TV News LIES

Wednesday, Oct 15th

Last update08:02:10 AM GMT

You are here News Environment Big Greem Fracking Machine: The Heinz Endowments, has significant, undisclosed ties to the natural gas industry.

Big Greem Fracking Machine: The Heinz Endowments, has significant, undisclosed ties to the natural gas industry.

E-mail Print PDF

FrackingMuch has been made of the recently announced Center for Sustainable Shale Development (CSSD), a Pittsburgh-based partnership between 11 fracking companies and non-profit groups. The CSSD bills itself as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for the gas industry, putting forward a set of 15 standards for fracking and certifying drillers that voluntarily comply with those standards.

Though CSSD’s materials and the news media have touted the group’s independence in certifying drillers, CSSD appears to be less a guarantor of fracking’s sustainability than a “greenwashing” campaign controlled by the natural gas industry with the cooperation of a few philanthropies and environmentalist organizations with considerable ties to the natural gas industry.

The following are major findings from the report:

The major philanthropic force behind CSSD, The Heinz Endowments, has significant, undisclosed ties to the natural gas industry. The foundation has contributed more than $250,000 to CSSD, providing funding to every environmental group involved as well as to CSSD itself. Heinz Endowments president Robert F. Vagt is currently a director at Kinder Morgan, a natural gas pipeline company, and owns more than $1.2 million in company stock.

This is not disclosed on the Heinz Endowments website or the website of CSSD, where Vagt serves as a director. Kinder Morgan has cited increased regulation of fracking as a key business risk in recent corporate filings. A director of the Heinz Endowments, James E. Rohr, is also a board member at EQT Corp, which is playing a central role at CSSD (see below). This directorship is not disclosed on the Heinz Endowments website.

More...


Most Recent Related Stories...


Coral reef collapse drives world across first climate tipping point

Coral reef collapseThanks to the dire condition of the Earth's coral reefs, the planet has now reached its...

'An extraordinary legacy': Tributes after chimpanzee expert Jane Goodall dies age 91

Jane Goodall diesDr Jane Goodall, who died today at 91, devoted her life to the study and conservation...

US’s strongest tornado in 12 years rips across North Dakota and kills three

EF5 tornadoA deadly tornado that tore across North Dakota this summer has been upgraded to an EF-5,...

Energy Dept. tells employees not to use words including 'climate change' and 'green'

DOE bans use of workds like climate changeThe Department of Energy has told employees to avoid using certain words, including "climate change," "green"...
 
America's # 1 Enemy
Tee Shirt
& Help Support TvNewsLIES.org!
TVNL Tee Shirt
 
TVNL TOTE BAG
Conserve our Planet
& Help Support TvNewsLIES.org!
 
Get your 9/11 & Media
Deception Dollars
& Help Support TvNewsLIES.org!
 
The Loaded Deck
The First & the Best!
The Media & Bush Admin Exposed!