Gerald E.
Galloway,
PE, PhD Brigadier General, (US Army-Retired) Glenn L. Martin Institute
Professor of Engineering University of Maryland
Ann
Phillips
Rear Admiral, (US Navy- Retired) Special Assistant to the Governor for
Coastal Adaptation and Protection Commonwealth of Virginia
Ricardo S.
Pineda
PE, CFM Chair, Association of State
Floodplain Managers Supervising Engineer Water Resources California
Department of Water Resources Division of Flood Management On behalf
of the Association of State Floodplain Managers
Louis
Gritzo,
Ph.D Vice President FM Global Research Manager, Testimony * Melissa
Samet
Senior Water Resources Counsel National Wildlife Federation * Julie
Ufner
President National Waterways Conference
The Subcommittee
will examine how the oil industry’s climate denial campaign has
negatively and disproportionately affected people of color and
vulnerable populations in our country and around the world, as well as
drowned out the voices of everyday Americans.
BACKGROUND
Decades of climate denialism by the oil industry forestalled meaningful
government action to avert the current crisis. As early as the 1960s,
oil giants like Exxon knew that climate change was real and that the
burning of fossil fuels was a major contributor to the problem.
The lack of government action on climate change has a disproportionate
impact on vulnerable communities who are often harmed “first and worst”
by climate change.
Climate denial not only led to these devasting effects on vulnerable
populations; it also represents a distortion of our democracy, as
powerful, moneyed interests control the conversation and drown out the
voices of average Americans who are paying the price of climate change.
Despite efforts to rehabilitate their image by pledging to stop
supporting think tanks and lobbyists who promote climate denialism,
Exxon has continued to fund climate deniers. Exxon still continues to
fund organizations “steeped in climate denial and delay” to this day,
clear evidence that it has not changed since its initial pivot from
climate science to denial.
Despite the already devasting effects of climate change, Exxon shows no
signs of slowing down on its production of fossil fuels. To the
contrary, Exxon and other oil companies continue to explore for more
oil, meaning they are not taking the problem of climate change or the
development of alternative fuels seriously.
Witnesses:
Dr. Mustafa Ali, Vice President, Environmental Justice Climate and
Community Revitalization, National Wildlife Federation
Dr. Ed Garvey, Former Exxon Scientist
Dr. Martin Hoffert, Former Exxon Consultant, Professor Emeritus,
Physics, New York University
Dr. Naomi Oreskes, Professor, History of Science, Affiliated
Professor, Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard University
Sharon Eubanks, Esquire, Of Counsel, Henderson Law Firm,
PLLC
The hearing will focus on the ways natural systems, such as forests,
grasslands and wetlands, can increase carbon storage across the United
States, helping in the fight against the climate crisis.
Witnesses:
Dr. Joe Fargione, Lead Scientist for The Nature Conservancy’s North
America Region (@nature_org). Fargione is an expert in energy
production, land use and conservation. Prior to Nature Conservancy, he
held faculty positions at the University of New Mexico and Purdue
University.
Frankie Myers, Vice Chairman of the Yurok Tribal Council
(@TheYurokTribe). In honor of its forest management efforts to
mitigate climate change, the Yurok Tribe was recently awarded the
United Nations Development Programme’s Equator Prize, which honors
“innovative nature-based solutions for tackling climate change,
environment, and poverty challenges.”
Dr. Jennifer Howard, Marine Climate Change Director, Conservation
International (@ConservationOrg). Howard’s professional work focuses
on protecting coastal and marine ecosystems, which in turn can help
vulnerable coastal communities address the challenges of the climate
crisis.
Alexander “Andy” Karsner (@andykarsner), Executive Chairman, Elemental
Labs. Karsner is a visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution at
Stanford University and a member of the Hoover Institution’s Energy
Policy Task Force.
Dr. Heather Karsten, Associate Professor of Crop Production and
Ecology, Department of Plant Science, the Pennsylvania State
University, University Park, Pennsylvania
Don Cameron, Vice-President and General Manager, TerraNova Ranch,
Helm, California on behalf of California Farm Bureau
The Committee on Natural Resources will hold a legislative hearing on
the following bill:
Discussion Draft H.R. _ (Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva), “To amend the
Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act or
‘PROMESA,’ and for other purposes.”
The purpose of the hearing is to examine international efforts to
increase energy efficiency and opportunities to advance energy
efficiency in the United States.
Witnesses
Daniel Bresette, Executive Director, Environmental and Energy Study
Institute
Jennifer Layke, Global Director for Energy, World Resources Institute
Dr. Brian Motherway, Head of Energy Efficiency, International Energy
Agency
W. Scott Tew, Executive Director, Center for Energy Efficiency &
Sustainability, Ingersoll Rand
The hearing will focus on developing and implementing domestic
technologies to reduce industrial emissions.
Witnesses:
Brad Crabtree, Vice President, Carbon Management, Great Plains
Institute (@GreatPlainsInst) and Director of the Carbon Capture
Coalition (@CCSTechFacts). The CCC is a
national coalition of over 70 organizations that support the adoption
and deployment of carbon capture technologies. Crabtree also
coordinates a 15-state work group convened in 2015 by Governor Steve
Bullock (D-MT) and former Governor Matt Mead (R-WY) to foster
commercial deployment of carbon capture and
CO2 pipeline infrastructure.
David Gardiner, Principal, President, David Gardiner and
Associates (@dgardinera) and former Executive Director of the White
House Climate Change Task Force under the Clinton Administration.
Gardiner facilitates the Combined Heat and Power Alliance and the
Renewable Thermal Collaborative, which focus on innovative strategies
to reduce industrial sector emissions. Gardiner has over 35 years of
experience analyzing and influencing domestic and global clean energy
solutions in the public and private sector. Prior to founding
DGA, Gardiner served as Assistant
Administrator for Policy at the Environmental Protection Agency and
Legislative Director for the Sierra Club in Washington, D.C.
Cate Hight, Principal, Industry and Heavy Transport, Rocky Mountain
Institute (@RockyMtnInst) and former manager of the Global Methane
Initiative program at the Environmental Protection Agency. The
RMI is a nonpartisan nonprofit that works
with businesses, communities and institutions to make cost-effective
shifts from fossil fuels to efficiency and renewables.
Jeremy Gregory, Ph.D. (@jeremyrgregory), Executive Director,
MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub
(@CSHub_MIT). Dr. Gregory is an engineer who studies the economic and
environmental implications of materials, their recycling and recovery
systems. The CSHub at MIT was established
with grants from the Portland Cement Association with the goal of
accelerating breakthroughs in concrete science and the swift
transition of research advancements to industry practices.
The Subcommittee
will examine how the oil industry’s climate denial campaign has
negatively and disproportionately affected people of color and
vulnerable populations in our country and around the world, as well as
drowned out the voices of everyday Americans.