WASHINGTON— The Center for Biological Diversity asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission today to reconsider its April decision allowing electric and gas utilities to keep forcing customers to finance anti-environment trade group advocacy. The commission rejected a Center petition and withdrew its earlier notice aimed at ending the practice.

“Americans pay millions of dollars through their utility bills to fund trade groups that lobby against clean, affordable energy. FERC should stop this sneaky practice, especially amidst the crippling affordability crisis,” said Howard Crystal, legal director of the Center’s Energy Justice program. “Utility bills become more unaffordable every day as rates and temperatures keep rising. FERC has a chance to look out for regular folks by stripping these costs from monthly bills.”

The Center’s petition, filed in March 2021, asks FERC to amend its accounting system, which would force utilities to justify why ratepayers should be saddled with anti-environment trade associations’ political advocacy activities. In the past several years 10 states have taken action to address these abuses, saving customers millions of dollars. National action by FERC would save money for consumers across the country already grappling with the energy affordability crisis.

The petition has overwhelming support. FERC heard from 14 state attorneys general, several utility commissions, hundreds of consumer advocacy groups and numerous members of Congress, all urging the commission to take action on the petition.

Every month utility customers subsidize the work of trade groups like the Edison Electric Institute and American Gas Association just by paying their electric bills. These groups engage in advocacy designed to protect corporate profits. For example, the American Gas Association funded an influencers campaign promoting polluting gas stoves to undermine the transition to efficient induction technology. These trade groups and their affiliates file lawsuits challenging pollution standards, train utility executives in how to combat clean energy policies and seek to undermine protections for wildlife and the environment.

“It’s wrong to force customers to bankroll trade groups focused on increasing corporate profits and doubling down on fossil fuel pollution,” said Crystal. “Americans are already captured by their electric monopoly and their bills are skyrocketing. They shouldn’t be unknowingly paying groups that attack climate and clean energy policies. FERC needs to reconsider its decision, fix this broken system, and stop this abuse of people just trying to pay their bills.”