Western States Petroleum Association Tops Lobbying Spending This Year

By Dan Bacher |  

As is normally the case, the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA) topped the list of California lobbying expenditures in the first quarter of 2017, spending a total of nearly $1.4 million.

The oil industry trade organization spent $1,387,601.97 from January 1 to March 31, 2017, for “general lobbying,” but zero for California Public Utility Commission (CPUC), according to documents filed with the California Secretary of State. (cal-access.sos.ca.gov/…)

WSPA listed KP Public Affairs in Sacramento and Pillsbury Winthrup Shaw Pittman LLP as the primary lobbying firms that it hired.  

Catherine Reheis-Boyd is President of the 

Western States Petroleum Association and served

 as the Chair of the Marine Life ProtectionAct (MLPA)

 Blue Ribbon Task Force to create so-called

 "marine protected areas" in Southern California.

WSPA photo. |

The group paid approximately $1 million “to various public relations shops, consulting firms, ad buyers and other expenses that fell into the so-called other payments to influence category. It remained neutral on the tax hike/road repair measure and has been engaged with other high-profile measures to expand cap-and-trade and to accelerate California’s shift to renewable energy,” according to  the Sacramento Bee.

Catherine Reheis-Boyd, the President of the Western States Petroleum Association and the former Chair of the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative Blue Ribbon Task Force to create “marine protected areas” in Southern California, claims that a “well-designed cap-and-trade program" is the “prudent approach” to meeting the state’s climate change targets.” ( www.wspa.org/...“prudent-approach”-meeting-state’s-climate-change) 

The rest of the top five lobbying spenders were the Howard Jarvis Tax Association,  with $1,387,602 spent; Chevron and its subsidiaries, with $968,370; California State Council of Service Employees, with $868,098; and California Hospital Association. $777,107. The Secretary of State filings featured a total of $75.3 million in spending in the year’s first three months: www.sacbee.com/...

During the 2015-2016 Legislative Session, the oil industry spent a historic $36.1 million to lobby California lawmakers.  During the last 6 years, the industry has spent $122 million in Sacramento, more than any other interest group.

The Western States Petroleum Association was the top overall oil industry spender during the 2015-16 session, spending $18.7 million. Chevron, the second overall oil industry spender, spent $7 million in the 2015-16 session. 

WSPA and Big Oil use their money and power in 5 ways: through (1) lobbying; (2) campaign spending; (3) getting appointed to positions on and influencing regulatory panels; (4) creating Astroturf groups: and (5) working in collaboration with media.

To combat the power of oil industry money in California, a diverse array of activists is organizing an “Oil Money Out, People Power In”march and rally in Sacramento, May 20 from 12 PM to 3 PM. The event will begin and end at the Governor’s Mansion, 1526 H Street.

For more information about the campaign and the upcoming march and rally, please visit: www.oilmoneyout.com

For more information about Big Oil money and power in Sacramento, go to: www.dailykos.com/...