PG&E Leaves Chamber of Commerce Over Climate Issue

"Pacific Gas & Electric, the big California utility, has pulled out of the United States Chamber of Commerce over what its chairman, Peter Darbee, termed 'fundamental differences' over the climate change issue.

In a letter to the Chamber -- a business group that has often been a vocal critic of President Obama’s policies to regulate greenhouse gas emissions -- Mr. Darbee wrote:

'We find it dismaying that the Chamber neglects the indisputable fact that a decisive majority of experts have said the data on global warming are compelling and point to a threat that cannot be ignored. In our opinion, an intellectually honest argument over the best policy response to the challenges of climate change is one thing; disingenuous attempts to diminish or distort the reality of these challenges are quite another.'

Excerpts from the letter were published on PG&E’s blog, Next100.com. PG&E is the dominant utility in northern California, and has aggressively pursued energy efficiency and renewable energy."

Kate Galbraith reports for the New York Times September 22, 2009.