September 26, 2013 12:27 PM UTC

A Change Of Heart, Or The Height of Hypocrisy?

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• by: western_values

NOTE: This is the first in a series of posts designed to put the most flagrant bad actors on notice. We’re telling those members of Congress, oil and gas industry representatives and public and elected officials who consistently and deliberately mislead and misrepresent Westerners and our values that we’re watching. We clearly support a balanced approach to land use in our communities. Oil and gas development is an important part of the Western economy, but all Westerners deserve a voice in how their lands are used. The Western Values Project is committed to telling the story of these bad actors, setting the record straight and giving voice to Western values.

Kathleen Sgamma, Vice President of Government & Public Affairs, Western Energy Alliance

Last week, Western Energy Alliance’s (WEA) Vice President of Government & Public Affairs, Kathleen Sgamma, co-authored an editorial in the Salt Lake Tribune in which she touted her organizations ability to work together to find a balance between conservation and energy development. It’s an admirable position and one I’ve taken many times. In fact, Westerners are demanding just that. 

Unfortunately, that also happens to be the opposite of WEA or Sgamma’s record on conservation. For years leading right up to their sudden change of heart a few weeks ago, WEA and Sgamma have done everything in their power to champion oil and gas development wherever resources may lie with total disregard for our land, water, wildlife and small businesses. In Sgamma’s world, there’s no room for balance – until this month, that is.

Back in 2005, the AP reported that WEA predecessor, the Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States (IPAMS) claimed the Endangered Species Act was to blame for high natural gas prices. I guess some things don’t change. Interestingly, in 2012 NBC News said, “So much natural gas is being produced that soon there may be nowhere left to put the country's swelling surplus.”  In 2012, WEA claimed government regulations were making oil and gas development on Federal lands “cost prohibitive.”  But as the Denver Post points out, oil and gas development is an issue of economics and geology. Oil and gas development is occurring on private and state lands because that’s where the oil and gas is.

But Sgamma’s hypocrisy certainly doesn’t end there. Sgamma has consistently resorted to misrepresentations of facts and inflammatory rhetoric to sell energy companies as the underdog in the face of overzealous government regulators. But in fact, industry’s enormous influence on Congress and several administrations, including the current one, has been widely documented – making Sgamma’s claims even more dishonest.

When confronted in 2010 with a report highlighting the fact that just 36 percent of oil and gas leases were being developed by industry, Sgamma blamed an overly strict regulatory environment for the low production.  Just three years later, U.S. Crude Oil output is at the highest level since 1989.  And in 2011, IPAMS claimed increased scrutiny of leases would reduce oil and gas production.  Yet 2010 leasing reforms meant to reduce bureaucratic red tape and increase public input have dramatically reduced protests, all while oil and gas development continues to expand in Western states like Colorado. 

Last month, the Equal Ground Campaign — a coalition of conservation groups advocating for equality between conservation and energy development —invited WEA to match a recent rhetorical shift with action.  On their Facebook page WEA called the invitation a media stunt. This is hardly a reflection of their sincerity to work with groups seeking commonsense solutions to our most pressing natural resource issues.

At a time when budget talks are likely to stall in Washington, out West we have the opportunity to show folks what we can accomplish by working together.  We’re demanding a balance.  It’s time for industry organizations like Western Energy Alliance to work with folks on the ground.  Until they deliver, we’ll remain unconvinced by PR campaigns – and we’ll continue to call Sgamma out on her dishonesty and false rhetoric.