Fossil Fool Awards 2008

The individual who has made the most significant contribution over the past year to the development and dissemination of fossil fuel-related pollution.

And the winner is...

Ken Lewis, CEO of Bank of America ...

... for the global financial institution's massive support for dirty coal. Bank of America is the leading financial backer of mountaintop removal coal mining in the United States and a top funder of new coal-fired power plants.

the vote count...

and the runners up...

Ed Stelmach, Premier of Alberta, Canada ...

... for promoting oil extraction from Canada's infamous Alberta tar sands. Tar sands oil extraction is the world's largest industrial project and has the potential to destroy an area the size of the state of Florida. Stelmach also recently released a plan to address climate change that will actually see emissions increases in Alberta.

Rick Wagoner, CEO of General Motors ...

... for keeping America addicted to oil by mass producing gas-guzzling hummers that average 8-10 mpg, blocking California's clean car law that would reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and abusing government tax loopholes in order to build vehicles that produce 3.4 metric tons of carbon emissions in a typical year.

Rex Tillerson, CEO of ExxonMobil ...

... the world's largest integrated oil company, for engaging in oil and gas exploration, production, supply, transportation, and marketing around the world. ExxonMobil has proven reserves of nearly 21 billion barrels of oil equivalent and is a major funder of climate change denial groups.

Bruce A. Williamson, CEO of Dynegy Corporation ...

... for its unceasing promotion of dirty coal power. Dynegy is proposing to build more dirty coal-fired power plants than any other power company in the United States. Known in some regions of the U.S. as "LS Power,” Dynegy is currently proposing to build six new polluting coal plants in the United States.

This individual represents a company or organization that has burst into the public consciousness in the past year as a major contributor to global climate change.

And the winner is...

Patricia Woertz, CEO of Archer Daniels Midland (ADM).

ADM is finally being recognized as a key contributor to global warming for clearing pristine rainforests around the world for the production of oil for food and industrial biofuels that produce as many or more climate-changing carbon emissions as traditional fossil fuels.

the vote count...

and the runners up...

Clarence P. Cazalot, Jr., CEO of Marathon Oil ...

... for expanding dirty refineries in the Midwest to process crude oil extracted from the Canadian Alberta Tar Sands. Oil extracted from the tar sands produces 15-40 percent more carbon dioxide emissions than regular oil.

Thomas Farrell, CEO of Dominion Power ...

... for the company's plans to build a new coal-fired power plant in Virginia instead of developing clean energy. Dominion intends to use $1.8 billion of Virginian ratepayer dollars to build this "clean coal" power plant, claiming an empty two acre lot and a pipe make it carbon capture compatible!

Roger S. Penske, CEO of Penske Automotive Group.

Penske, the second largest dealership in the world, continues to make millions from selling gas guzzlers while neglecting to ask automakers in Detroit to mass produce plug-in hybrid vehicles, as other dealerships have done.

An individual who has made steady and significant progress over the course of a career in furthering the global warming crisis.

And the winner is...

George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, President and Vice President of the United States ...

... for their career-long efforts to deny the reality and impacts of global climate change, promote carbon-intensive energy solutions, and block any and all attempts at progress on climate change.

the vote count...

and the runners up...

Joe Manchin, Governor of West Virginia ...

... for supporting the construction of at least five coal-to-liquid power plants in West Virginia, which will increase mountaintop removal coal mining that is already destroying the land and people of the state's coal-producing areas. Manchin has also left more than 100 positions at West Virginia's Department of Environmental Protection unfilled with no apparent intention of filling them.

Don Blankenship, CEO of Massey Energy ...

... for the company's decimation of communities throughout the Appalachian region of the U.S. in its greedy quest to spread the destructive practice of mountaintop removal coal mining.

William Clay Ford, Jr., Executive Chairman of the Ford Motor Company ...

... for continuing to build gas-guzzling SUVs, opposing increased fuel efficiency standards, and refusing to mass produce plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

This individual represents the company that has done the most over the past year to negatively impact human lives in the name of fossil fuel development.

And the winner is...

Gregory R. Page, CEO of Cargill ...

... for the agribusiness giant's displacement of frontline communities throughout South America, Southeast Asia and the Pacific to accommodate the expansion of its massive soy and oil palm plantations for the production of oil for food and fuel.

the vote count...

and the runners up...

Dave J. O'Reilly, CEO of Chevron ...

the second largest U.S. oil company. In 2006, sales were $210 billion with profits of $17.1 billion. Chevron has oil operations in Ecuador, Burma, Nigeria, Canada and Iraq, and it is currently lobbying to privatize Iraqi oil reserves. Chevron is also expanding its refinery operations in the U.S. to use crude oil from the Alberta tar sands.

Don Blankenship, CEO of Massey Energy ...

... for the company's decimation of communities throughout the Appalachian region of the U.S. in its greedy quest to spread the destructive practice of mountaintop removal coal mining.

Marc Gerken, CEO of American Municipal Power-Ohio ...

... for planning to build a giant 1,000 megawatt coal-fired power plant in Meigs County, Ohio. The plant, which would be the fifth in a 10-mile radius, would help form the highest concentration of proposed coal plants in the country. Meigs County has the highest rates of lung cancer and cancer in adult males in the state.

This individual represents the company that has most effectively fooled the general public and/or media into believing it is benefiting the environment.

And the winner is...

Rick Wagoner, CEO of General Motors ...

... for the company's creation and promotion of GMNext.com, an online attempt to promote its environmental progress even as the automaker has worked diligently to block the efforts of California and other states to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and national fuel efficiency standards.

the vote count...

and the runners up...

Joe Lucas, Executive Director of Americans for Balanced Energy Choices (ABEC) ...

... for ABEC's promotion of coal-generated electricity on behalf of the coal industry. ABEC willfully ignores and downplays concerns about current industry emission levels and their links to health and environmental concerns.

Jim Rogers, CEO of Duke Energy ...

... for Duke's efforts to expand the Cliffside coal plant in North Carolina. Rogers touts the "green" credentials of the plant because of its "clean coal" technology, even telling readers of the Charlotte Observer that he is "taking action against global warming." Let's call clean coal what it is -- a dirty greenwashing scam!

Michael Garrett, CEO of Georgia Power ...

... the largest subsidiary of Southern Company. Georgia Power's Bowen and Scherer plants rank 1st and 2nd respectively in the top 50 power plants in the country for most CO2 pollution respectively. Georgia Power's "cONserve" energy campaign stands in stark contrast to its aggressive opposition of mandatory state and national greenhouse gas emissions regulations.

Armando Olivera, CEO of Florida Power and Light ...

... for portraying himself as a leader in environmentally sustainable power generation while simultaneously pursuing thousands of megawatts of new dirty coal, natural gas and nuclear power generation.