For Immediate Release,
March 17, 2021
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Legal Petition Aims to Stop Utilities From Forcing Customers to Bankroll Anti-Environment Trade Groups
WASHINGTON— The Center for Biological Diversity petitioned the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission today to prevent electric utilities from forcing customers to finance anti-environment trade groups.
Current accounting systems allow electric utilities to recover the costs of financing anti-environment trade groups from their customers. Today’s petition says that practice violates the First Amendment and asks FERC to amend the accounting system so that ratepayers aren’t forced to support these trade associations.
“It’s time to stop forcing people to support anti-environment trade groups that stand in the way of the urgently needed transition to clean energy. Often those groups are working directly against the customers’ own interests, as well as the future wellbeing of their children,” said Howard Crystal, legal director of the Center’s Energy Justice program. “Millions of dollars are funneled from ratepayers to organizations that pose tremendous threats to the climate and clean energy development. People have a fundamental First Amendment right not to be forced to bankroll groups engaged in political activities they oppose.”