weddyjhonson: Greenpeace details Duke Energy contributions to sponsors of controversial bill

Friday, February 15, 2013

Greenpeace details Duke Energy contributions to sponsors of controversial bill

photo GREENPEACE

Greenpeace has been a frequent critic of Duke Energy. Last year it flew a blimp over Charlotte to protest Duke's rate increase and its use of fossil fuels.

Greenpeace has taken issue with Duke Energy?s political contributions to N.C. legislators who have proposed dismissing everyone on current utility and environmental boards.

But a spokesman for Charlotte-based Duke (NYSE:DUK) says the contributions were routine and that the company had no role in developing or proposing the legislation.

Greenpeace researcher Connor Gibson posted a blog item this week detailing about $147,000 in contributions that Duke and Progress Energy have made to some of the bill sponsors. More than $102,000 went to the three primary sponsors, including $65,000 Duke and Progress have contributed to Sen. Tom Apodaca, R-Henderson. The contributions go back as far as 2002, covering six election cycles. State campaign records indicate Apodaca raised almost $1.4 million over those six elections.

About $45,000 went to four of the nine co-sponsors, again dating back to 2002. Duke spokesman Tom Williams says there is no significance to the contributions.

?We routinely contribute to candidates of both parties in races for the General Assembly,? Williams says. ?We have no involvement in developing or proposing the bill.?

New appointments

The bill passed in the state Senate a week ago. It passed its first reading in the state House this week and has been referred to committee. It would dismiss all the sitting members of the N.C. Utilities Commission, the N.C. Environmental Commission, The Industrial Commission and some other boards. It reduces the size of the boards and would allow Gov. Pat McCrory and the Republicans who control both houses to appoint all new board members.