Media Contact:
Rebekah Staub, rstaub@earthworks.org
Today, Senator Edward J. Markey and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) reintroduced the Banning In Government Oil Industry Lobbyists (BIG OIL) from the Cabinet Act, which would prohibit the appointment of executive officers and lobbyists of fossil fuel entities or trade associations as the heads or political appointees of certain government departments that work on issues related to American energy policy for a 10-year period. This includes Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Energy, Chris Wright, whose Wednesday hearing reinforced his many conflicts of interest from leading multiple oil and gas companies focused on fracking—most recently, as CEO of Liberty Energy.
Statement from Kelsey Crane, Senior Policy Advocate at Earthworks:
“The fossil fuel industry is notorious for spending millions of dollars to delay climate action and undermine progress on environmental justice. This bill ensures big polluters are not granted positions of power where it is guaranteed they would degrade environmental protections and block investments in a clean energy future.”