Real Climate has archived an image of the letter recently sent from IREA to other utilities, along with comments and responses from their readers. Intermountain Rural Electric Association (IREA) General Manager Stanley R. Lewandowski's July 17 letter objected that proposed carbon caps and observance of the Kyoto Treaty would add to electricity costs and announced IREA's $100,000 contribution of customer funds to global warming skeptic and climate commentator Patrick Michaels. In addition to soliciting help countering Al Gore's film"Inconvenient Truth,". Lewandowski alleged that that TV ads by the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) "were financed by General Motors and the Ford Motor Company."
RealClimate's post includes copies of statements from both auto companies acknowledging support of CEI but denying involvement or approval of the ads in question. "RealClimate » Disinformation? You want it, IREA's got it"
Seth Borenstein's piece in the Washington Post, "Utilities Give Warming Skeptic Big Bucks" (July 27, 2006), also addresses the IREA letter and contributions, with commentary on both sides.
In the interests of full disclosure, I receive funding from no one for my posts in Unintended Consequences. I do this in my spare time and maintain my modest website with my own money. I do so because I am very concerned that we are leaving a heavily damaged climate to my 19 year old daughter, as well as to billions of innocent people across the world who I believe will have to suffer for the temporary prosperity of the developed and some developing nations.
Posted by dougsimpson at July 28, 2006 05:27 PM