Energy Lobbyists Help Draft Polluter-Friendly Amendment

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Juliet Eilperin reports that "two Washington lobbyists, Jeffrey R. Holmstead and Roger R. Martella, Jr., helped craft" the original version of an amendment proposed by Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski which would "bar the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating carbon dioxide as a pollutant under the Clean Air Act." Holmstead, who heads the Environmental Strategies Group at Bracewell & Giuliani, confirmed that last September he worked with Murkowski's staff on the wording of the amendment. Both Holmstead and a Murkowski aide confirmed that Martella, a partner at Sidley Austin, also worked on crafting the amendments. Holmstead's client list on climate issues includes Southern Company, Duke Energy, Progress Energy and the Electric Reliability Coordinating Council on climate matters while Martella is the registered lobbyist for the National Alliance of Forest Owners and the Alliance of Food Associations on the same subject. Brendan Demelle notes on DeSmog Blog that Murkowski "has received $470,000 in campaign contributions from dirty energy and mining interests since 2005, according to the Center for Responsive Politics."