Posted on 07/03/2012 3:20:31 PM PDT by jazusamo
The suspicions of Oklahoma Sen. James Inhofe were correct: Rather than sitting before the House Energy and Commerce Committee three weeks ago to explain theways he “crucified” oil and natural gas companies, insteadAl Armendariz – who cancelled his appearance at the last minute – met with the Sierra Club for a job interview.
This time the recently resigned EPA’s Region 6 administrator will eagerly attack another fossil fuel, joining the litigious environmental group as part of its “Beyond Coal” campaign. If there was any question that Armendariz unfairly regulated the gas and oil businesses under his authority in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and other neighboring states, the Sierra Club announcement left no doubt.
“I know how important it is to transition to cleaner sources of energy that don’t pollute the air that our children breathe,” he said, “and I’m proud to be working on a campaign with a proven track record for success.”
Inhofe proved prescient in remarks to National Journal on June 7th.
“Rather than testifying in the House and being accountable for carrying out the Obama-EPA’s ‘crucify them’ agenda, it appears Mr. Armendariz may have had a job interview with the Sierra Club,” Inhofe said. “With such an impressive job-killing resume, it would be no surprise if the Sierra Club is recruiting him for their ‘Beyond Gas’ campaign designed to ‘prevent any new gas plants from being built’ and to end natural gas production in this country.”
Okay, so the Sooner senator mis-prognosticated about which attack agenda that Armendariz would focus. Nevertheless he noted that whether eco-activists are toiling in the government or for environmental pressure groups, they have a common mission.
“Dr. Armendariz follows numerous Obama administration officials who have come from or moved to radical Left and green groups,” Inhofe said in a statement on Friday. “It’s as if there is a revolving door between the White House and organizations such as the Sierra Club and the Center for American Progress.”
As NLPC reported in April when Armendariz’s “crucify” remarks were revealed by Inhofe, the former Southern Methodist University professor often worked on behalf of green activists, including Environmental Defense, WildEarth Guardians, Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action, and Dallas-based Downwinders at Risk. That information was not disclosed on his EPA bio, nor was his past collaboration with Sierra Club, which the organization’s Bruce Nilles divulged on Friday.
And once again Inhofe accurately explained the relationship between the Obama administration and green groups. An examination of the work histories of the other EPA regional administrators shows extension backgrounds in environmental activism, litigation, or both:
Region 1 Administrator Curt Spalding served as executive director of Rhode Island-based Save the Bay for nearly 20 years. He recently praised EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson for her implementation of greenhouse gas standards on coal-fired power plants, despite the fact that the new regulations would lead to the destruction of coal-mining communities like those in West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
Region 2 Administrator Judith Enck was senior environmental associate with New York Public Interest Research Group and was executive director of Environmental Advocates of New York. Her bio states she “worked with the New York State Legislature to pass a number of the state’s most far-reaching environmental laws….”
Region 3 Administrator Shawn Garvin rose up through the ranks of EPA, earlier serving as a special assistant to the regional administrator, and “earning numerous EPA gold, silver and bronze medals.” Prior to that he was an aide for then-Sen. Joe Biden.
Region 4 Administrator Gwendolyn Keyes-Fleming has an extensive background in law enforcement and prosecuting criminals, but no apparent specialties in environmental activism.
Region 5 Administrator Susan Hedman is a veteran attorney who has litigated environmental cases as part of the University of Maryland Environmental Law Center, as counsel for the Environmental Law and Policy Center, and as senior assistant attorney general in the Illinois Attorney General’s office. Last August she joined dozens of environmental activists outside her Chicago office to celebrate the expected implementation of EPA’s Mercury Air Toxics Standard, which was released in December.
Region 7 Administrator Karl Brooks, a lawyer, was executive director for the Idaho Conservation League and is author of Before Earth Day: The Origins of American Environmental Law, 1945-1970.
Region 8 Administrator James Martin was senior attorney for the Environmental Defense Fund and also headed the Natural Resources Law Center at the University of Colorado School of Law. NLPC reported in May that Martin is so extreme on the global warming issue that he believes, “You could have a convention of all the scientists who dispute climate change in a relatively small phone booth.”
Region 9 Administrator Jared Blumenfeld – a former employee of the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund, and the International Fund for Animal Welfare – was the director of the San Francisco Department of the Environment before joining EPA. In that role a plastic bag ban and a 2020 zero waste goal were among the accomplishments he was proud of enough to put in his bio.
Region 10 Administrator Dennis McLerran, an attorney, was previously executive director of Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, and before that was city attorney for the City of Port Townsend and director of the Seattle Department of Construction and Land Use. He was also a member of Seattle’s Green Ribbon Commission, former chair of the Land Use and Environmental Law Section of the Washington State Bar Association, and past president of the Association of Local Air Pollution Control Officials, the national association of local air agencies in the United States.
With a litigious bunch like that, many with historical ties to aggressive green groups, perhaps President Obama might consider saving taxpayers some money, eliminate the positions, and subcontract the regulation out to groups like Sierra Club and Environmental Defense directly. No one would notice the difference.
Paul Chesser is an associate fellow for the National Legal and Policy Center.
Call your congressman and ask him to support Tim Walberg’s H.R. 750 (Defending America’s Affordable Energy & Jobs Act)
It would take the power to regulate out of the hands of the EPA and put it in the hands of congress (and by extension, the hands of the people)
Bump, and Thanks.
We need to crush the sierra club and shut down the EPA put all who work there on the unemployment line and begin a new agency with new staff who are friendly to oil and gas and the conservative administration.
We need to crush the sierra club and shut down the EPA put all who work there on the unemployment line and begin a new agency with new staff who are friendly to oil and gas and the conservative administration.
It’s so clear to anyone that looks at the broad picture of the Democrats, Obama, and his so-called “administration” their goal is to tie chain, and anchor around the economy of this Nation, and chuck it overboard. This Nation as it is an impediment to the Lefts New World Order, as well to the alliance of the Left, and Islam of similar goals.
Elect me President and the first thing I would do, even before I killed Obamacare in my second hour in office, would be to abolish the entire EPA.
We need to defund and dismantle the EPA and energy dept. and homeland security. This are worthless harmful organizations and they concentrate far too much power in the executive branch. We are living in a dictatorship where every hard working American with a sense of values is being systematically destroyed.
Democrats really believe that the people who run the department of motor vehicles or government schools (Like a high school principle etc.) will be able to provide the cutting edge technology and diagnostics to save our lives.
Current cosponsors.
Rep. Dan Burton [R-IN5] (joined Mar 02, 2011)
Rep. Steven “Steve” Chabot [R-OH1] (joined Mar 02, 2011)
Rep. Louis Gohmert [R-TX1] (joined Mar 02, 2011)
Rep. Jim Jordan [R-OH4] (joined Mar 02, 2011)
Rep. Jean Schmidt [R-OH2] (joined Mar 02, 2011)
Rep. Blake Farenthold [R-TX27] (joined Mar 03, 2011)
Rep. Robert Latta [R-OH5] (joined Mar 08, 2011)
Rep. Bill Huizenga [R-MI2] (joined Mar 09, 2011)
Rep. Michele Bachmann [R-MN6] (joined Mar 10, 2011)
Rep. Lynn Westmoreland [R-GA3] (joined Mar 10, 2011)
Rep. Bob Gibbs [R-OH18] (joined Mar 11, 2011)
Rep. Daniel Lungren [R-CA3] (joined Mar 11, 2011)
Rep. Sandy Adams [R-FL24] (joined Mar 14, 2011)
Rep. Tom McClintock [R-CA4] (joined Mar 14, 2011)
Rep. Dennis Ross [R-FL12] (joined Mar 14, 2011)
Rep. Rob Bishop [R-UT1] (joined Mar 16, 2011)
Rep. Michael Conaway [R-TX11] (joined Mar 16, 2011)
Rep. John Fleming [R-LA4] (joined Mar 16, 2011)
Rep. Trent Franks [R-AZ2] (joined Mar 16, 2011)
Rep. John “Phil” Gingrey [R-GA11] (joined Mar 16, 2011)
Rep. Andy Harris [R-MD1] (joined Mar 16, 2011)
Rep. Randy Hultgren [R-IL14] (joined Mar 16, 2011)
Rep. Jack Kingston [R-GA1] (joined Mar 16, 2011)
Rep. Doug Lamborn [R-CO5] (joined Mar 16, 2011)
Rep. Randy Neugebauer [R-TX19] (joined Mar 16, 2011)
Rep. Steven “Steve” Pearce [R-NM2] (joined Mar 16, 2011)
Rep. Mike Pence [R-IN6] (joined Mar 16, 2011)
Rep. Reid Ribble [R-WI8] (joined Mar 16, 2011)
Rep. Phil Roe [R-TN1] (joined Mar 16, 2011)
Rep. Edward “Ed” Royce [R-CA40] (joined Mar 16, 2011)
Rep. Joe Walsh [R-IL8] (joined Mar 16, 2011)
Rep. Scott Tipton [R-CO3] (joined Mar 29, 2011)
Rep. Jeff Denham [R-CA19] (joined Apr 01, 2011)
Rep. Joseph Pitts [R-PA16] (joined Apr 01, 2011)
Rep. Dennis “Denny” Rehberg [R-MT0] (joined Apr 04, 2011)
Rep. John Carter [R-TX31] (joined Apr 13, 2011)
Rep. Mike Coffman [R-CO6] (joined Apr 14, 2011)
Rep. Walter “Wally” Herger [R-CA2] (joined Apr 14, 2011)
Rep. Candice Miller [R-MI10] (joined Apr 15, 2011)
Rep. Gary Miller [R-CA42] (joined May 10, 2011)
Rep. Mike Pompeo [R-KS4] (joined Jun 14, 2011)
Rep. Peter “Pete” Sessions [R-TX32] (joined Jun 14, 2011)
Rep. Walter Jones [R-NC3] (joined Jun 16, 2011)
Rep. Jeff Flake [R-AZ6] (joined Jun 22, 2011)
Rep. Billy Long [R-MO7] (joined Jun 22, 2011)
Rep. Rick Berg [R-ND0] (joined Jun 23, 2011)
Rep. Shelley Capito [R-WV2] (joined Jun 23, 2011)
Rep. Thaddeus “Thad” McCotter [R-MI11] (joined Jul 06, 2011)
Rep. Tim Murphy [R-PA18] (joined Jul 06, 2011)
Rep. James Lankford [R-OK5] (joined Jul 18, 2011)
Rep. Robert “Bob” Goodlatte [R-VA6] (joined Jul 19, 2011)
Rep. Vicky Hartzler [R-MO4] (joined Jul 19, 2011)
Rep. Steve Austria [R-OH7] (joined Sep 08, 2011)
Rep. Jeff Duncan [R-SC3] (joined Sep 08, 2011)
Rep. Stephen Fincher [R-TN8] (joined Sep 08, 2011)
Rep. Tom Graves [R-GA9] (joined Sep 08, 2011)
Rep. Tim Huelskamp [R-KS1] (joined Sep 08, 2011)
Rep. Lynn Jenkins [R-KS2] (joined Sep 08, 2011)
Rep. Samuel “Sam” Johnson [R-TX3] (joined Sep 08, 2011)
Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer [R-MO9] (joined Sep 08, 2011)
Rep. Kenny Marchant [R-TX24] (joined Sep 08, 2011)
Rep. Jeff Miller [R-FL1] (joined Sep 08, 2011)
Rep. Rob Woodall [R-GA7] (joined Sep 08, 2011)
Rep. Larry Bucshon [R-IN8] (joined Sep 12, 2011)
Rep. Trey Gowdy [R-SC4] (joined Sep 12, 2011)
Rep. Mick Mulvaney [R-SC5] (joined Sep 12, 2011)
Rep. Diane Black [R-TN6] (joined Sep 15, 2011)
Rep. Scott DesJarlais [R-TN4] (joined Sep 15, 2011)
Rep. Bill Flores [R-TX17] (joined Sep 15, 2011)
Rep. Samuel “Sam” Graves [R-MO6] (joined Sep 15, 2011)
Rep. Frank Guinta [R-NH1] (joined Sep 15, 2011)
Rep. Marsha Blackburn [R-TN7] (joined Sep 21, 2011)
Rep. Kevin Brady [R-TX8] (joined Sep 21, 2011)
Rep. Francisco “Quico” Canseco [R-TX23] (joined Sep 21, 2011)
Rep. Alan Nunnelee [R-MS1] (joined Oct 05, 2011)
Rep. David Schweikert [R-AZ5] (joined Oct 06, 2011)
Rep. Thomas Marino [R-PA10] (joined Oct 13, 2011)
Rep. Kevin Yoder [R-KS3] (joined Oct 13, 2011)
Rep. Kristi Noem [R-SD0] (joined Oct 24, 2011)
Rep. Addison “Joe” Wilson [R-SC2] (joined Oct 24, 2011)
Rep. Donald Manzullo [R-IL16] (joined Oct 25, 2011)
Rep. Steve Southerland [R-FL2] (joined Oct 25, 2011)
Rep. Paul Broun [R-GA10] (joined Nov 02, 2011)
Rep. Mark Amodei [R-NV2] (joined Dec 14, 2011)
Rep. Lamar Smith [R-TX21] (joined Dec 20, 2011)
Rep. Paul Gosar [R-AZ1] (joined Dec 23, 2011)
Rep. Justin Amash [R-MI3] (joined Jan 10, 2012)
Rep. Cory Gardner [R-CO4] (joined Jan 10, 2012)
Rep. Chuck Fleischmann [R-TN3] (joined Jan 24, 2012)
Rep. Adam Kinzinger [R-IL11] (joined Jan 25, 2012)
Rep. Ben Quayle [R-AZ3] (joined Mar 05, 2012)
Rep. Thomas Rooney [R-FL16] (joined Mar 22, 2012)
Rep. Clifford “Cliff” Stearns [R-FL6] (joined Mar 29, 2012)
Rep. Dan Benishek [R-MI1] (joined May 09, 2012)
Rep. Austin Scott [R-GA8] (joined May 09, 2012)
Rep. Tim Scott [R-SC1] (joined May 09, 2012)
Rep. Pete Olson [R-TX22] (joined May 10, 2012)
Rep. John Culberson [R-TX7] (joined May 15, 2012)
Rep. Steve Scalise [R-LA1] (joined May 15, 2012)
Rep. John Mica [R-FL7] (joined Jun 21, 2012)
Rep. Jeb Hensarling [R-TX5] (joined Jun 26, 2012)
Thanks for the list.
I bet none of these people ever had a real job.
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