Oregon Rep. Khanh Pham rebukes NW Natural for deceptive tactics and exorbitant spending to avoid climate regulation
The State Representative issued a formal remonstrance of the utility for its use of tobacco industry playbook to undermine growing calls for a clean energy transition in Oregon
For Immediate Release
March 30, 2023
Press Contact:
Dylan Plummer, dylan.plummer@sierraclub.org, 541.531.1858
Salem, Ore. — Representative Khanh Pham took to the House floor today to issue a formal remonstrance of NW Natural, Oregon’s largest fossil fuel utility, for its deceptive advertising and aggressive lobbying efforts aimed at preventing regulation and greenwashing its business model.
“NW Natural is attacking science and our local democratic processes with big money to prevent long-overdue regulations to protect the health of Oregon children and the climate,” said Representative Khanh Pham. “We must stand up to corporate greed.”
The legislator highlighted how NW Natural has worked to bury the science about the harms of gas, hiring mercenary toxicologist Dr. Julie Goodman, who has defended the tobacco industry, to downplay the impacts of gas on indoor air quality and public health.
“Unfortunately, our investor-owned monopoly gas utility Northwest Natural, has taken a page out of the big tobacco playbook. The gas industry has been downplaying the health impacts of gas and selling us their polluting product with half-truths and even outright lies.”
The remonstrance comes as NW Natural is under increasing scrutiny for its efforts to lobby against climate policy across the State. Representative Pham rebuked the utility for their efforts in the City of Eugene to try to overturn common sense climate policy passed by the city council. The fossil fuel corporation has spent close to $1M on a ballot referendum to overturn the City’s first-in-state electrification ordinance, which requires future residential construction to be all electric. The ordinance will now go to Eugene voters in November for a vote.
“Now Northwest Natural has spent huge sums to qualify a November referendum to stop Eugene elected leaders from taking public health and climate action,” said Representative Pham. “As of March 24, NW Natural has spent nearly $1 million dollars to overturn Eugene's electrification ordinance, paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to out-of-state signature gatherers and propping up their front group.”
Watch the video of the remonstrance here.
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