." [The Guardian, <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/feb/23/lobbyist-dubbed-dr-evil-behind-front-groups-attacking-obama-power-rules">2/23/15</a>; CBS, 60 Minutes, <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/meet-rick-berman-aka-dr-evil/"><strong>2/25/11</strong></a><a href="http://http/www.suffolk.edu/documents/ORSP/orsp_news_may_2014.pdf">]</a></font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><strong>Berman </strong><strong>Solicited</strong> <strong>Secret </strong><strong>Funding From Oil And Gas Industry Executives For Anti-Environmental Campaign. </strong>The New York Times
reported that Berman solicited up to<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> $3 million from oil and gas
industry executives for a campaign against environmental protections,
</span>with the promise that their involvement would remain hidden:</font></p>
<blockquote><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Mr. Berman solicited up to $3 million from oil and gas
industry executives to finance an advertising and public relations
campaign called Big Green Radicals.</font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">[...]</font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Mr. Berman repeatedly boasted about how he could take checks from the
oil and gas industry executives -- he said he had already collected
six-figure contributions from some of the executives in the room -- and
then hide their role in funding his campaigns. [The New York Times, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/31/us/politics/pr-executives-western-energy-alliance-speech-taped.html?_r=4">10/30/14</a>]</font></p>
</blockquote>
<h2><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">BHI's Sham Studies Have Been Covered In Several States</font></h2>
<p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><strong>BHI Studies Have Been <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Released In Seven States So Far.</span> </strong>The
Beacon Hill Institute (BHI) has so far released a national report and
seven state reports alleging that the Environmental Protection Agency's
carbon pollution standards will increase electricity prices and cost
jobs. The state-based reports have been released in Iowa, Louisiana, New
Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Wisconsin. [Memo
from Energy & Policy Institute and Center for Media and Democracy, <a href="http://www.energyandpolicy.org/beacon-hill-institute-flawed-epa-attack-funded-through-richard-berman-front-group">2/23/15</a>]</font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><strong>BHI Studies Will Be Released In Nine Other States. </strong>A spokesman for Suffolk University told The Guardian
that BHI studies will be released in a total of 16 states. States where
the studies have not yet been released include Minnesota, Mississippi,
Nevada, Tennessee, Rhode Island, Washington, Ohio, Alaska, and Utah. [The Guardian, <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/feb/23/lobbyist-dubbed-dr-evil-behind-front-groups-attacking-obama-power-rules">2/23/15</a>]</font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">11 Newspapers Have Published Op-Eds Citing BHI's Clean Power Plan Studies</span>. </strong>At
least 11 newspapers already published op-eds promoting the Beacon Hill
Institute studies. The op-eds were authored by state Representatives,
executives from groups in the State Policy Network, and in one case
National Review contributing editor Quin Hillyer. The op-eds appeared in
the following states and publications:</font></p>
<ul><li><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">New Mexico: Las Cruces Sun-News, <a href="http://www.lcsun-news.com/las_cruces-opinion/ci_27481605/paul-j-gessing-epa-rule-changes-will-drive">2/8/15</a>; Farmington Daily Times, <a href="http://www.scsun-news.com/silver_city-opinion/ci_27481604">2/7/15</a>; Silver City Sun-News, <a href="http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SCPB&p_theme=scpb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=allfields%28carbon%29%20AND%20date%282/8/2015%20to%202/8/2015%29&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=2/8/2015%20to%202/8/2015%29&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=%28">2/8/15</a></font></li><li><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Wisconsin: La Crosse Tribune, <a href="http://lacrossetribune.com/courierlifenews/news/opinion/guest-view-epa-regulations-will-cost-state-jobs/article_517c3fce-3bf6-5e53-b291-e2646bf370d2.html">2/19/15</a>; Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, <a href="http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/proposed-epa-rules-would-harm-wisconsins-economy-b99443620z1-291918411.html">2/15/15</a>; Chippewa Herald, 2/6/15 via Nexis; Dunn County News, <a href="http://chippewa.com/dunnconnect/news/opinion/columnists/federal-epa-regulations-pose-potential-negative-effect-on-wisconsin/article_a0722e25-b67e-5188-bb42-53819e39430f.html">2/6/15</a>; Superior Telegram, <a href="http://www.superiortelegram.com/opinion/commentary/3708516-epa-rule-offers-little-gain-big-risk">3/27/15</a></font></li><li><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">North Carolina: The News & Observer, <a href="http://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/op-ed/article10271696.html">2/10/15</a></font></li><li><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Louisiana: The Advocate, <a href="http://theadvocate.com/columnists/quinhillyer/11645722-123/quin-hillyer-obama-carbon-rule">2/22/15</a>; Greater Baton Rouge Business Report, <a href="http://www.businessreport.com/article/new-epa-carbon-emission-limits-will-increase-la-electricity-prices-22-2030-report-says">2/23/15</a></font></li><li><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">[ --> ALFORD?]</span><a href="http://www.businessreport.com/article/new-epa-carbon-emission-limits-will-increase-la-electricity-prices-22-2030-report-says">
</a></font></li></ul><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><strong>Most </strong><strong>Recent BHI Study Released In Virginia. </strong>Watchdog.org,
the conservative news site run by the Franklin Center, reported on the
latest Beacon Hill report, which was released in Virginia jointly with
the Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy. The Virginia study was
also amplified by two other conservative news sites, Townhall.com --
which reprinted the Watchdog.org post -- and the Daily Caller.
[Watchdog.org, <a href="http://watchdog.org/209440/epa-va-jobs/">4/1/15</a>; Townhall, <a href="http://townhall.com/watchdog/virginia/2015/04/01/epa-va-jobs-n7478">4/1/15</a>; Daily Caller, <a href="http://dailycaller.com/2015/04/01/new-epa-rules-to-increase-electricity-costs-decrease-number-of-jobs-in-virginia/">4/1/15</a>]</font></p>
</div><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>==<br /></b></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">paul bachman</span> sparse on LI, but scrape tom tanton</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">incubator:</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Andrew Baxter</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Summer Fellow</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Andrewhas excellent written and oral communications skills and solid
analytical skills. In his position as a summer fellow, we place him in
charge of a team of other interns and he executed his research project
in a timely manner.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">APolicy and Research Analyst</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Charles Koch Institute</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">June 2014 – Present (2 years 1 month)Arlington, Virginia</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">The
Charles Koch Institute is educational organization dedicated to the
causes of societal well-being, economic freedom, and free societies. In
my role I am responsible for extensively researching issues that are
aligned with the institute’s mission.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">
</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">• Policy Associate and Research Fellow (Jun. ’14 – May ’15)</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Summer Fellow</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Beacon Hill Institute</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">February 2013 – August 2013 (7 months)Suffolk University</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">The
Beacon Hill Institute located at Suffolk University in Boston is a free
market think tank founded in 1991. The institute performs economic
research on myriad of public policy topics ranging from Renewable
Portfolio Standards to state competitiveness.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">
</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">As
a summer fellow my work primarily consisted of guiding a small team of
interns as we gathered the information necessary to perform cost benefit
analyses on select states' <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Renewable Portfolio Standards</span>.
This entailed distilling the standards, identifying their potential
costs, and reviewing electricity price/consumption projections before
presenting our findings in internal meetings. Prior to this project my
efforts, as an intern, were divided between researching questions posed
by the local media, data collection, constructing MS Excel/Access
databases, and assisting in the creation of policy releases.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">
</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">• Summer Fellow (Jun. '13 - Aug. '13)</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">• Research Intern (Feb. '13 - Jun. '13)</font><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">ugust 15, 2013, Paul managed Andrew at Beacon Hill Institute</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">
</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">--</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">scrape LI</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">
</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Enea Gjoza</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Policy Analyst at Charles Koch Institute</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Michelle Anne Newby</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Michelle Anne Newby</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Policy and Research Analyst at the Charles Koch Institute | Freelance Writer</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Austen Bannan</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Austen Bannan</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Senior Policy Analyst and Research Fellow at Charles Koch Institute</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Sabrina Gladstone</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Sabrina Gladstone</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Policy and Research Analyst at Charles Koch Institute</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">William Ruger</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">William Ruger</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Vice President, Research and Policy, Charles Koch Institute; Vice President for Research, Charles Koch Foundation</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Michael Tolhurst</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Michael Tolhurst</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Senior Policy and Research Analyst at Charles Koch Institute</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Rick Barton</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Rick Barton</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Policy and Research Analyst</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Kenan Safadi</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Kenan Safadi</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Policy Analyst at Charles Koch Institute</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Vikrant Reddy</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Vikrant Reddy</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Senior Research Fellow at Charles Koch Institute</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Nick Taylor</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Nick Taylor</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Educational Programs Associate at Charles Koch Institute</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">---</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Eli Cutler</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Research Assistant</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Eli conducted thorough research on a range of projects including cost-benefit analyses of <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">alternative energy mandates, charter schools, and nationalized health care.</span>
His research process was detail oriented and he communicated his
findings effectively. He further demonstrated excellent writing skills
and proved to be a highly competent editor of BHI reports.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">March 12, 2012, Paul managed Eli at The Beacon Hill Institute</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">===</font></p><div><div itemprop="articleBody" class="item-body"><h2 style="max-width: 100%; width: 694.296875px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">NBCC'</span>s Op-Ed Campaign Follows Similar Attacks On The Clean Power Plan From Fossil Fuel Front Groups</font></h2><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Americans For Prosperity State Directors Are Running Op-Ed Campaign Attacking Clean Power Plan. At least<b> 16 newspapers</b> across the country have published nearly identical op-eds from state leaders of Americans for Prosperity (AFP),</span> which
misleadingly cite statistics on electricity prices while calling for
state legislatures to fight back against the Clean Power Plan. Every
newspaper Media Matters reviewed except one failed to disclose the
group's ties to the oil industry: AFP was founded, and continues to be
largely funded, by the oil billionaire Koch brothers. [Media Matters, <a href="http://mediamatters.org/research/2015/03/25/the-koch-brothers-campaign-against-epa-climate/203041">3/25/15</a>]</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Beacon
Hill Institute And State Policy Network Also Seeking To Undermine EPA
Climate Plan With Op-Ed Campaign. The Beacon Hill Institute (BHI)
partnered with members of the State Policy Network (SPN) to jointly
produce sham studies and op-eds that dramatically inflate the Clean
Power Plan's </span>projected cost without even analyzing the EPA's
actual proposal. As of April 13, 11 newspapers in four states had
published op-eds written mostly by executives from SPN groups or state
legislators, but none of the op-eds disclosed the fossil fuel industry
funding behind them. Both BHI and SPN have financial ties to the Koch
brothers, and the<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> reports themselves were funded by a group run by Richard Berman,</span> a corporate PR executive who has solicited millions in funding from the oil and gas industry. [Media Matters, <a href="http://mediamatters.org/research/2015/04/13/a-web-of-climate-deception-the-beacon-hill-inst/203263">4/13/15</a>]</font></p></div><div class="clear"><div class="im-alert"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="http://mediamatters.org/inclusionmatters">The values and voices of America's diverse communities are too often excluded from the news media. </a></font></div></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">===
oops 2x
</font></div></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">
</font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">MMFA http://mediamatters.org/research/2015/04/13/a-web-of-climate-deception-the-beacon-hill-inst/203263</font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">
</font></div><div><div class="wrap content" style="width: 745.765625px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 20px !important;"><div class="bd" style="width: 730.84375px; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden;"><div class="bd-main item" style="width: 694.296875px; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; margin: 0px auto;"><div class="bd-headline left" style="width: 659.578125px; margin: 0px auto;"><h1 itemprop="name" style="max-width: 100%; width: 659.578125px; margin-top: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">A Web Of Climate Deception: The Beacon Hill Institute, Richard Berman, And The State Policy Network</font></h1><h2 class="grey-six" style="max-width: 100%; width: 659.578125px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Bogus Study On EPA's Clean Power Plan Could Be Coming To A Newspaper Near You</font></h2><h5 class="dhandler-byline"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span class="grey-nine"><a class="type-research-byline" href="http://mediamatters.org/research"><span itemprop="articleSection">Research</span> </a><time datetime="2015-04-13T15:57:11-04:00" itemprop="datePublished">April 13, 2015 3:57 PM EDT </time>››› DENISE ROBBINS & ANDREW SEIFTER</span></font></h5></div><div itemprop="articleBody" class="item-body"><p class="item-summary" style="width: 680.40625px; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">A deceptive op-ed campaign to undermine action on climate change is underway in states across the country. <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Infamous
corporate lobbyist Richard Berman is funding sham "studies" attacking
the EPA's Clean Power Plan that are produced by the Beacon Hill
Institute and distributed by the State Policy Network </span>-- two
organizations with financial ties to the oil billionaire Koch brothers.
The Beacon Hill Institute studies, which will appear in 16 states this
year, dramatically inflate the Clean Power Plan's projected costs and
admittedly don't even analyze the EPA's actual proposal -- so newspapers
owe it to their readers to avoid promoting these studies or publishing
op-eds that do.</font></p><h2 style="max-width: 100%; width: 694.296875px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Beacon
Hill Institute Analyzed An Imaginary Proposal To Massively Inflate The
Clean Power Plan's Projected Costs And Deny Its Projected Benefits</font></h2><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Beacon
Hill Institute Alleged That Clean Power Plan Will Have Far Greater
Costs, Far Smaller Benefits Than EPA Predicted. Upon announcing the
Clean Power Plan, the EPA released a detailed regulatory impact analysis
of the proposal. The EPA found that once the plan is fully implemented
in 2030, its annual compliance costs would be $7.3-8.8 billion, while
its total annual climate and health benefits would be worth $55-93
billion. By contrast, the Beacon Hill Institute's national study claimed
that in 2030 the Clean Power Plan will cost $19.5 billion annually and
produce annual benefits worth just $3.5 billion. [EPA Regulatory Impact
Analysis of the Clean Power Plan, <a href="http://www2.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-06/documents/20140602ria-clean-power-plan.pdf#page=32">June 2014</a>; EPA Fact Sheet: Clean Power Plan Overview, accessed on <a href="http://www2.epa.gov/carbon-pollution-standards/fact-sheet-clean-power-plan-overview">4/10/15</a>; Beacon Hill Institute, <a href="http://docs.house.gov/meetings/IF/IF03/20150225/103014/HHRG-114-IF03-20150225-SD008.pdf">January 2015</a>]</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">But
BHI Admitted Their Study Did Not Actually Examine EPA's Plan. In a blog
post, the Natural Resources Defense Council's (NRDC) Laurie Johnson
pointed out that the BHI studies do not actually analyze the Clean Power
Plan. Johnson explained that while the EPA plan "sets limits on a very
specific industry, the electricity system," the Beacon Hill Institute
instead "applies a back-of-the-envelope calculation to an economy-wide
carbon tax analysis done by the Department of Energy's Energy
Information Administration." In response to NRDC, BHI defended its
studies -- but tellingly did not deny that they fail to address the
Clean Power Plan itself:</font></p><blockquote><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">In
order to analyze the effects of the CPP, it is necessary to determine
the cost of achieving the reduction in carbon emissions aimed for the
EPA. Because the EIA analyzes a scenario in which carbon emissions are
reduced by about the amount intended by the EPA, its analysis provides a
useful benchmark for the cost of achieving the intended reductions in
emissions. This cost, put by the EIA at $10 per tonne of carbon
eliminated, helps get us to an estimate of the cost of the EPA rules on
the economy. [NRDC's Switchboard, <a href="http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/ljohnson/beacon_hill_study_bizarre_alge.html">2/24/15</a>; Beacon Hill Institute, <a href="http://www.beaconhill.org/BHI-Response-to-NRDC-Criticism20150313FINAL.pdf">3/13/15</a>]</font></p></blockquote><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Media
Fact-Checkers Previously Declared It "False" To Cite A Study That
Didn't Analyze EPA's Actual Plan. The BHI study is reminiscent of
another study attacking the Clean Power Plan by the U.S. Chamber of
Commerce. The Chamber study was published before the Clean Power Plan
was released and analyzed an imaginary proposal that was nothing like
what EPA ultimately laid out, but that didn't stop critics from
frequently citing the Chamber study to attack the EPA proposal after it
was unveiled. PolitiFact noted that the Chamber acknowledged its
"estimates are not based on the [EPA] goals as announced," and
determined that the Chamber's numbers were "false." The Washington Post's Fact
Checker blog similarly noted that the Chamber had admitted its figures
"do not apply at all to the EPA rule as written," and awarded "four
Pinocchios" to Republican officials who cited it to criticize the EPA.
[PolitiFact, <a href="http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2014/jun/02/john-boehner/Boehner-says-Obama-climate-change-jobs-bills-costs/">6/2/14</a>; The Washington Post, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/wp/2014/06/03/gop-lawmakers-rush-to-cite-study-to-discredit-new-epa-rule-but-study-assumed-epa-rule-would-be-tougher/">6/3/14</a>]</font></p><h2 style="max-width: 100%; width: 694.296875px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Environmentalists, Economists Highlighted Other Major Problems With BHI's Research Methods</font></h2><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Union
of Concerned Scientists: BHI Ignored Savings From Energy
Efficiency. The Union of Concerned Scientists criticized the BHI studies
of the Clean Power Plan for "assum[ing] that states will not choose to
use renewable energy and energy efficiency to cost effectively meet
their targets":</font></p><blockquote><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">BHI
wrongly assumes that states will not choose to use renewable energy and
energy efficiency to cost effectively meet their targets for reducing
carbon pollution under <a href="http://www.ucsusa.org/node/5185">the EPA's proposal</a>. In reality, many states already choose to require utilities to meet targets for <a href="http://www.ucsusa.org/global-warming/reduce-emissions/how-much-will-clean-power-plan-cost#buildingblocks">increasing renewable energy and improving energy efficiency</a>, policies that will count towards compliance. By excluding energy efficiency from its analysis, BHI is simply ignoring <a href="http://www.ucsusa.org/global-warming/reduce-emissions/how-much-will-clean-power-plan-cost#minimalcosts">savings on electricity bills</a> projected by the EPA, and those delivered by <a href="http://www.ucsusa.org/global-warming/reduce-emissions/how-much-will-clean-power-plan-cost#buildingblocks">actual energy efficiency programs in the real world</a>. [Union of Concerned Scientists,<a href="http://www.ucsusa.org/global-warming/fight-misinformation/beacon-hill-institute-study-clean-power-plan#.VSLie_nF98F">3/12/15</a>]</font></p></blockquote><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">NRDC:
BHI Used Lowball Estimate For Social Cost Of Carbon. The National
Resources Defense Council noted that Beacon Hill used an implausibly low
estimate for the social cost of carbon (SCC), which measures the
economic damages associated with increased carbon dioxide emissions and
was used by the EPA to estimate the Clean Power Plan's climate-related
benefits. While the EPA -- with input from economic experts and other
federal agencies -- has estimated that the SCC is approximately $40 per
metric ton of carbon pollution, the Beacon Hill Institute used a SCC of
just $10 per metric ton of CO2. Both the EPA and United Nations
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have noted that even
the $40/metric ton figure likely underestimates the true social cost of
carbon. As the EPA explained: "The models used to develop SCC estimates
do not currently include all of the important physical, ecological, and
economic impacts of climate change recognized in the climate change
literature because of a lack of precise information on the nature of
damages and because the science incorporated into these models naturally
lags behind the most recent research." However, when challenged on its
use of a low SCC by NRDC, the Beacon Hill Institute resorted to a form
of climate science denial, stating: "Many economists argue that the
social cost of carbon should be assumed to be zero due to the
uncertainty as to the level of warming that is induced by CO2 emissions,
and the level of harm that said warming would produce." [NRDC's
Switchboard, <a href="http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/ljohnson/beacon_hill_study_bizarre_alge.html">2/24/15</a>; EPA Fact Sheet: Social Cost of Carbon, <a href="http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/Downloads/EPAactivities/scc-fact-sheet.pdf">November 2013</a>; Beacon Hill Institute, <a href="http://www.beaconhill.org/BHI-Response-to-NRDC-Criticism20150313FINAL.pdf">3/13/15</a>]</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">NRDC: BHI Ignored Co-Benefits From Reducing Other Pollutants. BHI's Paul Bachman admitted to The Guardian that
its studies excluded the "co-benefits" of the Clean Power Plan, which
the EPA describes as "ancillary emission reductions ... of SO2 [sulfur
dioxide], NO2 [nitrogen dioxide], and directly emitted PM2.5 [fine
particulate matter], which would lead to lower ambient concentrations of
PM2.5 and ozone." The NRDC explained the significance of these
"co-benefits":</font></p><blockquote><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">BHI's net "cost" calculation (quotes because the CPP actually has a high <a href="http://www2.epa.gov/carbon-pollution-standards/fact-sheet-clean-power-plan-benefits">net benefit</a>,not cost) is dramatically inflated because it removes "co-benefits" from reducing carbon pollution emissions. <a href="http://www2.epa.gov/carbon-pollution-standards/fact-sheet-clean-power-plan-benefits">These are all the lives saved, heart attacks avoided, asthma attacks avoided (and many more benefits)</a> due
to reductions in other pollutants on top of the carbon pollution
reduction--that also happen to decline when you reduce carbon pollution.
[The Guardian, <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/feb/23/lobbyist-dubbed-dr-evil-behind-front-groups-attacking-obama-power-rules">2/23/15</a>; EPA Regulatory Impact Analysis of the Clean Power Plan, <a href="http://www2.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-06/documents/20140602ria-clean-power-plan.pdf#page=34">June 2014</a>; NRDC's Switchboard, <a href="http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/ljohnson/beacon_hill_study_bizarre_alge.html">2/24/15</a>]</font></p></blockquote><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Beacon
Hill Studies Used Highly Flawed Economic Model. As the Iowa version of
the Beacon Hill Institute study noted, "Beacon Hill used their State Tax
Analysis Modeling Program (STAMP) to estimate the economic effects of
the CPP regulations." But the STAMP model is deeply flawed, as
documented in a 2013 report by economists at Synapse Energy Economics
that examined how the<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> American
Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) used STAMP to estimate the economic
impacts of renewable energy standards. The report noted that STAMP
"misses reality by a mile"</span> by assuming "an imaginary world of
full employment" where new jobs can only be created "by cutting taxes or
electric rates," and that "[a]rbitrary judgments are used where data
are not available, boosting estimates of job losses." As one of the
Synapse report's authors, Tuft University's Frank Ackerman, explained in
Grist: "STAMP has never seen a government program that it liked or a
tax cut that it disliked. Those who want an objective analysis of the
costs and benefits of renewable energy, however, will need to look
elsewhere." [Public Interest Institute,<a href="http://www.limitedgovernment.org/publications/pubs/studies/ps-15-3.pdf">February 2015</a>; Synapse Energy Economics, <a href="http://frankackerman.com/publications/climatechange/ALEC_vs_renewable_energy.pdf">1/4/13</a>; Grist, <a href="http://grist.org/climate-energy/not-so-smart-alec-how-the-lobbying-group-uses-bad-data-to-fight-clean-energy/">2/23/13</a>] </font></p><h2 style="max-width: 100%; width: 694.296875px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Reports Part Of Coordinated Campaign Connected To Fossil Fuel Interests</font></h2><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">BHI
Is Jointly Releasing Clean Power Plan Studies With Members Of The State
Policy Network. So far, the Beacon Hill Institute has jointly released
state-based reports with the following organizations, all of which are
members of the State Policy Network (SPN). [State Policy Network
directory, accessed <a href="http://www.spn.org/directory/organizations.asp">4/8/15</a>]</font></p><ul style="max-width: 100%;"><li><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Iowa: Public Interest Institute, <a href="http://www.limitedgovernment.org/publications/pubs/studies/ps-15-3.pdf">February 2015</a></font></font></li><li><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Louisiana: Pelican Institute for Public Policy, <a href="http://www.thepelicanpost.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Pelican_BHI_Final1.pdf">February 2015</a></font></font></li><li><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">New Mexico: The Rio Grande Foundation, <a href="http://www.riograndefoundation.org/downloads/rgf_beaconhill_new_mexico.pdf">January 2015</a></font></font></li><li><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">North Carolina: The Civitas Institute, <a href="http://www.nccivitas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/beaconhill_NorthCarolina_FINAL.pdf">January 2015</a></font></font></li><li><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">South Carolina: Palmetto Promise Institute (<a href="http://www.palmettopolicy.org/">formerly</a> Palmetto Policy Forum), <a href="http://media.wix.com/ugd/690417_8e911cc0ba994c76a156422d882b927d.pdf">February 2015</a></font></font></li><li><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Virginia: Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy <a href="http://www.thomasjeffersoninst.org/files/3/EPAStudy_March2015.pdf">March 2015</a></font></font></li><li><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Wisconsin: MacIver Institute </span>for Public Policy, <a href="http://static.maciverinstitute.com/EPA%20Rules%20WI%20-%20MacIver%20Beacon%202015%20FINAL.pdf">January 2015</a></font></li></ul><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">BHI And State Policy Network Both Have Financial Ties To Oil Billionaire Koch Brothers.The Washington Post reported that both BHI and SPN "have received donations from foundations funded by the Koch brothers." As Politico reported,
a 2013 Center for Media and Democracy analysis of the State Policy
Network's IRS filings found that "its think tanks' combined revenue in
2011 topped $83 million, in large part with funding from conservative
money groups like the Donors Trust and Donors Capital Fund, which
receive large donations from groups tied to the Koch brothers and other
prominent conservatives." The Center for Public Integrity has reported
that oil is the "core of the Koch business empire," and that it is in
the Koch brothers' "commercial interest" to oppose policies -- such as
the Clean Power Plan -- that would reduce America's dependence on
carbon-based energy sources. [The Washington Post,<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/climate-skeptic-group-works-to-reverse-renewable-energy-mandates/2012/11/24/124faaa0-3517-11e2-9cfa-e41bac906cc9_print.html"> 11/24/12</a>; Politico,<a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2013/11/koch-brothers-think-tank-report-99791.html">11/13/13</a>; Center for Media and Democracy, <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/files/spn_national_report_final.pdf">November 2013</a>; Center for Public Integrity, <a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/2011/04/06/3936/kochs-web-influence">4/6/11</a>]</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">BHI's Director Denies Scientific Consensus That Human Activities Are Primary Cause Of Global Warming. The Guardian reported
that BHI director David Tuerck told the newspaper "he had mixed views
on climate change," and quoted Tuerck as saying: "I am not certain that
those emissions are significant enough to offset other factor changing
the climate." However, according to the United Nations'
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), "It is extremely
likely that human influence has been the dominant cause of the observed
warming since the mid-20th century." The IPCC defines "extremely likely"
as having 95-100% probability. NASA similarly notes: "Most climate
scientists agree the main cause of the current global warming trend is
human expansion of the 'greenhouse effect' -- warming that results when
the atmosphere traps heat radiating from Earth toward space." [The Guardian, <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/feb/23/lobbyist-dubbed-dr-evil-behind-front-groups-attacking-obama-power-rules">2/23/15</a>; IPCC, <a href="http://www.climatechange2013.org/images/report/WG1AR5_SPM_FINAL.pdf">2013</a>; NASA.gov, accessed<a href="http://climate.nasa.gov/causes/">4/10/15</a>]</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">BHI Was Repudiated By Its Own Host University For Seeking To Undermine A Climate Change Initiative. The Guardian reported
the Beacon Hill Institute, which is based in the economics department
of Suffolk University in Boston, issued a grant proposal to carry out
research that would help "pare back or repeal" the Regional Greenhouse
Gas Initiative (RGGI), a program by northeastern states to reduce their
carbon pollution. <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Suffolk University responded that the grant proposal's goals "were inconsistent with Suffolk University's mission,"</span> and that the only reason the proposal wasn't rejected is that it "did not go through the university's approval process." [The Guardian, <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/05/host-university-research-group-climate-suffolk-university">12/5/13</a>]</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">BHI
Previously Released Koch-Funded Studies Used By Fossil Fuel Front Group
In Campaign Against State Renewable Energy Standards. The Huffington
Post reported how BHI studies were similarly released in states across
the country in 2012 as part of a nationwide campaign against states'
renewable energy standards:</font></p><blockquote><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">[T]he
Washington Post reported ALEC's board of directors adopted a
Heartland-crafted model bill that would repeal state standards requiring
utilities to ramp up their use of renewable energy. The model
legislation, the "Electricity Freedom Act," claims these
requirements--currently on the books in 29 states and the District of
Columbia--will dramatically drive up electricity rates.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">[...]</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">To make its case, ALEC--whose <a href="http://www.commoncause.org/site/pp.asp?c=dkLNK1MQIwG&b=8078765">members </a>include major coal, oil and electric utility industry companies--cites analyses by Suffolk University's <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/beacon-hill-institute">Beacon Hill Institute</a>commissioned by the Koch-funded <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/american-tradition-institute">American Tradition Institute</a> and "free-market" state think tanks associated with the Koch-funded <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=State_Policy_Network">State Policy Network</a>.
The analyses examine current or proposed standards in more than a dozen
states, including Colorado, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota and New Jersey.
The studies were partly funded by, you guessed it, the Koch brothers.
[Huffington Post, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elliott-negin/koch-brothers-fund-bogus-_b_2253472.html">12/7/12</a>]</font></p></blockquote><h2 style="max-width: 100%; width: 694.296875px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">BHI Studies Funded By Rick Berman, The "Dr. Evil" Of Corporate Front Groups</font></h2><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Reports Funded By Rick Berman's Employment Policies Institute. The Guardian reported
that the recent BHI studies were funded by the Employment Policies
Institute, a group run by Richard Berman, a corporate lobbyist known as
"Dr. Evil," whose front groups "have launched attack ads against the
EPA, environmental groups, fishermen and sportsmen, and green building
organisations." As CBS' 60 Minutes documented, Berman is
infamous for being the "arch-enemy" of government efforts to reduce the
use of "products like caffeine, salt, fast food and the oil they fry it
in," and for opposing "Mothers Against Drunk Driving, animal rights
activists, food watchdog groups and unions of every kind." [The Guardian, <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/feb/23/lobbyist-dubbed-dr-evil-behind-front-groups-attacking-obama-power-rules">2/23/15</a>; CBS, 60 Minutes, <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/meet-rick-berman-aka-dr-evil/">2/25/11</a><a href="http://http/www.suffolk.edu/documents/ORSP/orsp_news_may_2014.pdf">]</a></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Berman Solicited Secret Funding From Oil And Gas Industry Executives For Anti-Environmental Campaign. The New York Times reported
that Berman solicited up to $3 million from oil and gas industry
executives for a campaign against environmental protections, with the
promise that their involvement would remain hidden:</font></p><blockquote><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Mr.
Berman solicited up to $3 million from oil and gas industry executives
to finance an advertising and public relations campaign called Big Green
Radicals.</font></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">[...]</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Mr.
Berman repeatedly boasted about how he could take checks from the oil
and gas industry executives -- he said he had already collected
six-figure contributions from some of the executives in the room -- and
then hide their role in funding his campaigns. [The New York Times, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/31/us/politics/pr-executives-western-energy-alliance-speech-taped.html?_r=4">10/30/14</a>]</font></p></blockquote><h2 style="max-width: 100%; width: 694.296875px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">BHI's Sham Studies Have Been Covered In Several States</font></h2><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">BHI Studies Have Been Released In Seven States So Far. The Beacon Hill Institute (BHI) has so far released a national report and<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> seven state reports</span> alleging
that the Environmental Protection Agency's carbon pollution standards
will increase electricity prices and cost jobs. The state-based reports
have been released in Iowa, Louisiana, New Mexico, North Carolina, South
Carolina, Virginia, and Wisconsin. [Memo from Energy & Policy
Institute and Center for Media and Democracy, <a href="http://www.energyandpolicy.org/beacon-hill-institute-flawed-epa-attack-funded-through-richard-berman-front-group">2/23/15</a>]</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">BHI Studies Will Be Released In Nine Other States. A spokesman for Suffolk University told The Guardian that BHI studies<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> will
be released in a total of 16 states. States where the studies have not
yet been released include Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, Tennessee,
Rhode Island, Washington, Ohio, Alaska, and Utah. </span>[The Guardian, <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/feb/23/lobbyist-dubbed-dr-evil-behind-front-groups-attacking-obama-power-rules">2/23/15</a>]</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">11
Newspapers Have Published Op-Eds Citing BHI's Clean Power Plan
Studies. At least 11 newspapers already published op-eds promoting the
Beacon Hill Institute studies. The op-eds were authored by state
Representatives, executives from groups in the State Policy Network, and
in one case National Review contributing editor Quin Hillyer. The
op-eds appeared in the following states and publications:</font></p><ul style="max-width: 100%;"><li><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">New Mexico: Las Cruces Sun-News, <a href="http://www.lcsun-news.com/las_cruces-opinion/ci_27481605/paul-j-gessing-epa-rule-changes-will-drive">2/8/15</a>; Farmington Daily Times, <a href="http://www.scsun-news.com/silver_city-opinion/ci_27481604">2/7/15</a>; Silver City Sun-News, <a href="http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SCPB&p_theme=scpb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=allfields%28carbon%29%20AND%20date%282/8/2015%20to%202/8/2015%29&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=2/8/2015%20to%202/8/2015%29&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=%28">2/8/15</a></font></li><li><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Wisconsin: La Crosse Tribune, <a href="http://lacrossetribune.com/courierlifenews/news/opinion/guest-view-epa-regulations-will-cost-state-jobs/article_517c3fce-3bf6-5e53-b291-e2646bf370d2.html">2/19/15</a>; Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, <a href="http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/proposed-epa-rules-would-harm-wisconsins-economy-b99443620z1-291918411.html">2/15/15</a>; Chippewa Herald, 2/6/15 via Nexis; Dunn County News, <a href="http://chippewa.com/dunnconnect/news/opinion/columnists/federal-epa-regulations-pose-potential-negative-effect-on-wisconsin/article_a0722e25-b67e-5188-bb42-53819e39430f.html">2/6/15</a>; Superior Telegram, <a href="http://www.superiortelegram.com/opinion/commentary/3708516-epa-rule-offers-little-gain-big-risk">3/27/15</a></font></li><li><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">North Carolina: The News & Observer, <a href="http://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/op-ed/article10271696.html">2/10/15</a></font></li><li><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Louisiana: The Advocate, <a href="http://theadvocate.com/columnists/quinhillyer/11645722-123/quin-hillyer-obama-carbon-rule">2/22/15</a>; Greater Baton Rouge Business Report, <a href="http://www.businessreport.com/article/new-epa-carbon-emission-limits-will-increase-la-electricity-prices-22-2030-report-says">2/23/15</a></font></li></ul><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Most Recent
BHI Study Released In Virginia. Watchdog.org, the conservative news
site run by the Franklin Center, reported on the latest Beacon Hill
report, which was released in Virginia jointly with the Thomas Jefferson
Institute for Public Policy. <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">The
Virginia study was also amplified by two other conservative news sites,
Townhall.com -- which reprinted the Watchdog.org post -- and the Daily
Caller.</span> [Watchdog.org, <a href="http://watchdog.org/209440/epa-va-jobs/">4/1/15</a>; Townhall, <a href="http://townhall.com/watchdog/virginia/2015/04/01/epa-va-jobs-n7478">4/1/15</a>; Daily Caller, <a href="http://dailycaller.com/2015/04/01/new-epa-rules-to-increase-electricity-costs-decrease-number-of-jobs-in-virginia/">4/1/15</a>]</font></p></div><div class="clear"><div id="comments"><div class="clear"><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">==</font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">eg BS</font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">
</font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">6/15</font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">
</font></div><div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" align="center"><div class="style37" align="center"><div class="style50" align="left"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>BHI
study: Northeast Energy Direct Pipeline would strongly benefit
Massachusetts, reducing energy costs while driving employment and
investment growth</b></font></div></div><p class="style9" align="left"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">BOSTON
- (Wednesday, June 24, 2015) Tennessee Gas Pipeline’s (TGP) proposed
Northeast Energy Direct Pipeline (NED) would bring both significant
short-term and long-term benefits to Massachusetts according to an
economic analysis based on two models by the Beacon Hill Institute at
Suffolk University. TGP is a subsidiary of Kinder Morgan, Inc., which
funded the Institute’s study.</font></p><p class="style9" align="left"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">The
Beacon Hill Institute analyzed the economic effects of building TGP’s
NED project, which would upgrade, extend and build a new pipeline
through New York, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. The Institute used
the proprietary IMPLAN (Impact Analysis for Planning) model to determine
short-term economic impacts and then applied its STAMP (State Tax
Analysis Modeling Program) model to determine the long-term impacts. <a href="http://www.beaconhill.org/BHIStudies/NED-Pipeline2015/PR-NEDPIPELINE2015-0624.html">Read more</a></font></p><p class="style9" align="left"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="http://www.beaconhill.org/BHIStudies/NED-Pipeline2015/BHI-NortheastDirect2015-0619.pdf">Complete Study</a> (PDF)
<a href="http://www.beaconhill.org/BHIStudies/NED-Pipeline2015/FINAL-PressRelease-BHI-PR-NEDPipe-2015-0624.pdf">Press Release</a> (PDF)</font></p><p class="style9" align="left"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"> </font></p><hr style="text-align: left;" /></div><div align="center"><div class="style37" align="center"><div class="style50" align="left"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Response to the </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Natural Resources Defense Council's</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> critique of BHI's study of EPA Clean Power Program</span></font></div></div><p class="style9" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" align="left"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Laurie
Johnson, an economist at the Natural Resources Defense Council,
recently posted a blog entry that sharply criticizes recent BHI studies
of the EPA’s Clean Power Plan. It is important, <a href="http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/ljohnson/beacon_hill_study_bizarre_alge.html">in reading this blog</a>,
to understand that Dr. Johnson’s job is to defend tooth-and-nail an
organization whose purpose is to promote what it deems to be
environmental protection at any cost to economic activity at home and
abroad. <a href="http://www.beaconhill.org/BHI-Response-to-NRDC-Criticism20150313FINAL.pdf">Read the complete BHI response.</a></font></p><p class="style9" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" align="left"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">BHI Studies on the CPP.</font></p><p class="style38" style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span class="style9">Virginia: <a href="http://www.thomasjeffersoninst.org/files/3/EPAStudy_March2015.pdf">The Costs of New EPA Rules to Virginia</a> March 2015</span></font></p><p class="style9" style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Louisiana: <a href="http://www.thepelicanpost.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Pelican_BHI_Final1.pdf">The Costs of New EPA Rules to Louisiana</a> February 2015</font></p><p class="style9" style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">South Carolina: <a href="http://media.wix.com/ugd/690417_8e911cc0ba994c76a156422d882b927d.pdf">New EPA Rules Will Cost South Carolina a Fortune</a>February 2015</font></p><p class="style9" style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Wisconsin: <a href="http://static.maciverinstitute.com/EPA%20Rules%20WI%20-%20MacIver%20Beacon%202015%20FINAL.pdf">The Economic Effects of the New EPA Rules on the State of Wisconsin</a> January 2015</font></p><p class="style9" style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">New Mexico, <a href="http://www.riograndefoundation.org/downloads/rgf_beaconhill_new_mexico.pdf">The Economics Effects of New EPA Rules on the State of New Mexico</a> January 2015</font></p><p class="style9" style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">North Carolina: <a href="http://www.nccivitas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/beaconhill_NorthCarolina_FINAL.pdf">The Economic Effects of the New EPA rules on the State of North Carolina</a> January 2015</font></p><p class="style9" style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Iowa: <a href="http://www.limitedgovernment.org/publications/pubs/studies/ps-15-3.pdf">Obama-Inspired EPA Carbon-Dioxide Regulations May Bankrupt Iowans</a> January 2015</font></p><p class="style9" style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">National: <a href="http://docs.house.gov/meetings/IF/IF03/20150225/103014/HHRG-114-IF03-20150225-SD008.pdf">Clean Power Plan: The Economic Effects of the New EPA Rules on the United States</a> January 2015</font></p><hr style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><div class="style37" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" align="center"><div class="style50" align="left"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Massachusetts State Tax Revenue Forecast</font></div></div><p class="style58" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" align="left"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="http://www.beaconhill.org/RevenueForecastsBHI/BHI-MAForecastFY15FY16-for2015-122-FINAL.pdf" class="style50"><font color="#000000">BHI releases State Tax Revenue Forecasts for Massachusetts Legislature</font></a></font></p><p class="style9" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" align="left"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">BHI predicts that tax revenues will be:</font></p><p class="style9" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" align="left"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">• $24,512 billion in FY 2015, 4.9% over FY 2014, and
• $25,801 billion in FY 2016, 5.3% over FY 2015.</font></p><p class="style9" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" align="left"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="http://www.beaconhill.org/RevenueForecastsBHI/BHI-MAForecastFY15FY16-for2015-122-FINAL.pdf"><font color="#000000">Complete Estimate in PDF</font></a></font></p><hr style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /></div><div class="style37" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" align="center"><div class="style50" align="left"><p class="style58"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>New Hampshire</b> electricity customers will face higher bills due to renewable mandate</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span class="style4">(Boston, MA) Ratepayers in New Hampshire can expect to pay higher prices for electricity in the future thanks to<b> renewable energy mandates </b>that
have little effect on greenhouse gas emissions. Industrial users will
be especially hard hit. This is the finding of a new study from the
Beacon Hill Institute at Suffolk University in Boston.</span><span class="style58">
</span></font></p><p class="style4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="http://www.beaconhill.org/BHIStudies/RPS/NH/NH-RPS-PressRelease-2015-0212.pdf"><font color="#000000">Press release (PDF)</font></a></font></p><p class="style4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="http://www.beaconhill.org/BHIStudies/RPS/NH/NHRPS-Final2015-02.pdf"><font color="#000000">Full study (PDF)</font></a></font></p><hr /></div></div><div class="style37" align="center"><div class="style50" align="left"><p class="style58"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Real Clear Markets: </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Cape Wind </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">- An unsightly monument to political pull</span></font></p></div></div><p class="style9" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Playing
out in Massachusetts is a saga in which a private developer is using
his political connections to trump the interests of state electric
ratepayers - and in the process creating a precedent for much broader
misuse of governmental power. The saga involves a court case in which
state officials invoked an arcane provision of the U.S. Constitution to
deny aggrieved ratepayers access to federal court. It provides a study
of the tactics to which government will resort in order shore up a green
energy project for which there can be little, if any, justification on
either environmental or economic grounds.</font></p><p class="style9" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Read the entire article over at <a href="http://www.realclearmarkets.com/articles/2014/10/13/cape_wind_an_unsightly_monument_to_political_pull_101322.html">RealClearMarkets.com</a>.</font></p><p class="style9" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">More on Wind Energy:
CapeCod.com Interview: <a href="http://tinyurl.com/mefgje2">The economics of Cape Wind</a>
Boston Herald: <a href="http://www.bostonherald.com/news_opinion/opinion/op_ed/2014/11/tuerck_new_storm_builds_for_cape_wind">David Tuerck on Cape Wind's dubious legal logic</a></font></p><hr style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><div class="style37" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" align="center"><div class="style50" align="left"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Response to the Instititute on Taxation and Economic Policy Critique of the BHI STAMP</font></div></div><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span class="style58">ITEP's flawed critique of BHI STAMP:</span></font></p><p class="style9" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">On May 21, 2014, <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">The
Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) released a report
entitled, “STAMP is an Unsound Tool for Gauging the Economic Impact of
Taxes.” The report makes several criticisms of the Beacon Hill
Institute </span><a href="http://www.beaconhill.org/STAMP-Method/ResponsetoITEP2014-0530.html">(BHI) State Tax Analysis Modeling Program (STAMP®)</a>.</font></p><p class="style9" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="http://www.beaconhill.org/STAMP-Method/ResponsetoITEPbybullet2014-0531.pdf">BHI responds to the criticisms contained in the Executive Summary of the report.</a> (PDF)</font></p><hr style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><div class="style37" align="center"><div class="style50" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" align="left"><div class="style37" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" align="center"><div class="style50" align="left"><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Response to Critique of BHI's Renewable Portfolio Standards studies</font></p></div></div><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span class="style58"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">An Appeal to Facts in a “</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Fact Check”</span></span></font></p><p class="style9" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">In
their attempt to defend subsidies for green energy, supporters rely on
Keynesian arguments to promote policies that will provide much-needed
spending in an economy. The assumptions made by advocacy organizations
such as the <b>Union of Concerned Scientists</b> are likely to hold only
in the short run, if at all. Other arguments often made by critics of
BHI's RPS studies have failed repeatedly to address the underlying
basics of economics. Ultimately, while BHI sets out to soundly
operationalize the true costs and benefits of projects like wind energy,
green energy advocates fail to adequately put the relevant numbers to
their claims. Read <span class="style65"><a href="http://www.beaconhill.org/BHIStudies/FINAL-Rebuttal-to-Union-of-Concerned%20Scientists2013-1119RM.pdf">A Response to the Union of Concerned Scientists Critique of BHI’s Renewable Portfolio Studies</a></span></font></p></div><p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">==</font></p><p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">works in Locke step</font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><b>
</b></b></font><p style="font-weight: bold; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><b> ==</b></b></font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">guardian:</font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Several hundred miles to the north east in Massachusetts, <b>the
Beacon Hill Institute requested $38,825 from Searle to weaken or roll
back a five-year effort by states in the region to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions.</b> The institute said it would carry out research into the
economic impact of the cap-and-trade system operating in nine states
known as the<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.</span></font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">BHI
appeared to have already arrived at its conclusions in advance,
admitting from the outset that the aim of the research was to arm
opponents of cap-and-trade with data for their arguments, and to weaken
or destroy the initiative. "Success will take the form of media
recognition, dissemination to stakeholders, and legislative activity
that will pare back or repeal RGGI," the funding proposal says.</font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span class="inline wide" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; display: block; float: none; width: auto; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-repeat: no-repeat;"><img src="/77c77579-d1c7-5d6c-b488-dee8cf2a22b8.png"/></span></font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">The
Beacon Hill Institute, technically an affiliate rather than a full
member of the SPN, operates out of the economics department of Suffolk
University in Boston. David Tuerck, its executive director, denied the
group had engaged in lobbying. </span>"There is never any lobbying," he
told the Guardian. "Maybe I need to look up the definition again, but
lobbying consists of buttonholing legislators and other policymakers to
get a particular result on a particular issue, and we never do that."</font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">But
Suffolk University, which hosts the Beacon Hill Institute as a research
arm of its economics department, sharply criticised the research
proposal to the Searle Foundation. In a statement to the Guardian, the
university said the grant bid had not been submitted to the university,
as required, and that the university would never have approved the
proposal. "The stated research goals, as written, were inconsistent with
Suffolk University's mission."</font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Watchdogs
that monitor the work of SPN and other conservative networks in the US
said that the centralised coordination of state-level campaigns showed a
significant attempt to build local activism into a nationwide movement.
Lisa Graves, executive director of the Center for Media and Democracy,
which<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.prwatch.org/news/2013/04/11909/reporters%E2%80%99-guide-%E2%80%9Cstate-policy-network%E2%80%9D-right-wing-think-tanks-spinning-disinform" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; text-decoration: none; background-repeat: no-repeat;">issued a recent report on SPN</a>, said that the local identity of the network's members belied a larger purpose. <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">"They
appear to be advocating purely local interests but what they are
promoting is part of a larger national template to radically remake our
government in a way that undermines public institutions and the rights
of workers," she said.</span></font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">The
SPN said that its co-ordinating role was justified because local and
state issues were increasingly impinging on national politics. "There's
no mystery here," Sharp said. "The whole idea of a state policy network
is that individual thinktanks can be in communication, share best
practices and analysis, and combine their efforts when they see a
benefit from doing so."</font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Some
of the grant bids to Searle focus specifically on prominent local
politicians the thinktanks hope to influence. The grant bid that
emanated from New Jersey, from the<a href="http://www.csinj.org/about/" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; text-decoration: none; background-repeat: no-repeat;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Common Sense Institute</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(CISNJ), another tax-exempt "research and education organization", floats the idea of a campaign to support the efforts of the<b>
Republican governor Chris Christie in ending the ability of public
employees to claim untaken sick days and vacation leave in their
retirement packages.</b></font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">"Governor
Chris Christie has been waging a war to eliminate this practice; and
CSINJ would like to provide ammunition," the proposal says. The
thinktank plans to produce a "research study" which it would call
"Busting the Boat Checks" – an allusion to the phrase Christie uses to
denote the watercraft retirees are claimed to buy on the back of sick
and holiday leave payments.</font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">The institute conceives a "media campaign" with its aim being the "full elimination of unused sick and vacation leave payouts".</font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">"We believe our study can be used to sway public sentiment further and be used as a brandisher for reform in Trenton," it says.</font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span class="inline wide" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; display: block; float: none; width: auto; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-repeat: no-repeat;"><img src="/8b2025c9-b168-599e-bb89-823af58b2f3d.png"/></span></font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><br style=" padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;" />
CSINJ's president, Jerry Cantrell, denied that the grant bid involved
any element of lobbying, insisting instead that his group was providing a
service that in the past might have been done by the decimated local
media.</font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">"CSINJ
is an education organization focused on providing the public with facts
and the truth. We don't represent any interest besides the folks who
are burdened by this practice – the taxpayers," he said.</font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">He
said the proposal was focused on the "abusive practice of accumulating
sick or vacation day payments over an entire career and using them as
retirement bonus. We've seen too many instances of high level
individuals working out the door with $500,000-$750,000 claiming to have
never missed a day in 30 years of employment."</font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">The
proposal from the Illinois Policy Institute for a campaign to deal with
Chicago's government worker pensions crisis by switching to
401(k)-style retirement plans similarly focuses on a politician – in
this case Mayor Rahm Emanuel. The proposal says that "Mayor Emanuel has
privately expressed the need for 401(k)-style changes to truly achieve
reform."</font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">===</font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="http://bhiexposed.org/suffolkuniv/"><font color="#000000">http://bhiexposed.org/suffolkuniv/</font></a></font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"> </font></p>
<div class="textwidget" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<p style="text-align: left;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">"Sloppy
and unpersuasive, more interested in publicity than crafting a solid
analysis, the Beacon Hill Institute is losing its credibility."-The
Boston Herald</font></p>
</div>
<h2 class="widgettitle" style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Links</font></h2>
<ul class="xoxo blogroll" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style=" list-style: none;">
<ul class="xoxo blogroll"><li style="text-align: left;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="http://www.beaconhill.org/clients.html"><font color="#000000">Beacon Hill Institute's Clients</font></a></font></li><li style="text-align: left;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="http://www.bhiexposed.org/FINALDavid_Tuerck_Exposed.pdf" title="Information about David Tuerck & his “clients”"><font color="#000000">DOWNLOAD – David Tuerck Exposed (.pdf)</font></a></font></li></ul>
</li></ul>
<h2 class="widgettitle" style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Categories</font></h2>
<ul style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style=" list-style: none;">
<ul><li class="cat-item cat-item-8" style="text-align: left;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="http://bhiexposed.org/suffolkuniv/archives/category/cigarettes" title="View all posts filed under Cigarettes"><font color="#000000">Cigarettes</font></a></font></li><li class="cat-item cat-item-5" style="text-align: left;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="http://bhiexposed.org/suffolkuniv/archives/category/energy" title="View all posts filed under Clean Energy"><font color="#000000">Clean Energy</font></a></font></li><li class="cat-item cat-item-7" style="text-align: left;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="http://bhiexposed.org/suffolkuniv/archives/category/creationism" title="View all posts filed under Creationism"><font color="#000000">Creationism</font></a></font></li><li class="cat-item cat-item-6" style="text-align: left;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="http://bhiexposed.org/suffolkuniv/archives/category/oil-spills" title="View all posts filed under Oil Spills"><font color="#000000">Oil Spills</font></a></font></li><li class="cat-item cat-item-4" style="text-align: left;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="http://bhiexposed.org/suffolkuniv/archives/category/tax-fraud" title="View all posts filed under Tax Fraud"><font color="#000000">Tax Fraud</font></a></font></li><li class="cat-item cat-item-9" style="text-align: left;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="http://bhiexposed.org/suffolkuniv/archives/category/tuerck" title="View all posts filed under Tuerck"><font color="#000000">Tuerck</font></a></font></li><li class="cat-item cat-item-3" style="text-align: left;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="http://bhiexposed.org/suffolkuniv/archives/category/women" title="View all posts filed under Women's Issues"><font color="#000000">Women's Issues</font></a></font></li></ul>
</li></ul>
<p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"> </font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"> </font></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">What partnerships is David Tureck forging?</font></h2><div style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"> </font></div>
<p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">What
is going on at the Beacon Hill Institute? What is this “research”
institute doing with “clients,” particularly the kinds of “clients” they
seem to favor? These “clients” provide funding for the some of the
Institute’s research projects and reports. You might think that, since
the Institute is part of Suffolk University, it engages in independent
scholarly research. But just how “independent” can this research be when
at least some of the research is directly funded by such
self-interested “clients?” Is the Institute just serving as a
mouthpiece, with the veneer of scholarly independence and legitimacy,
for the interests of some of its “clients?” Consider that the Beacon
Hill Institute boasts about the “research it does for “clients”</font></p>
<ul><li style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">who have taken stances against a women’s right to choose and support policy initiatives and lobbying efforts against abortion?</font></li><li style="text-align: left;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">who have </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">admitted
criminal wrongdoing or been found guilty in creating fraudulent tax
shelters, conspiracy, evading taxes, making false statements to the IRS,
obstructing the IRS to help wealthy clients dodge billions in taxes?</span></font></li><li style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">who have funded the opposition against Cape Wind?</font></li><li style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">who advocate for the drilling of oil in our National Parks, in our coastal waters, even on the mainland?</font></li><li style="text-align: left;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">who support the teaching of </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Intelligent Design</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
in the face of hundreds of years of scientific evidence supporting
Darwin’s theory of Evolution, in essence to bring religion into our
school’s science curriculums.</span></font></li><li style="text-align: left;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">who make huge profits from the sale and use of</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> tobacco</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> products like cigarettes, products that kill close to a half a million people each and every year?</span></font></li></ul>
<p id="text-3" class="widget widget_text" style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"> </font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"> </font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">---</font></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="http://bhiexposed.org/suffolkuniv/archives/105" rel="bookmark" title="A study of nicotine addiction is funded by a tobacco company."><font color="#000000">study of nicotine addiction is funded by a tobacco company.</font></a></font></h2>
<p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"> </font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">EXCERPT</font>
<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Smoking, and ire, at UCLA </font></p>
<div style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">
</font></div>
<div style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">A study of nicotine addiction is funded by a tobacco company.</font></div><div style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">
</font></div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" /><div style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font>Richard C. Paddock, L.A. Times Staff Writer</font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></div>
<p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
Here’s a recipe for academic controversy:
First,
find dozens of hard-core teenage smokers as young as 14 and study their
brains with high-tech scans. Second, feed vervet monkeys liquid
nicotine and then kill at least six of them to examine their brains.
Third, accept $6 million from tobacco giant Philip Morris to pay for it
all. Fourth, cloak the project in unusual secrecy.
At
UCLA, a team of researchers is following this formula to produce what it
hopes will be a groundbreaking study of addiction. So far, the
scientists have proved that the issues of animal testing and
tobacco-funded research are among the most contentious on university
campuses.</p>
<p>
UCLA
professor Edythe London, the lead scientist on the three-year study,
said it could discover new ways to help people quit smoking and lead to
innovative treatments for other addictions.
“We
are doing this because we really want to save lives,” she said. “I am
really proud of what we are doing. We have a track record for
contributing to science, and we would like to bring that to bear on the
problem of nicotine addiction.”</p>
<p>
But
even before she had a chance to select her first teenager for study,
London paid a price for her research. In October, activists opposed to
animal testing flooded her Westside home with her garden hose, causing
more than $20,000 in damage. They struck again this week, leaving an
incendiary device at night that charred her front door. A gardener
discovered the damage Tuesday.</p>
<p>
The
activists, who have also targeted other UCLA researchers, accused London
of using “sadistic procedures” and “torturing nonhuman animals to
death” in earlier studies. No one has been arrested in the attacks.
At the same time, Philip Morris’
role in the study has drawn sharp criticism from anti-tobacco
activists. They doubt that the company wants to help people stop smoking
and question whether the study of teenage and monkey brains could help
Philip Morris design a more addictive cigarette.</p>
<p>
“It’s
stunning in this day and age that a university would do secret research
for the tobacco industry on the brains of children,” said Matt Meyers
of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids in Washington, D.C. “It raises
fundamental questions about the integrity, honesty and openness of
research anywhere at the University of California.”</p>
<p>
London
said that Philip Morris would not have any oversight or other
involvement in the study. The suggestion that the company might use her
findings to make cigarettes more addictive is “twisted,” she said.
<a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2008/feb/09/local/me-tobacco9"><font color="#000000">Read full article</font></a></p>
<p>
---</p>
<h2 style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://bhiexposed.org/suffolkuniv/archives/60" rel="bookmark" title="Beacon Hill Institute really is in the dark"><font color="#000000">Beacon Hill Institute really is in the dark</font></a></h2>
<p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> </p>
<div style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">EXCERPT</div><div style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">By Thomas M. Keane Jr., The Boston Herald</div>
<p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Sloppy
and unpersuasive, more interested in publicity than crafting a solid
analysis, the Beacon Hill Institute is losing its credibility.</p>
<p>
The Institute is run by David G. Tuerck, chair of the economics department at Suffolk University.
That connection has given the institute a patina of authority. Reports
produced by it and other think-tanks, such as MassINC and the Pioneer
Institute, are widely reported by the press. Yet while one can generally
rely on the methodology of the latter two organizations, with BHI it’s
different.</p>
<p>
<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Some
of BHI’s work is barely disguised ideology (a 1994 study, for example,
called a graduated income tax a “slippery road to serfdom”). Other times
it revels in its against-the-grain, counterintuitive conclusions. In
2000, it called for an income tax cut, predicting there would be no
meaningful program reductions even if a recession hit. It argued in 2002
that eliminating the state income tax would create 300,000 to 500,000
jobs. Another report that year said the state’s boosted educational
spending had all been a waste.</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> Last year BHI claimed people choose to live in communities that tax their residents the least.</span>
The
arguments can be intriguing, yet they don’t stand up to scrutiny. When
the recession came, it turned out there were severe program cuts. The
number of jobs BHI boasted would be created by wiping out the income tax
exceeded, by more than double, the number of unemployed Bay Staters.
Its conclusions about educational reform are belied by consistent
improvements in MCAS scores. And taxes actually are an insignificant
factor in determining where people live; indeed, sometimes higher taxes —
if accompanied by improved services — attract residents (think Newton
or Brookline).</p>
<p>
<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">And now BHI is in the news with studies on two hot topics: a proposed </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">wind </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">farm in Nantucket Sound and the economic benefits of next week’s Democratic National Convention.</span>
<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Last
October, BHI issued a report — updated recently — that blasted a
proposal by Cape Wind Associates to build a 130-turbine wind farm five
miles off Cape Cod. Some landowners have vigorously opposed the wind
farm, which would provide up to three-quarters of the electricity used
by the Cape and islands. Their group, the Alliance to Protect Nantucket
Sound, receives a substantial portion of its funding from the</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> Egan </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Family
Foundation, two of whose members sit on the alliance’s board (prominent
supporters of George W. Bush, one of the Egans just released a critical
documentary on John Kerry’s failed 1972 congressional race).</span>
And the principal funder of BHI’s study? The Egan Family Foundation.</p>
<p>
That
raised eyebrows, of course. BHI claimed independence, but conducted an
extraordinarily questionable analysis. The heart of it was a series of
interviews with landowners and tourists, asking them what they thought
would happen to land values and tourism if the wind farm were built. The
questionnaire was obviously designed to provoke a negative response
(comparing the wind turbines to the size of the Statue of Liberty, for
example). Five percent of tourists guessed they would visit less; 20
percent of homeowners speculated that their property values would drop.</p>
<p>
That
speculation became the basis for BHI’s conclusion that the costs of the
wind farm were greater than its benefits. Cape Wind mounted a fierce
rebuttal. The margin of error in BHI’s sample could effectively
undermine its results. The organization gave too little credence to
benefits such as jobs and a cleaner environment. Most importantly,
speculation notwithstanding, land values in fact have not declined when
other wind farms have been built elsewhere.
Then
there is the comedy of errors that is BHI’s analysis of next week’s
convention. On March 30, it released a study claiming the net benefits
from the convention would be $121.6 million. A week later, it released
another study saying the net loss would be $12.8 million. The
difference? The first time around, BHI had forgotten to include costs —
such as disruptions to traffic — in its analysis. Yet the revised
version was equally flawed, with “costs” (such as the cancellation of a
planned Tall Ships visit) wildly inflated.</p>
<p>
This
week BHI mounted a follow-up. It trumpeted a study proclaiming the
convention would be a “bust,” helping only 11 percent of Boston
businesses. The basis of that was a survey of 100 businesses near the
FleetCenter, asking proprietors what they thought would happen.
As Susan Elsbree of the Boston Redevelopment Authority says, “How stupid is that?”
It’s a
small and narrow sample size. The impact of the convention extends
throughout the entire metro area; its benefits are both short- and
long-term. As with the wind study, BHI relies on speculation. Released
just three days before the delegates arrive, the report had no real
value except, clearly, to get BHI some free press.</p>
<div style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Looked at as a whole, it’s not a great record. Just because the institute says something doesn’t mean anyone should believe it.</div>
<div style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font color="#000000"><a href="http://www.milforddailynews.com/lifestyle/columnists/x1090055212">Read full article</a></font></div>
<p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">===
Why would the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/John_Locke_Foundation" target="blank">John Locke Foundation</a>, a "conservative North Carolina-based <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/think_tank" target="blank">think tank</a>"
launch a "series of scathing attacks" against the Center for Climate
Strategies (CCS), a Pennsylvania-based "nonprofit group of scientists,
engineers, business strategists and policy experts who guide states in
figuring out how to best reduce greenhouse gas pollution"? Sue Sturgis
follows the money, and finds that Locke "received at least $126,500 from
outfits with ties to the fossil-fuel industry between fiscal [year]
2002 and 2005." Locke funders include <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/DCI_Group" target="blank">DCI Group</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Atlas_Economic_Research_Foundation" target="blank">Atlas Economic Research Foundation</a> and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Reason_Foundation" target="blank">Reason Foundation</a>. In September, Locke and the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Heartland_Institute" target="blank">Heartland Institute</a> (which has received funding from <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/ExxonMobil" target="blank">ExxonMobil</a>) hosted a conference call on CCS's alleged "hijacking of climate policy." During the call, Locke's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Michael_Sanera" target="blank">Michael Sanera</a>
suggested discrediting "CCS's Sponsoring Organization (State
environmental bureaucracy)" and demanding "cost-benefit analysis by
academic economists." Later, Locke released a "peer review assessment"
of CCS's methods, drawn up by the Beacon Hill Institute. Not disclosed
was the fact that Beacon's clients include several oil industry-funded <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/climate_change_skeptics" target="blank">climate change skeptics</a>, such as DCI Group, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Heritage_Foundation" target="blank">Heritage Foundation</a> and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Pacific_Research_Institute" target="_blank">Pacific Research Institute</a>.</p>
<div class="field field-type-link field-field-main-source" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<div class="field-label-inline-first" style="text-align: left;">Main Source: </div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><font color="#000000"><a href="http://southernstudies.org/facingsouth/2007/11/hostile-climate-whos-behind-attack-on_13.asp" target="_blank">Facing South (Institute for Southern Studies blog), November 13, 2007</a></font></div></div>
</div>
</div>
<p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> all:</p><p style="text-align: left; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; border-image: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 19.5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> Center
for Climate Strategies wants to help states cut global warming
pollution. A North Carolina think tank funded by energy interests wants
to stop them.</p><p style="text-align: left; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; border-image: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 19.5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">By Sue Sturgis</span></p><p style="text-align: left; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; border-image: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 19.5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Given
Washington's reluctance to tackle global warming, many states have
recently taken the initiative, drawing up their own plans to cut carbon
emissions. For help, 25 states have turned to the <a href="http://www.climatestrategies.us/" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">Center for Climate Strategies</a>, a nonprofit group of <a href="http://www.climatestrategies.us/about/management-staff" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">scientists, engineers, business strategists and policy experts</a> who guide states in figuring out how to best reduce greenhouse gas pollution.</p><p style="text-align: left; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; border-image: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 19.5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">But in recent months, the Center has become the target of concerted attacks by the <a href="http://www.johnlocke.org/" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">John Locke Foundation</a>, a conservative North Carolina-based think tank that opposes strict environmental regulations. A longtime skeptic of <a href="http://www.ipcc.ch/" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">prevailing climate science</a>, which it criticizes as <a href="http://www.johnlocke.org/research/show/policy%20reports/86" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">"alarmist,"</a> Locke has published <a href="http://www.johnlocke.org/cgi-bin/htsearch?exclude=&method=and&format=long&sort=score&restrict=&words=%22center+for+climate+strategies%22" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">a series of scathing attacks</a> directed at the Center in its own publications and other outlets including the <a href="http://spectator.org/dsp_article.11763" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">American Spectator</a>, <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article/?AID=/20070712/COMMENTARY/107120013/-1/RSS_COMMENTARY" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">Washington Times</a>, <a href="http://www.examiner.com/a-972918%7EPaul_Chesser__Beware_of_climate_control.html" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">Washington Examiner</a> and the <a href="http://www.seattlepi.com/local/opinion/article/Be-wary-of-climate-policy-development-1253536.php" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">Seattle Post-Intelligencer</a>.</p><p style="text-align: left; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; border-image: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 19.5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Why
the hostility? Among Locke's criticisms is that the Center for Climate
Strategies was founded by an "environmental advocacy group." In fact, it
was created by a business-friendly organization, the <a href="http://www.pecpa.org/" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">Pennsylvania Environmental Council</a>, whose current directors include representatives from leading energy companies like PPL Corp., Inter-Power, Exelon and Reliant.</p><p style="text-align: left; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; border-image: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 19.5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Locke
also criticizes the Center for taking money from foundations that it
accuses of being "on the global warming panic train," among them the <a href="http://www.rbf.org/" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">Rockefeller Brothers Fund</a>, the <a href="http://www.turnerfoundation.org/" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">Turner Foundation</a> and the <a href="http://www.heinz.org/" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">Heinz Endowments</a>.*</p><p style="text-align: left; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; border-image: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 19.5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">But Locke's diatribes against the Center fail to disclose the potential bias in its own funding sources. According to an <a href="http://www.southernstudies.org/" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">Institute for Southern Studies</a> analysis
of the group's tax returns, the John Locke Foundation received at least
$126,500 from outfits with ties to the fossil-fuel industry between
fiscal 2002 and 2005.</p><p style="text-align: left; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; border-image: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 19.5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Looming
large behind a number of Locke's funders is ExxonMobil. Since 1998, the
oil giant has funneled more than $16 million to several dozen advocacy
organizations in an effort that a recent Union of Concerned Scientists <a href="http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/science/exxonmobil-smoke-mirrors-hot.html" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">report</a> described
as seeking "to deceive the public about the reality of global warming"
by "using seemingly independent front organizations to publicly further
its desired message."</p><p style="text-align: left; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; border-image: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 19.5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Among the fossil-fuel-tainted contributions the Locke Foundation has received:</p><p style="text-align: left; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; border-image: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 19.5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">* $70,000 from the Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundation, one of the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Claude_R._Lambe_Charitable_Foundation" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">Koch Family Foundations</a> operated by billionaires David and Charles Koch of <a href="http://www.kochind.com/default.asp" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">Koch Industries</a>, the largest privately owned oil company in the United States.</p><p style="text-align: left; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; border-image: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 19.5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">* $20,000 from the <a href="http://www.cato.org/" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">Cato Institute</a>, an anti-regulatory think tank that was co-founded by Charles Koch. Cato has <a href="http://www.exxonsecrets.org/html/orgfactsheet.php?id=21" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">received</a> at
least $110,000 from ExxonMobil since 1998, according to
ExxonSecrets.org, a Web site sponsored by Greenpeace USA.
ExxonSecrets.org also reports that Cato has received funds from such
other fossil-fuel interests as the American Petroleum Institute, Chevron
and Shell Oil.</p><p style="text-align: left; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; border-image: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 19.5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">* $15,000 from the Reason Foundation, an anti-regulatory think thank that's <a href="http://www.exxonsecrets.org/html/orgfactsheet.php?id=63" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">received</a> $381,000
from ExxonMobil since 1998, according to ExxonSecrets.org. Reason has
also received funds from the American Petroleum Institute, BP Amoco and
Koch Industries.</p><p style="text-align: left; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; border-image: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 19.5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">* $10,000 from the Atlas Economic Research Foundation, an anti-regulatory think tank that's<a href="http://www.exxonsecrets.org/html/orgfactsheet.php?id=17" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">received</a> $780,000 from ExxonMobil since 1998, according to ExxonSecrets.org. Charles Koch is also a major funder.</p><p style="text-align: left; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; border-image: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 19.5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">* $6,500 from the <a href="http://www.ceednet.org/ceed/index.cfm?cid=7504" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">Center for Energy and Economic Development</a>, a Texas-based nonprofit dedicated to protecting the viability of coal-based electricity.</p><p style="text-align: left; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; border-image: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 19.5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">* $5,000 from the DCI Group, a Republican lobbying firm that has <a href="http://www.exxonsecrets.org/html/orgfactsheet.php?id=143" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">received</a> $140,000 from ExxonMobil since 1998, according to ExxonSecrets.org.</p><p style="text-align: left; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; border-image: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 19.5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The John Locke Foundation's biggest funder is <a href="http://www.southernstudies.org/person/art-pope" title="Art Pope" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">James Arthur "Art" Pope</a>,
who founded the organization and has given it more than $8 million
since 2002. A former Republican N.C. state representative, Pope has
served on the boards of the Exxon-funded Atlas Economic Research
Foundation, as well as Citizens for a Sound Economy, another
Koch-founded group that's also<a href="http://www.exxonsecrets.org/html/orgfactsheet.php?id=27" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">taken</a> more than $380,000 from ExxonMobil since 1998.</p><p style="text-align: left; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; border-image: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 19.5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Aside from being a prominent politico -- his hometown paper has dubbed him <a href="http://www.newsobserver.com/125/story/394092.html" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">"the knight of the right"</a> -- Pope is president and CFO of <a href="http://www.vwstores.com/" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">Variety Wholesalers</a>,
a company operating more than 500 discount retail stores in 14 states.
Though not an energy firm, Variety does have an economic interest in
avoiding gas taxes -- a proposal embraced catalogued<a href="http://www.southernstudies.org/facingsouth/2007/11/center-for-climate-strategies.asp" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;"></a> by the Center -- since its profits depend on importing and distributing foreign-made goods as cheaply as possible.</p><div style="line-height: 19.5px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> * *</div><div style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="line-height: 19.5px;">
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">The John Locke Foundation </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">stepped up its crusade against the Center for Climate Strategies this September, when it teamed up with the </span></span><a href="http://heartland.org/" rel="nofollow" style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 19.5px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Heartland Institute</a><span style="line-height: 19.5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> to host a conference call promising to expose the Center's "hijacking of climate policy."</span></div><p style="text-align: left; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; border-image: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 19.5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The
Heartland Institute was a natural ally: The Chicago-based think tank
has long fought any attempts to curtail global warming pollutants.
Heartland has also <a href="http://www.exxonsecrets.org/html/orgfactsheet.php?id=41" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">taken</a> at
least $791,500 from ExxonMobil since 1998, according to
ExxonSecrets.org, and the Union of Concerned Scientists found that
nearly 40 percent of the funds the institute got from the oil giant were
earmarked for fighting climate change regulations. In addition, Walter
Buchholtz, who's listed as Heartland's government relations advisor on
the group's 2005 <a href="http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2005/363/309/2005-363309812-0295fbb2-9.pdf%20" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">tax return</a> (PDF), has also served as ExxonMobil's <a href="http://www.api.org/ehs/climate/response/presentations.cfm" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">senior environmental advisor</a>.</p><p style="text-align: left; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; border-image: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 19.5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The featured speaker for the Sept. 12 conference call -- which drew state legislators, policy analysts, and a lobbyist for <a href="http://www.peabodyenergy.com/default-netscape.asp" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">Peabody Energy</a>, the world's largest coal company -- was <a href="http://www.johnlocke.org/about/display_bio.html?id=230" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">Michael Sanera</a>, Locke's research director. Sanera is also a member of an advisory board for the<a href="http://www.exxonsecrets.org/html/orgfactsheet.php?id=25" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow</a> and a former analyst at the <a href="http://www.exxonsecrets.org/html/orgfactsheet.php?id=42" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">Heritage Foundation</a> -- both funded by ExxonMobil.</p><p style="text-align: left; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; border-image: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 19.5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Sanera
led the attendees through a Power Point attack, accusing the Center for
Climate Strategies of, among other things, peddling false assumptions
such as the idea that "CO2 emission reduction is the solution to global
warming." It offered participants a list of suggestions on how to
counteract the Center that included "Discredit CCS's Sponsoring
Organization (State environmental bureaucracy)," "Demand scientific peer
review process," and "Demand cost-benefit analysis by academic
economists."</p><p style="text-align: left; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; border-image: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 19.5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The assault on the Center continued on Oct. 5, when Locke's blog <a href="http://www.johnlocke.org/lockerroom/lockerroom.html?id=13844" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">announced</a> the launch of<a href="http://www.climatestrategieswatch.com/" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">Climate Strategies Watch</a>, "a new watchdog Web site that scrutinizes and keeps up with new developments of the Center for Climate Strategies."</p><p style="text-align: left; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; border-image: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 19.5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Details were scarce: The post did not say who was behind the site, the site itself had no sponsor details, and the domain was <a href="http://www.networksolutions.com/whois/results.jsp?domain=climatestrategieswatch.com" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">anonymously registered</a>.
Weeks later, sponsorship information was added to the site, identifying
it as a "joint project of The Heartland Institute and John Locke
Foundation." The site's front page warns of the Center's funding by
"wealthy liberals" and features the image of a man peering through a
magnifying glass at cockroaches emblazoned with the names "Rockefeller,"
"Heinz" and "Turner."</p><p style="text-align: left; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; border-image: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Then on Oct. 17, Locke </span><a href="http://www.johnlocke.org/press_releases/show/312" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">released</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> what it called a </span><a href="http://johnlocke.org/site-docs/peerreview/index.html" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">"peer review assessment"</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> by the Boston-based </span><a href="http://www.beaconhill.org/" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Beacon Hill Institute</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> --
who had a representative on the September call -- claiming the Center
used "seriously flawed" methods in crafting climate proposals because it
did not account for the costs of regulating greenhouse emissions.
Beacon Hill's assessment, however, didn't consider the costs of not
regulating greenhouse gases. Nor did it disclose that among </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Beacon Hill's <a href="http://www.beaconhill.org/Clients.html" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">clients</a> are the <a href="http://www.exxonsecrets.org/html/orgfactsheet.php?id=27" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">CSE Foundation</a>, <a href="http://www.exxonsecrets.org/html/orgfactsheet.php?id=143" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">DCI Group</a>, <a href="http://www.exxonsecrets.org/html/orgfactsheet.php?id=42" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">Heritage Foundation</a>, <a href="http://www.exxonsecrets.org/html/orgfactsheet.php?id=51" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">Manhattan Institute</a>, <a href="http://www.exxonsecrets.org/html/orgfactsheet.php?id=61" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">Pacific Research Institute</a> and <a href="http://www.exxonsecrets.org/html/orgfactsheet.php?id=68" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">Texas Public Policy Foundation</a> -- which together have received at least $1,780,000 from ExxonMobil since 1998.</span></p><p style="text-align: left; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; border-image: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">A week after Beacon Hill's report was released, </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">N.C. Sen. Robert Pittenger (R-Charlotte)</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> -- a member of the </span><a href="http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/Committees/Committees.asp?sAction=ViewCommittee&sActionDetails=Non-Standing_6268" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">N.C. Legislative Commission on Global Climate Change</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> --
co-hosted with Locke a press conference spotlighting the study.
Following the suggestion made during the Sept. 12 call to discredit the
"environmental bureaucracy," Pittenger began by complaining that the
commission didn't have enough hard science because it had heard from
only two climatologists, Dr. Robert Balling and Dr. Pat Michaels.</span></p><p style="text-align: left; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; border-image: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 19.5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">As it so happens, though, both are <a href="http://www.catostore.org/index.asp?fa=ProductDetails&method=cats&scid=17&pid=144919" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">prominent skeptics</a> of
prevailing climate science who've taken hundreds of thousands of
dollars from oil, coal and other fossil-fuel interests (for details,
see <a href="http://www.exxonsecrets.org/html/personfactsheet.php?id=5" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">here</a> and <a href="http://www.exxonsecrets.org/html/personfactsheet.php?id=4" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">here</a>). Michaels -- a scholar with the Exxon-funded <a href="http://www.exxonsecrets.org/html/orgfactsheet.php?id=36" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">George C. Marshall Institute</a>and <a href="http://www.exxonsecrets.org/html/orgfactsheet.php?id=21" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">Cato Institute</a> and an outspoken participant in the Sept. 12 conference call -- recently <a href="http://www.dailyprogress.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=CDP/MGArticle/CDP_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173352906917" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">left his job with Virginia's state climatology office</a> amid
criticism that his industry funding and controversial views left the
office too politicized. Still not satisfied, Pittenger said he
petitioned the commission's chairs to invite two more prominent
climate-science contrarians -- <a href="http://www.exxonsecrets.org/html/personfactsheet.php?id=3" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">Dr. Sallie Baliunas</a> and <a href="http://www.exxonsecrets.org/html/personfactsheet.php?id=17" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">Dr. Richard Lindzen</a>.</p><div style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">"We've
got a bunch of liberal greenies who have just enough information to be
dangerous," Pittenger declared at the event. Certainly no "greenie"
himself, Pittenger has received $13,300 in political contributions from
electric utilities and $5,200 from automotive interests in the last
three election cycles, according to the <a href="http://www.followthemoney.org/index.phtml" rel="nofollow" style="font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">National Institute on Money in State Politics</a>.
A real-estate investor, he's also taken more than $45,000 in
contributions from his colleagues in the real-estate industry, many of
whom dislike the smart-growth development policies the Center promotes.</div><div style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> </div><div style="line-height: 19.5px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">* * *</div><div style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="line-height: 19.5px;">
</span></div><div style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="line-height: 19.5px;">So
what does the John Locke Foundation feel should be done about climate
change? Most of their work simply denies there's a serious problem. But
they do offer a glimpse of what they think we should be worrying about
instead in a February 2006 American Spectator opinion piece titled </span><a href="http://spectator.org/dsp_article.9446" rel="nofollow" style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 19.5px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">"Bible Bending Propaganda"</a><span style="line-height: 19.5px;"> by</span><a href="http://www.southernstudies.org/person/right/paul-chesser" rel="nofollow" style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 19.5px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;"> Paul Chesser</a><span style="line-height: 19.5px;">, Locke's associate editor and a leading critic of the Center's work.</span></div><p style="text-align: left; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; border-image: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 19.5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">In the piece, Chesser goes after the <a href="http://christiansandclimate.org/" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">Evangelical Climate Initiative</a>,
a Christian group favoring strong action to reduce global warming
pollution. He blasts the Initiative for claiming Christ "for their own
alarmist agenda" and its members for suffering from "Biblical
illiteracy" and for being "Birkenstocked" "enviro-hippies."</p><p style="text-align: left; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; border-image: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 19.5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">But
instead of calls for hard science, the Locke Foundation editor veers
from the skeptics' usual playbook and quotes not a dissenting
climatologist, but the biblical Book of Revelation. Scripture, Chesser
notes, promises us that Jesus "does not dwell on the earth but instead
will return to the New Jerusalem ... after God also establishes a new
heaven and a new earth." Going on to cite a letter from Christ's apostle
Peter describing a coming day of judgment and destruction of the
"godless" in which the elements will be dissolved by fire, Chesser
concludes:</p><blockquote style="margin: 1.5em; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; border-image: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 19.5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><p style="text-align: left; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">And
don't forget, God has some serious global warming of His own planned
... Christian leaders ought to be warning people about that rather than
looking for ways to mitigate the questionable effects of the current
heat wave.</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: left; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; border-image: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 19.5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">(*Disclosure:
The Institute for Southern Studies has received funding from the Z.
Smith Reynolds Foundation and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, which have
also supported the Center for Climate Strategies' work. For a complete
list of the Institute's recent foundation supporters, click <a href="http://www.southernstudies.org/iss/supporters.html" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">here</a>.</span>)
==</p>
<p>
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elliott-negin/koch-brothers-fund-bogus-b_2253472.html?ir="><font color="#000000">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elliott-negin/koch-brothers-fund-bogus-b_2253472.html?ir=</font></a></p>
<p>
...
Did
Muller's conclusions prod the Kochs to reconsider their hardline
position against wind, solar and other renewable energy--our best bet,
besides energy efficiency, to combat global warming? Hardly. The Kochs'
minions merely stepped up their ongoing disinformation campaign to
scuttle renewable energy on economic grounds.</p>
<p>
Take the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elliott-negin/alec-climate-change_b_1439267.html" target="hplink">American Legislative Exchange Council</a> (ALEC) and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Heartland_Institute" target="hplink">Heartland Institute</a>,
two Koch-funded organizations with a history of attacking efforts to
address climate change. ALEC, a stealthy lobby group whose corporate,
nonprofit and state legislator members ghostwrite and then attempt to
implement "model" legislation, played a key role in killing the Midwest
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Accord, a six-state regional cap-and-trade
agreement. Meanwhile, Heartland--an ALEC member that hosts annual
conferences deriding climate science--is probably best known for <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2012/may/09/local/la-me-gs-unabomber-billboard-continues-to-hurt-heartland-institute-20120509" target="_hplink">posting </a>a
not-so-subtle billboard in Chicago last May comparing people who accept
the reality of global warming with "Unabomber" domestic terrorist Ted
Kaczynski.</p>
<p>
More recently the two groups made news when the Washington Post <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/climate-skeptic-group-works-to-reverse-renewable-energy-mandates/2012/11/24/124faaa0-3517-11e2-9cfa-e41bac906cc9_story.html" target="_hplink">reported </a>ALEC's
board of directors adopted a Heartland-crafted model bill that would
repeal state standards requiring utilities to ramp up their use of
renewable energy. The model legislation, the "<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/business/documents/Electricity-Freedom-Act-121123.pdf" target="_hplink">Electricity <span style=" background-color: #FFF200;">Freedom </span>Act</a>,"
claims these requirements--currently on the books in 29 states and the
District of Columbia--will dramatically drive up electricity rates.
That
claim, however, is bunk. In fact, renewable electricity standards have
not significantly increased rates. In some cases, rates have even
dropped a bit. But more on that later.</p>
<p>
<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Garbage in, garbage out. To make its case, ALEC--whose <a href="http://www.commoncause.org/site/pp.asp?c=dkLNK1MQIwG&b=8078765" target="hplink">members </a>include major coal, oil and electric utility industry companies--cites analyses by Suffolk University's <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/beacon-hill-institute" target="hplink">Beacon Hill Institute</a> commissioned by the Koch-funded <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/american-tradition-institute" target="hplink">American Tradition Institute</a> and "free-market" state think tanks associated with the Koch-funded <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=State_Policy_Network" target="hplink">State Policy Network</a>. </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The
analyses examine current or proposed standards in more than a dozen
states, including Colorado, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota and New Jersey.
The studies were partly funded by, you guessed it, the Koch brothers.</span></p>
<p>
The
fact that the Kochs funded the studies doesn't automatically mean
they're biased. In this case, however, Beacon Hill research economist
Michael Head essentially conceded to Washington Post reporter Juliet
Eilperin that he and his colleagues fudged their findings.
That's right.</p>
<p>
Beacon
Hill, Eilperin reported, "assumed that the Energy Information
Administration's projected renewable energy price estimates are too low,
and that cost-containment measures embedded in state policies will
fail." Head told her that he and his co-authors doubted the cost caps,
which place a ceiling on how high monthly consumer electricity rates can
go to meet renewable standards, would take effect. "We just left it out
so we could provide the actual analysis of the policy itself," he
explained.
How convenient.
A
closer look at a sample Beacon Hill analysis of a state renewable
electricity standard shows that this sleight of hand is just one of a
number of ways Head and his colleagues play fast and loose with the
facts.</p>
<p>
<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Jeff Deyette, a senior energy analyst at the </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS)</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, </span><a href="http://blog.ucsusa.org/fact-check-koch-funded-group-misleads-michigan-voters-on-clean-energy/" target="_hplink" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">dissected </a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">a
September analysis Head et al. did of a proposed increase in Michigan's
renewable electricity standard from 10 percent by 2015 to 25 percent by
2025, which was on the November ballot. Besides excluding the cost
cap--a key component of the policy--Deyette found that the Beacon Hill
analysts:</span></p>
<p>
•
ignored the fact that the state already has a standard in place,
enabling them to inflate the costs of implementing the stronger
standard;</p>
<p>
•
made questionable assumptions about renewable energy technologies--often
citing out-of-date, controversial or unsubstantiated material to
support their assertions--instead of using real-world cost and
performance data from local projects; and</p>
<p>
•
failed to factor in the new standard's benefits, including economic
development, job growth, cleaner air and reduced carbon pollution.</p>
<p>
Beacon Hill--an official <a href="http://climateconference.heartland.org/cosponsors/" target="hplink">sponsor </a>of this year's Heartland climate science-bashing conference--conducted this particular study for the Michigan-based <a href="http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/campaigns/global-warming-and-energy/polluterwatch/koch-industries/mackinac-center-for-public-pol/" target="hplink">Mackinac Center for Public Policy</a>.
The center, the largest state-based free-market think tank in the
country, is a Koch grantee and a member of the Koch-funded State Policy
Network. Not surprisingly, the center consistently denies the reality of
global warming.</p>
<p>
<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">This
is not the first time Beacon Hill energy analyses have been questioned.
Last year, Michael Conathan, director of ocean policy at the </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Center for American Progress,</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> a progressive, Washington, D.C.-based think tank, </span><a href="http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/08/17/297394/koch-brothers-fund-bogus-study-bashing-offshore-wind-in-new-jersey/" target="_hplink" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">reviewed </a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">a
Beacon Hill analysis of the potential for offshore wind along the New
Jersey coast. According to Conathan, the study--which was heavily
promoted by Americans for Prosperity, a political advocacy group founded
by and largely funded by the Kochs--"misses the mark on both sides of
the ledger by dramatically overstating the costs and underestimating the
economic benefits of offshore wind."</span>
The facts on the ground tell a different story.
Despite the Koch juggernaut's scare tactics, some evidence is already
in, and so far the impact of renewable electricity standards on rates
has been, for the most part, negligible. In late October, Steve Clemmer,
UCS's director of energy research, <a href="http://blog.ucsusa.org/michigans-neighbors-show-increasing-renewable-electricity-standard-is-affordable/" target="_hplink">surveyed </a>rates in three Midwestern states. This is what he found:</p>
<p>
•
Wind and other renewable technologies have reduced wholesale electricity
prices in Illinois by displacing coal and other energy sources that
have higher operating costs, saving ratepayers an estimated $177 million in 2011 alone, according to the Illinois Power Agency.
===</p>
<p>
The Beacon Hill Institute
(BHI) is the research arm of the Department of Economics at Suffolk
University in Boston. It was founded in 1991 by businessman and
Republican politician <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Ray_Shamie&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Ray Shamie (page does not exist)">Ray Shamie</a>. BHI describes itself as being "grounded in the principles of limited government, fiscal responsibility and free markets."<sup id="cite_ref-0" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Beacon_Hill_Institute#cite_note-0" title="">[1]</a></sup></p><i><em style="font-weight: bold;">
</em></i><p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><i><em style="font-weight: bold;"> </em></i></p>
<table id="toc" class="toc" summary="Contents" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><tbody><tr><td>
<div id="toctitle">
<h2>Contents</h2>
<span class="toctoggle">[<a class="internal" id="togglelink">hide</a>]</span></div>
<ul><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Beacon_Hill_Institute#Wind_studies"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Wind studies</span></a>
<ul><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Beacon_Hill_Institute#North_Carolina"><font color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">1.1</span> <span class="toctext">North Carolina</span></font></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Beacon_Hill_Institute#New_Jersey"><font color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">1.2</span> <span class="toctext">New Jersey</span></font></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Beacon_Hill_Institute#Wisconsin"><font color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">1.3</span> <span class="toctext">Wisconsin</span></font></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Beacon_Hill_Institute#Ohio"><font color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">1.4</span> <span class="toctext">Ohio</span></font></a></li></ul>
</li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Beacon_Hill_Institute#Personnel"><font color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Personnel</span></font></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Beacon_Hill_Institute#Funding.5B6.5D"><font color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">Funding<sup>[6]</sup></span></font></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Beacon_Hill_Institute#Contact_Details"><font color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">Contact Details</span></font></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Beacon_Hill_Institute#Articles_and_resources"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">Articles and resources</span></a>
<ul><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Beacon_Hill_Institute#Related_SourceWatch_articles"><font color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">5.1</span> <span class="toctext">Related SourceWatch articles</span></font></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Beacon_Hill_Institute#References"><font color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">5.2</span> <span class="toctext">References</span></font></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Beacon_Hill_Institute#External_links"><font color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">5.3</span> <span class="toctext">External links</span></font></a></li></ul>
</li></ul>
</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a name="Wind_studies" id="Wind_studies"> </a></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="mw-headline">Wind studies</span></h2>
<p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a name="North_Carolina" id="North_Carolina"> </a></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="mw-headline">North Carolina</span></h3>
<p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">In a 2011 op-ed, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Americans_for_Tax_Reform" title="Americans for Tax Reform">Americans for Tax Reform</a>'s<span style=" background-color: #FFF200;"> </span><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Grover_Norquist" title="Grover Norquist"><span style=" background-color: #FFF200;">Grover Norquist</span></a><span style=" background-color: #FFF200;"> cited a study by BHI on North Carolina's </span><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Renewable_energy_standards&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Renewable energy standards (page does not exist)"><span style=" background-color: #FFF200;">renewable energy standards</span></a><span style=" background-color: #FFF200;"> (</span>RES),
stating that "The RES in North Carolina, one of 2012’s key battleground
states, is projected to reduce real disposable income by $56.8 million
and likely be responsible for the loss of 3,592 jobs by 2021." Norquist
said that "legislators in states around the country are now working with
<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Americans_for_Tax_Reform" title="Americans for Tax Reform">Americans for Tax Reform</a>
to repeal renewable energy mandates in 2012. The iron is hottest to
strike in states where Republicans recently took control of both the
Legislature and the governorship — including Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio
and Pennsylvania."<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Beacon_Hill_Institute#cite_note-1" title="">[2]</a></sup>
BHI's
numbers on the impact of state RESs on electricity prices have been
disputed by Climate Progress, who say "the data shows that the presence
of a state-level renewable energy standard has a virtually zero
statistically-significant impact on how much electric rates changed from
2000 to 2010."<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Beacon_Hill_Institute#cite_note-2" title="">[3]</a></sup>
<a name="New_Jersey" id="New_Jersey"> </a></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="mw-headline">New Jersey</span></h3>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">In August 2011, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Americans_for_Prosperity" title="Americans for Prosperity">Americans for Prosperity</a> (AFP) released a <a href="http://static.taxcutsforall.com/files/NJWINDREPORT.pdf" class="external text" title="http://static.taxcutsforall.com/files/NJWINDREPORT.pdf" rel="nofollow">study</a> by Beacon Hill Institute </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">of
the plans by the State of New Jersey to develop 1,100 megawatts of wind
capacity off its coastline, concluding that the wind farm "will produce
net economic costs, raise electricity prices, and dampen economic
activity.” The study does not discuss the estimated 5,000 construction
and maintenance jobs predicted by a range of other studies, and
discounts wind power’s benefit in reducing New Jersey’s import of
electricity from other states.</span><sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Beacon_Hill_Institute#cite_note-3" title="">[4]</a></sup>
<a name="Wisconsin" id="Wisconsin"> </a></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="mw-headline">Wisconsin</span></h3>
<p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The Beacon Hill Institute collaborated with the free market think tank <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Wisconsin_Policy_Research_Institute" title="Wisconsin Policy Research Institute">Wisconsin Policy Research Institute</a> on a <a href="http://www.wpri.org/Reports/Volume22/Vol22No7/Vol22No7.html" class="external text" title="http://www.wpri.org/Reports/Volume22/Vol22No7/Vol22No7.html" rel="nofollow">report</a> critiquing the recommendations from a 2007 Wisconsin clean energy task force, including the state's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Renewable_portfolio_standards" title="Renewable portfolio standards" class="mw-redirect">renewable portfolio standards</a> (RPS).
<a name="Ohio" id="Ohio"> </a></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="mw-headline">Ohio</span></h3>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">In September 2011, Ohio State Sen. Kris Jordan introduced a bill (SB216) that would repeal Ohio's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Renewable_portfolio_standards" title="Renewable portfolio standards" class="mw-redirect">renewable portfolio standards</a>, citing a <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=American_Tradition_Institute" title="American Tradition Institute">American Tradition Institute</a> and <span class="selflink">Beacon Hill Institute</span> <a href="http://www.atinstitute.org/the-cost-and-economic-impact-of-ohio%E2%80%99s-alternative-energy-portfolio-standard/" class="external text" title="http://www.atinstitute.org/the-cost-and-economic-impact-of-ohio’s-alternative-energy-portfolio-standard/" rel="nofollow">study</a></span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
arguing that Ohio residents would pay $8.63 billion more for
electricity between 2016 and 2025 because of the 12.5% requirement.</span><sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Beacon_Hill_Institute#cite_note-4" title="">[5]</a></sup>
<a name="Personnel" id="Personnel"> </a></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="mw-headline">Personnel</span></h2>
<ul style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=David_G._Tuerck" title="David G. Tuerck">David G. Tuerck</a>, Executive Director</li></ul>
<p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a name="Funding.5B6.5D" id="Funding.5B6.5D"> </a></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="mw-headline">Funding<sup id="cite_ref-MediaTransparency.org_5-0" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Beacon_Hill_Institute#cite_note-MediaTransparency.org-5" title="">[6]</a></sup></span></h2>
<ul><li style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Castle_Rock_Foundation" title="Castle Rock Foundation" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Castle Rock Foundation</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> (funded by th</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">e <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Coors" title="Coors" class="mw-redirect">Coors</a> family)</span></li><li style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Lynde_and_Harry_Bradley_Foundation" title="Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation"><font color="#000000">Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation</font></a></li></ul>
<p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a name="Contact_Details" id="Contact_Details"> </a></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="mw-headline">Contact Details</span></h2>
<div style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Beacon Hill Institute at Suffolk University</div><div style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">8 Ashburton Place</div><div style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Boston, MA 02108</div><div style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Telephone: 617-573-8050</div><div style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Fax: 617-994-4279</div><div style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Website: <a href="http://www.beaconhill.org/" class="external free" title="http://www.beaconhill.org/" rel="nofollow">http://www.beaconhill.org/</a></div>
<p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a name="Articles_and_resources" id="Articles_and_resources"> </a></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="mw-headline">Articles and resources</span></h2>
<p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a name="Related_SourceWatch_articles" id="Related_SourceWatch_articles"> </a></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="mw-headline">Related SourceWatch articles</span></h3>
<ul style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Global_warming_skeptics" title="Global warming skeptics"><font color="#000000">Global warming skeptics</font></a></li><li style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=First_International_Conference_on_Climate_Change" title="First International Conference on Climate Change" class="mw-redirect"><font color="#000000">First International Conference on Climate Change</font></a></li><li style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Second_International_Conference_on_Climate_Change" title="Second International Conference on Climate Change" class="mw-redirect"><font color="#000000">Second International Conference on Climate Change</font></a></li></ul>
<p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a name="References" id="References"> </a></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="mw-headline">References</span></h3>
<ol class="references" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li id="cite_note-0" style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Beacon_Hill_Institute#cite_ref-0" title="">↑</a> Beacon Hill Institute, <a href="http://www.beaconhill.org/Mission.html" class="external text" title="http://www.beaconhill.org/Mission.html" rel="nofollow">"Mission and Vision"</a>, Beacon Hill Institute website, accessed May 2009.</li><li id="cite_note-1" style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Beacon_Hill_Institute#cite_ref-1" title="">↑</a> Grover Norquist and Patrick Gleason, <a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1211/70610.html" class="external text" title="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1211/70610.html" rel="nofollow">"Rethink renewable energy mandates"</a> Politico, December 18, 2011.</li><li id="cite_note-2" style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Beacon_Hill_Institute#cite_ref-2" title="">↑</a> Stephen Lacey, <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/12/19/392410/grover-norquist-spreads-lies-about-renewable-energy-standards/" class="external text" title="http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/12/19/392410/grover-norquist-spreads-lies-about-renewable-energy-standards/" rel="nofollow">"Grover Norquist Spreads Lies About Renewable Energy Standards"</a> Climate Progress, Dec. 19, 2011.</li><li id="cite_note-3" style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Beacon_Hill_Institute#cite_ref-3" title="">↑</a> <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/08/17/297394/koch-brothers-fund-bogus-study-bashing-offshore-wind-in-new-jersey/" class="external text" title="http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/08/17/297394/koch-brothers-fund-bogus-study-bashing-offshore-wind-in-new-jersey/" rel="nofollow">"Koch Brothers Fund Bogus Study Bashing Offshore Wind in New Jersey"</a> Climate Progress, Aug. 17, 2011.</li><li id="cite_note-4" style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Beacon_Hill_Institute#cite_ref-4" title="">↑</a> John Monaghan, <a href="http://heartland.org/policy-documents/research-commentary-ohio-alternative-energy-portfolio-standard" class="external text" title="http://heartland.org/policy-documents/research-commentary-ohio-alternative-energy-portfolio-standard" rel="nofollow">"Research & Commentary: Ohio Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard"</a> Heartland Institute, January 31, 2012.</li><li id="cite_note-MediaTransparency.org-5" style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Beacon_Hill_Institute#cite_ref-MediaTransparency.org_5-0" title="">↑</a> <a href="http://mediamattersaction.org/transparency/organization/Beacon_Hill_Institute_for_Public_Policy_Research/funders" class="external text" title="http://mediamattersaction.org/transparency/organization/Beacon_Hill_Institute_for_Public_Policy_Research/funders" rel="nofollow">Media Transparency.org's listing for the Beacon Hill Institute</a>. Retrieved on 2011-04-23.</li></ol>
<p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a name="External_links" id="External_links"> </a></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="mw-headline">External links</span></h3>
<table style="margin: 0.5em 0.57em 0.5em 0.7em; border-collapse: collapse; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(218, 210, 109); -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; border-image: initial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 250, 205); background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><tbody><tr><td style=" padding: .25em .25em 0.25em .25em;" width="100%">This article is a <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=SourceWatch:Find_or_fix_a_stub" title="SourceWatch:Find or fix a stub">stub</a>. You can <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=SourceWatch:Find_or_fix_a_stub" title="SourceWatch:Find or fix a stub">help</a> by <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Beacon_Hill_Institute&action=edit" class="external text" title="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Beacon_Hill_Institute&action=edit" rel="nofollow">expanding it</a>.</td><td>
</td></tr></tbody></table>
<div id="catlinks" class="catlinks">
<div id="mw-normal-catlinks">
<p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Special:Categories" title="Special:Categories">Categories</a>: <span dir="ltr"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Category:Climate_change" title="Category:Climate change">Climate change</a></span> | <span dir="ltr"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Category:Stubs" title="Category:Stubs">Stubs</a></span> | <span dir="ltr"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Category:Think_tanks" title="Category:Think tanks">Think tanks</a></span> | <span dir="ltr"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Category:Energy" title="Category:Energy">Energy</a></span> | <span dir="ltr"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Category:Renewable_energy" title="Category:Renewable energy">Renewable energy</a></span></p>
<p>
<span dir="ltr">=</span>
<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">http://www.</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">desmogblog.</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">com/beacon-hill-institute</span></p>
<div class="node">
<div class="content">
<p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Beacon Hill Institute
Background</p>
<p>
The Beacon Hill Institute for Public Policy Research was founded in 1991 by the Republican politician Ray Shamie.</p>
<p>
Beacon Hill describes itself as "Grounded in the principles of limited government, fiscal responsibility and free markets"</p>
<p>
The
Institute conducts economic research and conducts educational programs
"for the purpose of producing and disseminating readable analysis of
current public policy issues to voters, taxpayers, opinion leaders and
policy makers." [1]</p>
<p>
It
has recently received money from conservative foundations such as the
Castle Rock Foundation (funded by Coors), and the Lynd and Harry Bradley
Foundation.</p>
<p>
<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">David G. Tuerck is the Executive Director of the Beacon Hill Institute and is the</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> former director of the Center for Research and Advertising at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI).</span>
<font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Stance on Climate Change</font></p>
<p>
The BHI Blog generally publishes opinion pieces that suggest a free-market approach to dealing with climate change:</p>
<p>
"The
only way to slow global warming is to allow entrepreneurs to create more
energy-efficient products and technologies. As the demand for these
products grows, entrepreneurs will naturally react to market forces and
direct their energies to producing more energy-efficient products at a
cheaper cost. Government intervention is not the solution to this
problem, the free market is." [7]
Funding</p>
<p>
According to Media Matters, Beacon Hill's funding is as follows: [2]</p>
<p>
Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation — $53,240
State Policy Network — $59,000 </p>
<p>
Media Transparency also lists the following contributions to Beacon Hill from 1998 to 2006: [3]</p>
<p>
<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> Roe </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Foundation — $180,000</span>
Castle Rock Foundation — $20,000
Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation — $20,000
Ruth and Lovett Peters Foundation — $1,000</p>
<p>
Key People</p>
<p>
David G. Tuerck — Executive Director.</p>
<p>
Actions</p>
<p>
May 21 - 23, 2012</p>
<p>
<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The Beacon Hill Institute is listed as an official Co-sponsor of the </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Heartland </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Institute's Seventh International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC7).</span></p>
<p>
January, 2008
<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">The
John Locke Foundation (JLF) commissioned a "peer review" by the Beacon
Hill Institute of a report by the North Carolina Climate Action Plan
Advisory Group</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> (NC-CAPAG) and an accompanying jobs analysis from Appalachian State University. [4]</span></p>
<p>
According
to the press release, "The peer review raises red flags about the
model’s projections." JLF Vice President for Research Roy Cordato said
that "Trained economists conducting this new peer review found that the
model is so flawed that no one should trust the results." [5]</p>
<p>
DeSmogBlog
speculated that the self-proclaimed "peer-review" appeared to be done
entirely within the Beacon Hill Institute and without outside input.
Related Organizations</p>
<p>
Beacon Hill lists the following clients on their website: [6]</p>
<p>
Alabama Policy Institute
<font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> Altria Corporation</font>
American Council on Education
Associated Builders and Contractors of Connecticut
Associated Builders and Contractors of Massachusetts
AT&T Foundation
Center of the American Experiment
Commonwealth Foundation
<font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> CSE Foundation</font>
<font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> DCI Group</font>
Egan Family Foundation
Ernst &Young
<font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> Flint Hills Center for Public Policy</font>
<font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> Heritage Foundation</font>
Institute for Policy Innovation
<font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> KPMG Peat Marwick</font>
Maine Public Policy Institute
Manhattan Institute
Microsoft Corporation
Mississippi Center for Public Policy
New England Cable Television Association
New Hampshire Commission to Assess the Operating Efficiency of State Government
New Hampshire First
Oklahoma Office of State Finance
<font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> Pacific Research Institute</font>
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Quincy Medical Center
<font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> Rio Grande Foundation</font>
Roe Foundation
Small Business Survival Committee
<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> State of Oklahoma</span>
<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> Texas Public Policy Foundation</span>
<font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy</font>
United States Agency for International Development
Wisconsin Policy Research Institute, Inc.
Zeron Foundation</p>
<p>
Resources</p>
<p>
"Mission and Vision," The Beacon Hill Institute. Accessed December, 2011.</p>
<p>
"Beacon Hill Institute for Public Policy Research," Media Matters. Accessed December, 2011.</p>
<p>
Beacon Hill Institute: Media Transparency Profile.</p>
<p>
"Unlocking One Think Tank's Oily Secrets," PR Watch, November 15, 2007.</p>
<p>
"Press Releases: N.C. energy policy model 'not credible'," John Locke Foundation, January 9, 2008.</p>
<p>
"Clients," The Beacon Hill Institute. Accessed December, 2011.</p>
<p>
"Solution lies in the free market system," The Boston Globe, August 8, 2008.</p>
<p>
"Beacon Hill Institute," SourceWatch Profile.</p>
<p>
Wikipedia Profile.</p>
<p>
DeSmogBlog</p>
<h2 style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> Background</h2>
<p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The Beacon Hill Institute for Public Policy Research was founded in 1991 by the Republican politician Ray Shamie.
Beacon Hill <a target="_blank" href="http://www.beaconhill.org/Mission.html">describes itself</a> as "Grounded in the principles of limited government, fiscal responsibility and free markets"
The
Institute conducts economic research and conducts educational programs
"for the purpose of producing and disseminating readable analysis of
current public policy issues to voters, taxpayers, opinion leaders and
policy makers." <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/beacon-hill-institute#s1">[1]</a>
It has recently received money from conservative foundations such as the <a target="blank" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Castle_Rock_Foundation">Castle Rock Foundation</a> (funded by Coors), and the <a target="blank" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Lynde_and_Harry_Bradley_Foundation">Lynd and Harry Bradley Foundation</a>.
<a href="http://www.beaconhill.org/staff.html" target="_blank">David G. Tuerck</a>
is the Executive Director of the Beacon Hill Institute and is the
former director of the Center for Research and Advertising at the <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/american-enterprise-institute">American Enterprise Institute (<span class="caps">AEI</span>)</a>.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Stance on Climate Change</h2>
<p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a target="blank" href="http://beaconhillinstitute.blogspot.com/">The <span class="caps">BHI</span> Blog</a> generally publishes opinion pieces that suggest a <a target="blank" href="http://beaconhillinstitute.blogspot.com/2008/08/solutions-lies-in-free-market-system.html">free-market approach</a> to dealing with climate change:
"The
only way to slow global warming is to allow entrepreneurs to create
more energy-efficient products and technologies. As the demand for these
products grows, entrepreneurs will naturally react to market forces and
direct their energies to producing more energy-efficient products at a
cheaper cost. Government intervention is not the solution to this
problem, the free market is." <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/beacon-hill-institute#s7">[7]</a></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> Funding</h2>
<p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a target="_blank" href="http://mediamattersaction.org/transparency/organization/Beacon_Hill_Institute_for_Public_Policy_Research/funders">According to Media Matters</a>, Beacon Hill's funding is as follows: <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/beacon-hill-institute#s2">[2]</a></p>
<ul style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="text-align: left;"><a target="blank" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Lynde_and_Harry_Bradley_Foundation">Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation</a> — $53,240 </li><li style="text-align: left;"><a target="blank" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=State_Policy_Network">State Policy Network</a> — $59,000 </li></ul>
<p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a target="_blank" href="http://old.mediatransparency.org/recipientgrants.php?recipientID=3244">Media Transparency</a> also lists the following contributions to Beacon Hill from 1998 to 2006: <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/beacon-hill-institute#s3">[3]</a></p>
<ul style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="text-align: left;"><a target="blank" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Roe_Foundation">Roe Foundation</a> — $180,000</li><li style="text-align: left;"><a target="blank" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Castle_Rock_Foundation">Castle Rock Foundation</a> — $20,000</li><li style="text-align: left;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Lynde_and_Harry_Bradley_Foundation">Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation </a>— $20,000</li><li style="text-align: left;">Ruth and Lovett Peters Foundation — $1,000</li></ul>
<h2 style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Key People</h2>
<ul style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/david-tuerck">David G. Tuerck</a> — <a target="_blank" href="http://www.beaconhill.org/staff.html">Executive Director</a>.</li></ul>
<h2 style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> Actions</h2>
<p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">May 21 - 23, 2012
<span class="caps">The Beacon Hill Institute is listed as </span>an <a href="http://climateconference.heartland.org/cosponsors/" target="_blank">official Co-sponsor</a> of the Heartland Institute's Seventh International Conference on Climate Change (<span class="caps">ICCC7</span>).
January, 2008
The <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=John_Locke_Foundation">John Locke Foundation</a> (<span class="caps">JLF</span>)
commissioned a "peer review" by the Beacon Hill Institute of a report
by the North Carolina Climate Action Plan Advisory Group (<span class="caps">NC</span>-<span class="caps">CAPAG</span>) and an accompanying jobs analysis from Appalachian State University. <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/beacon-hill-institute#s4">[4]</a>
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.johnlocke.org/press_releases/show/324">According to the press release</a>, "The peer review raises red flags about the model’s projections." <span class="caps">JLF</span>
Vice President for Research Roy Cordato said that "Trained economists
conducting this new peer review found that the model is so flawed that
no one should trust the results." <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/beacon-hill-institute#s5">[5]</a>
<a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/phony-peer-review-tries-to-undermine-climate-action-in-north-carolina">DeSmogBlog speculated</a> that the self-proclaimed "peer-review" appeared to be done entirely within the Beacon Hill Institute and without outside input.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Related Organizations</h2>
<p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Beacon Hill lists the following clients <a target="_blank" href="http://www.beaconhill.org/Clients.html">on their website</a>: <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/beacon-hill-institute#s6">[6]</a></p>
<ul style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="text-align: left;">Alabama Policy Institute</li><li style="text-align: left;"><a target="blank" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Altria_Group"><font color="#000000">Altria Corporation</font></a></li><li style="text-align: left;">American Council on Education</li><li style="text-align: left;">Associated Builders and Contractors of Connecticut</li><li style="text-align: left;">Associated Builders and Contractors of Massachusetts</li><li style="text-align: left;"><span class="caps">AT</span>&T Foundation</li><li style="text-align: left;">Center of the American Experiment</li><li style="text-align: left;"><a target="blank" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Commonwealth_Foundation_for_Public_Policy_Alternatives">Commonwealth Foundation</a></li><li style="text-align: left;"><span class="caps">CSE</span> Foundation</li><li style="text-align: left;"><a target="blank" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=DCI_Group"><span class="caps">DCI</span> Group</a></li><li style="text-align: left;">Egan Family Foundation</li><li style="text-align: left;">Ernst &Young</li><li style="text-align: left;">Flint Hills Center for Public Policy</li><li style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/heritage-foundation%5C">Heritage Foundation</a></li><li style="text-align: left;">Institute for Policy Innovation</li><li style="text-align: left;"><span class="caps">KPMG</span> Peat Marwick</li><li style="text-align: left;">Maine Public Policy Institute</li><li style="text-align: left;"><a target="blank" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Manhattan_Institute_for_Policy_Research">Manhattan Institute</a></li><li style="text-align: left;">Microsoft Corporation</li><li style="text-align: left;">Mississippi Center for Public Policy</li><li style="text-align: left;">New England Cable Television Association</li><li style="text-align: left;">New Hampshire Commission to Assess the Operating Efficiency of State Government</li><li style="text-align: left;">New Hampshire First</li><li style="text-align: left;">Oklahoma Office of State Finance</li><li style="text-align: left;"><a target="blank" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Pacific_Research_Institute">Pacific Research Institute</a></li><li style="text-align: left;">PricewaterhouseCoopers</li><li style="text-align: left;">Quincy Medical Center</li><li style="text-align: left;">Rio Grande Foundation</li><li style="text-align: left;">Roe Foundation</li><li style="text-align: left;">Small Business Survival Committee</li><li style="text-align: left;">State of Oklahoma</li><li style="text-align: left;"><a target="blank" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Texas_Public_Policy_Foundation">Texas Public Policy Foundation</a></li><li style="text-align: left;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Thomas_Jefferson_Institute_for_Public_Policy">Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy</a></li><li style="text-align: left;">United States Agency for International Development</li><li style="text-align: left;">Wisconsin Policy Research Institute, Inc.</li><li style="text-align: left;">Zeron Foundation</li></ul>
<h2 style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> Resources</h2>
<ol style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li>
<p style="text-align: left;"><a id="s1" name="s1"> </a>"<a target="_blank" href="http://www.beaconhill.org/Mission.html">Mission and Vision</a>," The Beacon Hill Institute. Accessed December, 2011.</p>
</li><li>
<p style="text-align: left;"><a id="s2" name="s2"> </a>"<a target="_blank" href="http://mediamattersaction.org/transparency/organization/Beacon_Hill_Institute_for_Public_Policy_Research/funders">Beacon Hill Institute for Public Policy Research</a>," Media Matters. Accessed December, 2011.</p>
</li><li>
<p style="text-align: left;"><a id="s3" target="_blank" href="http://old.mediatransparency.org/recipientgrants.php?recipientID=3244" name="s3">Beacon Hill Institute: Media Transparency Profile</a>.</p>
</li><li>
<p style="text-align: left;"><a id="s4" name="s4"> </a>"<a target="_blank" href="http://www.prwatch.org/spin/2007/11/6718/unlocking-one-think-tanks-oily-secrets">Unlocking One Think Tank's Oily Secrets</a>," <span class="caps">PR</span> Watch, November 15, 2007.</p>
</li><li>
<p style="text-align: left;"><a id="s5" name="s5"> </a>"<a target="_blank" href="http://www.johnlocke.org/press_releases/show/324">Press Releases: <span class="caps">N.C.</span> energy policy model 'not credible'</a>," John Locke Foundation, January 9, 2008.</p>
</li><li>
<p style="text-align: left;"><a id="s6" name="s6"> </a>"<a target="_blank" href="http://www.beaconhill.org/Clients.html">Clients</a>," The Beacon Hill Institute. Accessed December, 2011.</p>
</li><li>
<p style="text-align: left;"><a id="s7" name="s7"> </a>"<a target="_blank" href="http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/letters/articles/2008/08/08/solution_lies_in_the_free_market_system/">Solution lies in the free market system</a>," The Boston Globe, August 8, 2008.</p>
</li><li>
<p style="text-align: left;">"<a target="_blank" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Beacon_Hill_Institute">Beacon Hill Institute</a>," SourceWatch Profile.</p>
</li><li>
<p style="text-align: left;"><a target="_blank" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beacon_Hill_Institute">Wikipedia Profile</a>.</p>
</li></ol>
</div>
</div>
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<p style="text-align: left;">DeSmogBlog</p>
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<p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ==</p><p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">beaconhill615</p><p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</p><p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">DAVID G. TUERCK, PHD</p><p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Executive Director</p><p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">In
addition to serving as executive director of the Beacon Hill Institute,
David G. Tuerck serves as professor and chairman of the Suffolk
University Department of Economics.</p><p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Prior
to joining Suffolk University in 1982, he was a director in the
Economic Analysis Group at Coopers & Lybrand, Washington, DC. Prior
to that, he served as director of the Center for Research and
Advertising at the American Enterprise Institute.</p><p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Dr.
Tuerck holds a doctorate in economics from the University of Virginia.
His dissertation director was James M. Buchanan, 1986 Nobel Laureate in
Economics.</p><p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</p><p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">PAUL BACHMAN</p><p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Director of Research</p><p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Paul Bachman is the Director of Research at the Beacon Hill Institute.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">He holds a Master of Science in </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">International Economics degree from Suffolk University</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> and a Bachelor of Arts (Politics) degree from the St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia.</span></p><p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></p><p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">FRANK A. CONTE</p><p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Director, Communications and Information Services</p><p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Frank
A. Conte manages the Institute's State Competitiveness Project He is
responsible for all aspects of BHI's computer infrastructure and the
institute's web site.</p><p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Prior to joining BHI, he was a contributing columnist to the East Boston Sun-Transcript, and Journal-Transcript Newspapers.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">He holds a BS in English and Government from Suffolk University </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">and a MS in Public Policy from the University of Massachusetts, Boston.</span></p><p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</p><p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">JONATHAN HAUGHTON</p><p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Senior Economist</p><p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Jonathan Haughton is a Project Manager for the Beacon Hill Institute's State Tax Analysis Modeling Program.</p><p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">He
is an associate professor of economics at Suffolk University. A
specialist in the areas of economic development, international trade and
taxation, he has lectured, taught and conducted research in almost 20
countries.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">He received his BA (Mod.) in Economics from Trinity College, Dublin and his</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> PhD in Economics from Harvard University.</span></p><p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></p><p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">MICHAEL HEAD </p><p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Research Economist</p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Michael
Head is a Research Economist, involved in both STAMP modeling as well
various Research Projects.He holds a B.S in Interdisciplinary
Mathematics: Economics from the University of New Hampshire and a </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Master of Science in Economic Policy at Suffolk University</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">.</span></p><p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</p><p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">CHARLES E. ROUNDS, JR. </p><p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Resident Scholar</p><p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Charles E. Rounds, Jr. advises on legal services and on regulatory issues.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">He is Professor of Law at Suffolk University Law School. </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">He is the author of 13 editions of Loring: A Trustee's Handbook (Aspen Publishers). He is a member of the Massachusetts </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Real Estate </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Review Board and a fellow of American College of Trust and Estate Counsel as well as a member of the Advisory Committee of the </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Cato Project on Social Security Choice.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">He holds a BA from Columbia University and a </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">JD from Suffolk University Law School.</span></p><div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">===
</p>
<h2 class="section-title" style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Michael Head's Overview</h2>
<dl id="overview"><dt id="overview-summary-current-title" class="summary-current" style="text-align: left; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Current</dt><dd class="summary-current" style="display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<ul class="current"><li style="text-align: left;">Research Economist <span class="at">at </span><a class="company-profile-public" href="http://www.linkedin.com/company/the-beacon-hill-institute?trk=ppro_cprof"><span class="org summary">Beacon Hill Institute</span></a></li><li style="text-align: left;">Research Economist <span class="at">at </span>Suffolk University</li></ul>
</dd><dt id="overview-summary-past-title" class="summary-past" style="text-align: left; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Past</dt><dd class="summary-past" style="display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<ul class="past"><li style="text-align: left;">Account Manager <span class="at">at </span><a class="company-profile-public" href="http://www.linkedin.com/company/investors-bank-%26-trust?trk=ppro_cprof"><span class="org summary">Investors Bank & Trust</span></a></li></ul>
</dd><dt id="overview-summary-education-title" class="summary-education" style="text-align: left; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Education</dt><dd class="summary-education" style="display: block;">
<ul><li style="text-align: left;"><font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Suffolk University</font></li><li style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">University of New Hampshire</li></ul>
</dd><dt style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Connections</dt><dd class="overview-connections" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<p style="text-align: left;">97 connections</p>
</dd><dt class="websites" style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Websites</dt><dd class="websites" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<ul><li style="text-align: left;"><a id="overviewsite" href="http://www.linkedin.com/redir/redirect?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ebeaconhill%2Eorg%2F&urlhash=fbwS" target="_blank" title="New window will open" name="overviewsite"><font color="#000000">Company Website </font></a></li></ul>
</dd></dl>
<div class="section subsection-reorder" id="profile-experience" style="display: block;">
<div class="header" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<h2 style="text-align: left;">Michael Head's Experience</h2>
</div>
<div class="content vcalendar">
<div>
<div>
<div class="position first experience vevent vcard summary-current" style="display: block;"><font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a class="include" href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/michael-head/14/91a/649#name"> </a>
</font><div class="postitle" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<h3 class="false" style="text-align: left;"><span class="title">Research Economist</span></h3>
<h4 style="text-align: left;"><a class="company-profile-public" href="http://www.linkedin.com/company/the-beacon-hill-institute?trk=ppro_cprof"><span class="org summary">Beacon Hill Institute</span></a></h4>
</div>
<p class="orgstats organization-details current-position" style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Nonprofit; 1-10 employees; Nonprofit Organization Management industry
<abbr class="dtstart" title="2007-12-01">December 2007</abbr> – <abbr class="dtstamp" title="2012-12-09">Present</abbr> <span class="duration"><span class="value-title" title="P5Y1M"> </span>(5 years 1 month)</span></p>
<div style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">-Leading
research in various contracts, including State Prevailing Wage Costs,
the Massachusetts State Budget, and numerous state tax issues.</div>
<div style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">-Co-authored research studies and critiques of the economic impacts of non-tax policies.</div>
<div style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">-Lead Researcher of the </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Institutes State Tax Analysis Modeling Program (STAMP), i</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">ncluding construction of the model, debugging of coding, and creation of input databases.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<div class="position experience vevent vcard summary-current" style=" display: block;"><a class="include" href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/michael-head/14/91a/649#name"> </a>
<div class="postitle">
<h3 class="false" style="text-align: left;"><span class="title">Research Economist</span></h3>
<h4 style="text-align: left;"><a class="company-profile-public" href="http://www.linkedin.com/company/suffolk-university?trk=ppro_cprof"><span class="org summary">Suffolk University</span></a></h4>
</div>
<p class="orgstats organization-details current-position" style="text-align: left;">Educational Institution; 1001-5000 employees; Higher Education industry
<abbr class="dtstart" title="2007-12-01">December 2007</abbr> – <abbr class="dtstamp" title="2012-12-09">Present</abbr> <span class="duration"><span class="value-title" title="P5Y1M"> </span>(5 years 1 month)</span></p>
</div>
</div>
<div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<div class="position experience vevent vcard summary-past" style="display: block;"><a class="include" href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/michael-head/14/91a/649#name"> </a>
<div class="postitle">
<h3 class="false" style="text-align: left;"><span class="title">Account Manager</span></h3>
<h4 style="text-align: left;"><a class="company-profile-public" href="http://www.linkedin.com/company/investors-bank-%26-trust?trk=ppro_cprof"><span class="org summary">Investors Bank & Trust</span></a></h4>
</div>
<p class="orgstats organization-details past-position" style="text-align: left;">Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; IFIN; Financial Services industry
<abbr class="dtstart" title="2004-07-01">July 2004</abbr> – <abbr class="dtend" title="2007-07-01">July 2007</abbr> <span class="duration"><span class="value-title" title="P3Y1M"> </span>(3 years 1 month)</span></p>
<div style="text-align: left;">-Received “Star of the Month Award” for work developing and streamlining Foreign Exchange trading and settlement.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div><div style="text-align: left;">-Supervised staff of up to five fund accountants and two senior fund accountants.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div><div style="text-align: left;">-Reviewed nightly Net Asset Value calculations for mutual funds to be reported to NASDAQ and transfer agencies.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div><div style="text-align: left;">-Prepared
semi-annual and annual audit packages for financial reporting and audit
purposes. Responsible for answering internal and external audit
questions and providing support for all account balances.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="section subsection-reorder summary-education" id="profile-education" style="display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<div class="header">
<h2 style="text-align: left;">Michael Head's Education</h2>
</div>
<div class="content vcalendar">
<div>
<div class="position first education vevent vcard" id="35583271">
<h3 class="summary fn org" style="text-align: left;">Suffolk University</h3>
<h4 class="details-education" style="text-align: left;"><span class="degree">MS</span>, <span class="major">Economic Policy</span></h4>
<p class="period" style="text-align: left;"><abbr class="dtstart" title="2005-01-01">2005</abbr> – <abbr class="dtend" title="2007-12-31">2007</abbr>
</p>
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<div class="position education vevent vcard" id="35583246">
<h3 class="summary fn org" style="text-align: left;">University of New Hampshire</h3>
<h4 class="details-education" style="text-align: left;"><span class="degree">BS</span>, <span class="major">Math: Economics</span></h4>
<p class="period" style="text-align: left;"><abbr class="dtstart" title="2000-01-01">2000</abbr> – <abbr class="dtend" title="2004-12-31">2004</abbr>
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<div class="section" id="profile-additional" style="display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">Michael Head's Additional Information</h2>
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<div class="content">
<dl><dt class="websites" style="text-align: left; display: block;">Websites:</dt><dd class="websites" style=" display: block;">
<ul><li class="website" style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/redir/redirect?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ebeaconhill%2Eorg%2F&urlhash=fbwS" target="_blank" title="New window will open"><font color="#000000">Company Website </font></a></li></ul>
</dd><dt class="pubgroups" style="text-align: left; display: block;">Groups and Associations:</dt><dd class="pubgroups" id="pubgroups" style=" display: block;">
<ul class="groups"><li class="affiliation vcard"><div style="text-align: left;">
</div><div class="group-data" style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Suffolk-University-78796"><span class="fn org"><font color="#000000">Suffolk University</font></span></a></div>
</li></ul>
</dd></dl>
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<div class="section" id="profile-contact" style="display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">Contact Michael for:</h2>
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<div class="content">
<div class="interested">
<ul><li style="text-align: left;">career opportunities</li><li style="text-align: left;">consulting offers</li><li style="text-align: left;">new ventures</li><li style="text-align: left;">job inquiries</li><li style="text-align: left;">expertise requests</li><li style="text-align: left;">business deals</li><li style="text-align: left;">reference requests</li><li style="text-align: left;">getting back in touch</li></ul>
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<div class="section view-full-profile" style="font-weight: bold; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">View Michael Head’s full profile to..<em style="font-weight: bold;" /></h3></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>