One of the Koch brothers’ most blatant self-serving crusades has been their efforts to repeal and weaken protections for our air and water to strengthen their own bottom line.
North Carolina offers a clear example of the lengths to which the Kochs will go to help themselves at the expense of working families. Their North Carolina Americans for Prosperity group has opposed wind energy tax credits, because, after all, wind isn’t oil.
They have actively worked to roll back a renewable energy standard passed in 2007, which would have diminished our reliance on foreign oil and once again hurt their bottom line. They even flew a hot air balloon over Chapel Hill to highlight the “hot air” coming from those promoting the harmful effects of climate change in North Carolina.
But their charades should not fool anyone – they are only in it for themselves and their oil fortune.
AFP-NC Deputy State Director: “It’s Time For Our Elected Officials In Washington And Raleigh To Oppose Extending Tax Breaks And Purchasing Mandates To Wind Energy.” According to an op-ed by Americans for Prosperity-North Carolina deputy director Donald Bryson for the Times News, “It’s time for our elected officials in Washington and Raleigh to oppose extending tax breaks and purchasing mandates to wind energy. They should to overlook the wishful thinking on wind energy and take a close look at the facts. The overlapping incentives for wind power consistently fail to bring the long-term job creation, economic activity, and energy affordability that special interests in the wind industry promise.” [Donald Bryson Op-Ed – Times News via AmericansforProsperity.org, 1/13/14]
AFP-North Carolina Urged State House Members To Support The Affordable And Reliable Energy Act, Which Would “Rollback And Cap The Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (RPS) Mandate” Passed In 2007. According to a press release from Americans for Prosperity-North Carolina, “Americans for Prosperity – North Carolina, the state’s leading advocate for economic freedom, has called on members of the North Carolina House of Representatives to support House Bill 298 – the Affordable and Reliable Energy Act. This bill, if passed, will rollback and cap the renewable energy portfolio standard (RPS) mandate set in a law signed by former Governor Mike Easley in 2007. The RPS mandate states that by 2021, the state’s investor-owned utilities must provide 12.5 percent of their energy from ‘green’ renewable sources.” [Americans for Prosperity-North Carolina Press Release, 4/2/13]
AFP-North Carolina: Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards Were “Green Energy Mandates Designed By Radical Environmental Extremists To Purposely Inflict North Carolina Citizens With Higher Energy Prices.” According to a press release from Americans for Prosperity-North Carolina, “Republican lawmakers leading the General Assembly have a responsibility to save North Carolina families from needlessly high electricity prices by freezing Green energy mandates designed by radical environmental extremists to purposely inflict North Carolina citizens with higher energy prices, according to Americans for Prosperity-North Carolina, State Director Dallas Woodhouse.” [Americans for Prosperity-North Carolina Press Release, 4/2/13]
AFP-North Carolina Flew A Hot Air Balloon Over John Edwards’ NC House As Part Of Its Campaign To Highlight The “Hot Air” Coming From “Global Warming Alarmists.” According to a press release from Americans for Prosperity-North Carolina, “The taxpayer watchdog group Americans for Prosperity (AFP) will call attention to the ‘hot air’ and hypocrisy in the global warming debate by flying a six-story-tall hot air balloon over former N.C. Senator John Edwards’ massive Chapel Hill estate. AFP-North Carolina Director Dallas Woodhouse noted that Edwards is among a group of global warming alarmists that expect average Americans to sacrifice and shoulder higher energy costs, but fail to live up to their own rhetoric. The fly-over is scheduled for Wednesday evening. ‘We are traveling the nation to highlight the ‘hot air’ that comes out of so many politicians’ mouths when it comes to global warming,’ said Woodhouse.” [Americans for Prosperity-North Carolina Press Release, via Archive.org, 7/1/08]