Strong support for the Oil and Gas Industry Does Not Make One An Environmentalist

While Fortuño may be speaking about protecting the environment and seeking alternative energy options, his votes and actions in Congress (including in support of oil drilling in ANWR) indicate that he is a strong supporter of the oil and gas industry, opposed to adequate environmental protections for wildlife, water and humans. 

Libreto de la Presentación

Oil and Gas Drilling

in parks, forests and in coastal waters – which not only will ruin those places but will also not reduce the cost, or increase the supply, of gas for another 20 years.  During the 2006 election cycle, he received $1500 in donations from the oil and gas industry (http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/summary.php?ind=E01&cycle=2006&recipdetail=H&sortorder=A&mem=Y&page=3)

On June 21, 2006, Fortuno succeeded in adding a provision to H.R. 4761, the Domestic Energy Production through Offshore Exploration and Equitable Treatment of State Holdings Act of 2006", which would make Puerto Rico and its surrounding waters eligible for offshore oil drilling. (HR 4761, Section 3 (4)) 

Drilling for oil off the coast of Puerto Rico is not consistent with the tourism focus of the Island's economy, nor with maintenance of its environment – Hurricane Katrina caused severe damage to the oil drilling platforms in the Gulf of Mexico: 113 platforms totally destroyed, 457 pipelines damaged, 101 of those major lines with 10" or larger diameter, and at least 741,000 gallons were spilled from 124 reported sources (the Coast Guard calls anything over 100,000 gallons a "major" spill).

(Source, US Minerals Management Service, 2006 Katrina Damage Report, http://www.mms.gov/ooc/press/2006/press0501.htm )

"A future view from Puerto Rico's coasts?  If Fortuno has his way…"

On April 13, 2005, Fortuno voted in the Resources Committee to continue the authority of the Secretary of Interior the authority to authorize offshore oil and gas drilling.  On October 26, 2005, he voted to eliminate the moratorium on offshore oil drilling in sensitive environmental waters.  (Resources Committee, Pallone amendments).  He voted to exempt natural gas from the offshore drilling moratorium (June 26, 2007, House floor, Peterson amendment to HR 2643, Roll call vote 552)

He voted to eliminate environmental reviews for oil and gas companies on public land/patrimony (September 28, 2005, Resources Committee, Udall (NM), Amendment), to eliminate environmental restrictions and regulations for mining companies (October 23, 2007, Natural Resources Committee, Rodgers Amendment), and to reduce the environmental standards for oil and gas drilling on federal land and to maintain a no-net loss of drilling activity (June 13, 2007, Natural Resources Committee, Pearce Amendment)

He voted to allow oil and gas drilling in sensitive and undeveloped national forests, such as El Yunque (June 13, 2007, Natural Resources Committee, Sali Amendment), and voted against protecting national parks and monuments from air or water pollution caused by mining activities (October 23, 2007, Natural Resources Committee, Holt Amendment)

·        He has voted to support oil drilling the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge 3 times.  (April 13, 2005, Resources Committee, Markey Amendment; Sept. 28, 2005, Resources Committee, Markey Amendment; May 7, 2007, Natural Resources Committee, Young Amendment)  The Sierra Club has called this refuge "the final frontier in American conservation … our single most endangered national treasure.  America's Arctic wilderness is under siege from local and global forces being shaped by human actions: Oil and gas drilling are combining with global warming to wreak havoc on this vast beautiful landscape." 

o       On October 26, 2005 (Resources Committee, Inslee Amendment), Fortuno voted against requiring an updated environmental assessment for drilling in this refuge.  The last review was conducted over 20 years ago)

Fortuno has voted numerous times to maintain the corporate profits of oil and gas companies when faced with the option of ensuring better returns for the government and taxpayers.

Voted to require the federal government to reimburse oil companies if their lease is canceled for environmental reasons (April 13, 2005, Resources Committee, Cannon Amendment)

Voted to keep oil and gas subsidies for offshore drilling (April 13, 2005, Resources Committee, Grijalva Amendment)

Voted at least 4 times to reduce royalty payments that oil and gas companies pay to the government for drilling in public waters (Sept. 28, 2005, Resources Committee, Udall (CO) Amendment; 9/28/05, Resources Committee, Pearce Amendment; 10/26/05, Resources Committee, Udall (CO) Amendment;  June 13, 2007, Natural Resources Committee, Jindal Amendment)

Endangered Species and Protected Parklands

In 2005, the Resources Committee marked up a bill that would weaken the Endangered Species Act.  This law is intended to protect imperiled species, such as the Puerto Rico parrot, manatee, and threatened species of coqui, and achieve a biological recovery and survival of the wildlife and its habitat.  Developers, oil and gas companies, mining companies and other multinational entities oppose the law, as they feel that saving the birds and animals should not impede their businesses.

Fortuno voted to exclude the use of pesticides from the Endangered Species Act, meaning that effect these sprays and chemicals have on threatened species would never be considered by environmental agencies.  (September 22, 2005, Resources Committee, Walden Amendment)

Fortuno voted to include economic impacts and other considerations in determining how to protect an endangered species.  This would undermine wildlife protection in cases where a company or landowner could demonstrate that their costs of savings the wildlife would cost more that the species is 'worth'. (September 22, 2005, Resources Committee, Grijalva Amendment).

He voted to eliminate a federal research center focused on the impacts of global warming on wildlife (June 13, 2007, Natural Resources Committee, Flake Amendment)

He voted to prevent funding to combat global warming (October 23, 2007, Natural Resources Committee, Sali Amendment)

Fortuno voted against additional funding for sensitive and protected environmental lands (March 12, 2008, Natural Resources Committee, Flake Amendment)

Failed to vote to protect the Grand Canyon National Park from damage from uranium mining (Jun 25, 2008, Natural Resources Committee, Rahall Motion)

Voted to terminate funding for the recovery of the endangered Mexican wolf (June 26, 2007, Roll call vote 558)

Voted to cut funding for environmental programs (at EPA and the Department of the Interior) by over $1.1 billion (June 27, 2007, Roll Call vote 570)

Fuente http://www.junteambiental.com/documento.php?ID=111