Apple leaves U.S. Chamber over climate change stance-that makes 4

[babylonsister]

http://thehill.com/homenews/news/61669-apple-becomes-fo...


Apple leaves U.S. Chamber over climate change stance
By Jim Snyder - 10/05/09 04:35 PM ET


Apple has left the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the fourth company to end its membership over the business group’s climate change stance.

A fifth company, Nike, quit the Chamber’s board of directors but remains a member of the group.

In a letter sent to Chamber CEO Tom Donohue on Monday, an Apple executive said the company “strongly” objects to the Chamber’s comments opposing the Environmental Protection Agency’s efforts to limit greenhouse gases.

“We would prefer that the Chamber take a more progressive stance on this critical issue and play a constructive role in addressing the climate crisis,” Apple Vice President for Worldwide Government Affairs Catherine Novelli wrote.

Apple recently announced its own efforts to reduce the carbon footprints of its products.

“For those companies who cannot or will not do the same, Apple supports regulating greenhouse gas emissions, and it is frustrating to find the Chamber at odds with us in this effort,” Novelli wrote.

Apple’s resignation from the Chamber is effective immediately.

Previously, PG&E, PNM Resources and Exelon resigned from the Chamber due to disagreement of climate legislation.

The Chamber has said it supports efforts to combat global warming but that the bill passed by the House would hurt the economy. It also opposes the EPA regulating carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

“We believe that Congress should set climate change policy through legislation, rather than having the EPA apply existing environmental statutes that were not created to regulate greenhouse gas emissions,” Donohue said in a statement last week.