SAN FRANCISCO - August 30 - Climate change activists confronted Senator Dianne Feinstein during her August 24th presentation of a "comprehensive legislative agenda to combat global warming," asking her to sign a pledge that she will no longer accept campaign contributions from the companies that are most responsible for global warming: oil and gas companies.

The Senator refused. "How can we trust that Senator Feinstein is serious about pushing for legislation that combats global warming, when she won't cut her financial ties to the companies that not only are very much responsible for global warming but also fight legislation that would effectively curb greenhouse gas emissions?" asked Nell Greenberg of the human rights group Global Exchange.

The action during Feinstein's presentation is part of a national campaign by environmental and human rights groups to eliminate -- or at least minimize -- the influence of gas and oil companies on US climate change policy. Global Exchange and the group Oil Change International launched the "Separation of Oil and State" campaign this summer. So far, six California political candidates have signed the campaign's "independence from oil pledge, including gubernatorial candidate Phil Angelides.

"Reducing the influence of energy companies over our elected officials is critical to achieving California's clean energy promise," said Rory Cox, California Energy Program Director of Pacific Environment. "This is Senator Feinstein's opportunity to lead the way." The oil and gas industry, their executives, and their political action committees (PACs) have already invested more than $10 million in the 2006 election.

Environmental rhetoric aside, many politicians are unlikely to advance sustainable energy independence, because they are beholden to the interests of oil companies who fund their election campaigns.

Senator Feinstein, for example, has so far accepted $32,350 in campaign contributions this year from the oil and gas industries, the bulk of the funds being from the Occidental Petroleum PAC, Occidental employees, and the Chevron employees PAC.

The influence of oil companies on domestic and foreign policy fundamentally affects the health of our communities, global warming, war, human rights, abuse, national security, and debt and poverty in developing countries.

Oil companies have earned windfall profits despite the huge increases in the price of crude oil and the fact that pump prices for gas have hit record highs.

Hybrid cars, biodiesel, energy efficiency, wind power, and other sustainable technologies are functional, feasible and economically viable today- and yet American politicians continue to use US taxpayer dollars to support and subsidize Big Oil to the tune of billions of dollars every year. Click here for more information about the Separation of Oil and State.

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