Coal industry campaign dwarfs political spending by green groups

The mining lobby poured nearly $5 million into political campaigning last financial year, dwarfing comparable spending by environmental groups.

Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison shows off a lump
of black coal during question time last year.

The little-known ACA Low Emissions Technologies - lobbyists for the coal industry - spent $3.6 million on advertising campaigns in the 12 months after the last federal election, as the political debate about energy policy raged.

Read Adam Gartrell’s story in today’s Age - “Coal industry campaign dwarfs political spending by green groups.”

House slashes funding for clean energy, restores funding for fossil fuel research

Mark Hand.

The House of Representatives voted Thursday to approve a large spending bill for fiscal year 2018 that slashes clean energy spending and approves keeping fossil fuel research at current levels.

In a spending package known as the “minibus,” the House voted to set the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s (EERE) budget at $1.1 billion, a 45 percent cut from the office’s fiscal 2017 budget of more than $2 billion. The Trump administration requested an even bigger cut for the Department of Energy office that would have lowered its budget to $636 million, or 70 percent, below the 2017 budget.

The funding measure passed 235–192, with five Democrats voting for, five Republicans voting against, and six representatives abstaining. It still needs approval from the Senate before it passes into law — a thin possibility, given the largely partisan House vote.

Read the Think Progress by Mark Hand - “House slashes funding for clean energy, restores funding for fossil fuel research."