Independent UK: US power company linked to Bush is named in database as a top polluter

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US power company linked to Bush is named in database as a top polluter
By Leonard Doyle in Washington
Published: 16 November 2007



An American power company with close financial links to President George Bush has been named as one of the world's top producers of global warming pollution.

The first-ever worldwide database of such pollution also reveals the rapid growth in global-warming emissions by power plants in China, South Africa and India. Power plants already produce 40 per cent of US greenhouse gas and 25 per cent of the world's.

But it is the enormous carbon footprint of Southern Company – among the largest financiers of Republican Party politicians – which has raised eyebrows. Southern's employees handed George Bush $217,047 to help him get elected, and they and the company have contributed an extraordinary $6.2m to Republican campaigns since 1990.

A single Southern Company plant in Juliette, Georgia already emits more carbon dioxide annually that Brazil's entire power sector. The company is in the top two of America's dirtiest utility polluters and sixth worst in the world.

Apart from vague promises by the Democratic presidential hopefuls, there is no pressure on this or any other power company to clean up their act and cut back on CO2 emissions.

Politicians from both parties fear the influence of Southern, which spends huge sums both on lobbying and on political campaigns and is among the biggest power players in Washington. It has seen off numerous attempts to impose controls on the amounts of pollution it pumps out.

The link between massive cash contributions by America's power companies and political arm-twisting in Washington has rarely been put into such sharp relief. Environmentalists have long suspected that President Bush's dogged refusal to sign up to international agreements to control global warming was linked to campaign contributions.

Yesterday's report has finally identified the impact these power companies are having on global warming. Southern, which earned $14.4bn in revenues in 2006, is using its influence to block the introduction of wind, solar, biomass and other renewable energy sources on the grounds that it would eat into its profits.

Haley Barbour, one of the main lobbyists for Southern Co when President Bush took office, played a crucial role in persuading him to back away from his original campaign promise to reduce CO2 emissions when he first ran for president in 2000. Mr Barbour is a former chairman of the Republican Party, and was reelected governor of Mississippi last week. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article3166414.ece

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1. This was mentioned on democracynow this morning.

Coal Company on Worst-Polluter List is Major Bush Donor

An American power company named in a new report on the world’s worst polluters is also a major donor to President Bush. According to the Centre for Global Development, Southern Company is in the top two of the worst utility polluters in the U.S. and ranks sixth-worst in the world. One Southern plant in Juliette, Georgia emits more carbon dioxide every year than Brazil’s entire power sector. Finance records show Southern Company employees have donated more than six million dollars to Republican campaigns since 1990, including more than two-hundred thousand to elect President Bush.

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/11/16/1419215