Democratic lawmakers accuse big oil companies of ‘greenwashing’
Gas prices are displayed at an Exxon gas station on July 29, 2022 in Houston, Texas. Exxon and Chevron posted record high earnings during the second quarter of 2022 as energy stocks have faltered in recent months.
Brandon Bell | Getty Images
A pair of Democratic lawmakers on Friday accused the largest oil companies in the United States of “greenwashing” their public image and not doing enough to decarbonize fast enough to meet climate change targets.
Carolyn B. Maloney, chair of the U.S. House of Representatives’ main investigative committee, the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and Ro Khanna, a member of the same committee and the chair of the Oversight Environmental Subcommittee, sent a 31-page letter on Friday to the rest of the members of the committee with the latest findings from their ongoing investigation into the fossil fuel industry.
Burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and causes global warming. The Oversight Committee began its investigation into what it calls a “climate disinformation” campaign in Sept. 2021 and held a hearing with top executives from oil and gas giants on Oct. 28 of that year.
The letter is the latest installment in the committee’s bid to demonstrate that oil companies are not trying to reduce their CO2 emissions quickly enough, while obscuring their lack of participation.
“These documents demonstrate how the fossil fuel industry ‘greenwashed’ its public image with promises and actions that oil and gas executives knew would not meaningfully reduce emissions, even as the industry moved aggressively to lock in continued fossil fuel production for decades to come — actions that could doom global efforts to prevent catastrophic climate change,” the letter reads.
These efforts are particularly offensive, Maloney and Khanna said, because of the amount of money the biggest oil companies are making right now.
“The fossil fuel industry’s failure to make meaningful investments in a long-term transition to cleaner energy is particularly outrageous in light of the enormous profits these companies are raking in at the expense of consumers — including nearly $100 billion in combined profits for Exxon, Chevron, Shell, and BP in just the last two quarters,” the letter reads.
The letter also details ways in which the oil companies have made insufficient efforts to decarbonize their businesses, and points to internal documents that show how the companies are continuing to invest in fossil fuel production and increase output.
“Each of the companies has publicly pledged to reach ‘net zero’ greenhouse gas emissions by 2050,” the letter reads. “However, experts have found that not one of the net zero pledges from BP, Shell, Exxon, or Chevron are aligned with the pace and scope of cuts necessary to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and avert catastrophic climate change.”
The letter also points to documents that show how the industry is pushing natural gas as a long-term climate solution.
“In 2021, natural gas contributed to 34% of U.S. energy-related emissions and 22% of emissions globally,” the letter reads. “Documents obtained by the Committee show fossil fuel companies and lobbying groups seek to publicly position natural gas as a clean source of energy and part of the transition to renewables, even as the industry is privately planning for expanded natural gas production over the long term.”
Burning natural gas results in fewer greenhouse gas emissions than burning coal or other kinds of fossil fuels for the same amount of energy, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, but it still releases greenhouse gas emissions. Burning natural gas produces about 117 pounds of carbon dioxide per million British thermal units (a measure of heat). That’s compared with 200 pounds for coal and 160 pounds for fuel oil.
Equally critically, the production of natural gas results in leaks of methane all throughout the production process and methane is a greenhouse gas, too. It’s a different greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, but still contributes to global warming.
Oil companies stand firm and deny allegations
The oil companies targeted in this investigation categorically deny the allegations made by the House Committee.
“The Committee’s fourteen month investigation, which included several hours of executive testimony and nearly a half-million pages of documents, failed on all fronts to uncover evidence of a climate disinformation campaign,” Curtis Smith, the media lead for Shell North America, told CNBC. “In fact, the handful of subpoenaed documents the Committee chose to highlight from Shell are evidence of the company’s extensive efforts to set aggressive targets, transform its portfolio and meaningfully participate in the ongoing energy transition.”
Exxon claims the House Committee lawmakers have been disingenuous in their representation of the oil company’s engagement.
“Our CEO has testified under oath on this subject during two all-day Congressional hearings before two separate committees, we’ve been in regular communication with the committee for over a year, and have provided staff with more than one million pages of documents, including board materials and internal communications,” Todd Spitler, corporate media relations senior advisor for Exxon, told CNBC.
“The House Oversight Committee report has sought to misrepresent ExxonMobil’s position on climate science, and its support for effective policy solutions, by recasting well intended, internal policy debates as an attempted company disinformation campaign. If specific members of the committee are so certain they’re right, why did they have to take so many things out of context to prove their point?”
The industry trade group, the American Petroleum Institute, says it is focused on both providing secure sources of energy and addressing climate change at the same time.
“Our industry is focused on continuing to produce affordable, reliable energy while tackling the climate challenge, and any allegations to the contrary are false. The U.S. natural gas and oil industry has contributed to the significant progress the U.S. has made in reducing America’s CO2 emissions to near generational lows with the increased use of natural gas,” Megan Bloomgren, senior vice president of the American Petroleum Institute, told CNBC.
The API also pointed to the industry’s focus on developing carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) and hydrogen technologies.
“We are poised to be a leader in the next generation of low carbon technologies, including CCUS and Hydrogen — technologies widely recognized to be critical to meet the world’s emissions reduction targets. API will continue to work with policymakers on both sides of the aisle for policies that support industry innovation and further the progress we’ve made on emissions reductions,” Bloomgren said.
Chevron declined to comment. In June, Chevron CEO Mike Wirth wrote an open letter to President Joe Biden saying that the oil company had produced the highest volume of oil and gas in its 143-year history in 2021. And Wirth pointed out that carbon emissions associated with segments of its oil and gas production was lower than global averages.
“At roughly 15 kg of CO2-equivalent per barrel, Chevron’s Permian Basin carbon intensity is some two-thirds lower than the global industry average. U.S. Gulf of Mexico production has carbon intensity just a fraction of the global industry average,” Wirth wrote. In the letter Wirth also said the oil company was investing $10 billion to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, scale carbon capture and hydrogen technologies, and grow its renewable liquid fuels production.
BP did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
Zoox has announced a partnership with Resorts World Las Vegas, the first official agreement between a robotaxi provider and a Vegas resort property.
Zoox remains one of the more exciting autonomous rideshare developers we follow on Electrek. It may not be the largest or most expanded robotaxi company, but Zoox has something operating on roads that none of its competitors have been able to do—a purpose-built vehicle.
Earlier this month, Zoox announced an expansion of its testing fleet (not the purpose-built robotaxis) into its seventh US city, Atlanta. The expansion now includes Austin, Seattle, Miami, Los Angeles, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
In the summer of 2023, Zoox expanded its robotaxi operations to Las Vegas, beginning on a one-mile loop at speeds up to 35 mph. By March 2024, Zoox has expanded its robotaxi geofence to five miles from Zoox’s headquarters to the south end of the strip, with multiple routes available in between, at speeds up to 45 mph.
Zoox also bolstered its robotaxi perception system for inclement weather and adjustments between day and night on the road. This expanded operational hours, including nighttime and continued service under light rain and damp road conditions.
At that time, Zoox said it was closer than ever to commercial operations and paid customer rides. It’s still not there yet in Las Vegas, but Zoox has announced an interesting new partnership, which should help get more passengers on the strip into its robotaxis while gathering additional feedback
Select riders can hail a free Zoox robotaxi in Las Vegas
Resorts World Las Vegas announced Zoox as its first-ever official robotaxi partner. This partnership entails a dedicated and branded pickup and drop-off location for autonomous ride-hailing service at the resort and an “experiential activation” within the resort.
After becoming the first company to operate a purpose-built robotaxi on public roads in Las Vegas, Zoox is now the first of such rideshare providers to sign an official partnership with a Vegas resort. Zoox hopes its unique four passenger robotaxi with no steering wheel or pedals will add to the overall experience of Resorts World guests wanting to explore other parts of the strip. Per Zoox’s chief product officer Michael White:
Zoox and Resorts World share a joint focus on creating superior customer experiences. When visitors ride with Zoox, they’ll find the service offers an extension of the signature hospitality they’ve come to expect from Resorts World’s collection of premium brands, including Hilton, Conrad, and Crockfords. This partnership will allow us to enhance the overall guest journey, adding to their Las Vegas experience with personalized mobility.
To that note, Resorts World Las Vegas president and CFO Carlos Castro shared a similar sentiment about Zoox’s technology and how it can add to the world of premium hospitality, much of which Vegas has become renowned for:
At Resorts World, we seek partners that align with our vision of what the future of guest experiences can be. This collaboration with Zoox reflects our commitment to integrating technology solutions that elevate our service offerings and enhance how guests experience our property. By welcoming Zoox robotaxis into our transportation ecosystem, we’re creating new possibilities for our guests, while reinforcing Las Vegas’s position as a global innovation hub.
There is a catch.
Since Zoox has not yet been commercially launched for paid public rides in Las Vegas, interested riders must sign up for the company’s Explorer program. This program invites select riders to experience the Zoox robotaxi for free and provide feedback.
The company plans to open its robotaxi service to the general public in Las Vegas later this year.
I’m going to try to get on the Zoox Explorer list and test one of these rides out in Las Vegas… you know… for research purposes.
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![Texas just shot its wind + solar boom in the foot on purpose [Update]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/czNmcy1wcml2YXRlL3Jhd3BpeGVsX2ltYWdlcy93ZWJzaXRlX2NvbnRlbnQvZmwzNjM4Njg2NjM3MC1pbWFnZS5qcGc.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
Texas is No. 2 in the US for wind and solar capacity, but the Texas Senate passed a bill that aims to kneecap clean energy with an industry-killing review process. Here’s what happened in the House.
May 28, 2025: The Senate passed SB 819, which would have created prohibitive new restrictions on wind and solar energy development that didn’t apply to any other form of energy. But it failed to meet deadlines that would have allowed it to progress in the House, so it’s now dead in the water. (Good riddance.)
SB 388 and SB 715, also anti-renewable, also died in the House of Representatives for the same reason. SB 388 would have required 50% of new energy generation to be “dispatchable,” but the bill unfairly excluded battery storage as a form of dispatchable energy. SB 715 wanted to require existing renewable energy installations to install backup energy.
Adrian Shelley, Texas director of Public Citizen, said, “The failure of these three bills is a victory for ratepayers. It is also a tacit recognition by a legislature that is too friendly to fossil fuels that renewable energy sources are an indispensable part of powering the state.”
April 15, 2025: The Texas Senate today passed SB 819, which creates new restrictions on the development of wind and solar energy under the guise of “protecting” wildlife. The restrictions don’t apply to any other forms of energy.
Texas uses an extraordinary amount of power, and renewables play a big part in supplying that power. The Texas Tribune reported in March that “ERCOT [the Texas grid] predicts that Texas’ energy demand will nearly double by 2030, with power supply projected to fall short of peak demand in a worst-case scenario beginning in summer 2026.” That’s because of extreme weather, population growth, and crypto-mining facilities.
As of February, Texas increased its energy supply by 35% over the last four years, and 92% of that supply came from solar, wind, and battery storage.
Solar is the largest source of energy generating capacity that has been added to the Texas grid. That’s because it’s cost-effective and it can be deployed quickly. So if new solar projects are kneecapped, power demand will outstrip supply in the Lone Star State.
Daniel Giese, Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA)’s Texas director of state affairs, stated after the Senate’s vote, “With energy demand rising fast, Texas needs every megawatt it can generate to keep the lights on and our economy strong. We cannot afford to turn away from the pro-energy and pro-business policies that made the Lone Star State the energy capital, but that’s exactly what SB 819 does. We urge the Texas House to reject this bill.”
Less clean energy would also jack up electricity bills for Texans, and rural areas would lose billions in landowner revenue and tax payments. Every time a wind farm or solar farm is installed on rural land, it brings a lot of money to the community that surrounds it. A January report estimated that existing and planned solar, wind, and battery storage projects will contribute $20 billion in local tax revenue and $29.5 billion in landowner payments.
What’s especially baffling about this bill is that it flies in the face of a core Texas value – keeping the government out of private property decisions – yet it does precisely the opposite.
Environment Texas executive director Luke Metzger issued the following response: ‘By making it much more difficult to build wind and solar energy in Texas, this bill threatens to increase pollution, increase blackouts and increase our electric bills.
“Under the guise of helping land and wildlife, SB 819 would create a discriminatory and capricious permitting standard that could grind renewable energy development to a halt.
“We urge the House of Representatives to reject this bill and instead support policies that promote a cleaner, more sustainable energy future for all Texans.”
It will come as no surprise to regular readers that I find this bill ludicrously masochistic. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below, and please keep it civil.
Read more: A vast 600 MW Texas solar farm just hit a major milestone [update]
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Chevy is making it more affordable to drive off in one of its new EVs. With new incentives, you can now snag a 2025 Chevy Silverado EV for much less than a Tesla Cybertruck. The Equinox and Blazer EVs are also on sale this month.
Chevy EVs are getting more affordable
With the electric Silverado, Equinox, and Blazer rolling out, Chevy is now the fastest-growing EV brand in the US.
In the first quarter, GM sold 10,329 Chevy Equinox, 6,187 Blazer, and 2,383 Silverado EVs in the US. Arguably, the biggest reason behind the brand’s success is affordability.
Starting at just $34,995, GM calls the 2025 Chevy Equinox EV “America’s most affordable 315+ range EV. The base LT FWD model has an EPA-estimated range of 319 miles, more than enough for your typical daily commute.
Chevy launched new deals ahead of Memorial Day, making its EVs even more affordable. After cutting interest rates to 0% APR, Chevy’s electric pickup is significantly cheaper to finance than the Tesla Cybertruck.
The 2025 Chevy Silverado EV is now listed at 0% APR for 60 months, plus you can still take advantage of the potential $7,500 federal EV tax credit.
According to CarsDirect, the rate cut on a 5-year loan could translate to almost $5,300 in savings. The Cybertruck has a 5-year interest rate of 5.49%.
Chevy is offering 0% APR on all electric vehicles, including the 2025 Equinox and Blazer EVs. Both are also eligible for the $7,500 EV tax credit.
The 2025 Equinox EV FWD LT remains one of the best deals right now, with monthly leases starting at just $289. The 2LT model may be an even better deal at just $299 per month.
Chevy is offering leases as low as $399 per month on the 2024 Blazer EV and $849 per month for the 2024 Silverado EV Crew 4WD RST.
Thinking about trying out Chevy’s new EV lineup for yourself? We’ll help you get started. Check out our links below to find Silverado, Equinox, and Blazer EVs at a dealer near you.
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