MEDIA RELEASE
To Be Released:
Embargoed until 11am December 2, 2003
For More Information:
Rachel Leon or Megan Quattlebaum, Common Cause/NY, 212-691-6421
Jason Babbie, NYPIRG, 212-349-6460Research Documents Entergy’s Political Spending:
Millions Spent While Indian Point Debate Rages OnCommon Cause/NY released research today that examined political spending by the owner of the Indian Point nuclear power facility located in the Village of Buchanan in New York.
Entergy Corporation, its executives and its political action committee, ENPAC, have given a grand total of $1,285,183 in campaign contributions and spent $2,213,132 lobbying on the local, state and federal level since 1999.
Since 2002, Entergy’s political action committee, ENPAC, has made $7,250 in campaign contributions in New York City, and Entergy has spent $159,000 lobbying city government. Lobby reports filed by the company cite lobbying on Resolution 64, which would call for the closing of the Indian Point facility. Although two hearings have been held on the resolution since it was first introduced in May, 2002, a vote has yet to be taken.
“Entergy is spending heavily to hire high profile lobbyists in New York City. As City Council considers Resolution 64, we hope that people’s voices are heard as loud as connected insiders and lobbyists,” stated Rachel Leon, Common Cause/NY Executive Director.
The company spent $674,132 lobbying on the state level, and hired some of Albany’s most well-connected lobbyists for the job.
ENPAC and Entergy executives have given a total of $66,400 on the state level since 2000. Governor Pataki received the highest level of donations among New York’s representatives, a total of $17,000.
State contributions included $15,850 to Democratic committees and $7,500 to Republican committees. Senator James Wright, the head of the Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee received $3,600 and his counterpart in the Assembly, Paul Tonko the head of the Energy Committee received $1,000. Remaining contributions were primarily targeted toward legislators from districts located near the Indian Point facility, including New York, Bronx, Westchester, Nassau, Orange and Ulster counties.
Federal level campaign contributions totaled $1,205,983. This total includes $772,423 given by ENPAC to members of the 108th Congress, of which $184,624 was given to members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and $60,000 was given to members of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. A total of $21,500 was given to New York State congressmen, including $3,000 to Senator Clinton and $1,000 to Senator Schumer.
Entergy also gave $422,560 in soft money on the federal level, including $188,750 to the Democrats and $233,810 to the Republicans.
Entergy, a Louisiana-based utility corporation, owns and operates the Indian Point nuclear power facility through its subsidiary, Entergy Nuclear Northeast. The company purchased the Indian Point 2 and 3 nuclear reactor units from Consolidated Edison and the state’s power authority in September 2001 and November 2000, respectively.
According to Common Cause/NY Associate Director, Megan Quattlebaum, “over the past few years, the debate over Indian Point has grown more heated at the local, state and federal levels. In areas where there is debate, we see Entergy lobbying and making campaign contributions.”
Common Cause/NY Executive Director, Rachel Leon, noted that “collectively, these contributions represent a powerful reach for Entergy from City Hall steps all the way to the capital in D.C. We take no position on whether or not Indian Point should be closed. But the public should know how much special interests are spending to influence the debate.”
Leon suggested a number of reforms including reigning in political action committees, banning soft money on the state level and requiring local candidates to report their contributions in electronic format so that they can be posted on the internet as filings for state candidates are today.
Common Cause/NY was joined at City Hall by the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) which outlined the recent debates over the Indian Point facility from an environmentalist perspective, and echoed the call for campaign finance reform to help strengthen democracy.
"Entergy is trying to overpower any one who raises concerns about the safety of Indian Point with millions in campaign contribution and lobbying," said Jason K. Babbie, environmental policy analyst for the New York Public Interest Research Group. "NYPIRG urges elected officials to continue raising serious questions about this facility and the evacuation plan."
This research was conducted as part of Common Cause/NY’s “Connect the Dots” series, which studies how money in politics impacts current in New York state.
Common Cause/NY
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