DIRTY MONEY: Big Oil Spilled Four Million Gallons of Pollutants While Raking in Billions
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New Climate Power Analysis Aggregates Collective Pollution By Oil Companies
While 4,466,498 Gallons of Oil, Fuel, and Harmful Substances Were Spilled – Big Oil Raked in $152 Billion in Profits
Washington, D.C. – As Big Oil and Gas companies prepare to roll out billions in profits, there’s another huge number they aren’t so interested in highlighting – the more than 4 million gallons of oil, fuel, and toxic pollutants they spilled across America. That’s why Climate Power is releasing a new study detailing the millions of gallons of oil and other pollutants spilled by Big Oil. From 2017 to 2020, Shell, Chevron, Occidental, ConocoPhillips, and ExxonMobil spilled 4,466,498 gallons of oil, fuel, and other potentially harmful substances while reporting more than $152 billion in profits, $35.2 billion in stock buybacks, and $23.8 million in CEO bonuses.
In 2023 alone, these oil and gas companies reported more than $105 billion in total earnings, continuing to make massive profits at the expense of consumers and the planet. When Donald Trump was in office, oil and gas giants received a $25 billion tax break. Now, Big Oil is desperate to get Trump back into office so they can continue to profit off of their pollution.
“Big Oil has made billions polluting our planet. And they’re using their dirty money to try to Donald Trump a second term and to pay his legal fees,” said Climate Power senior advisor for oil and gas Alex Witt. “When Trump was in office, he rolled back over 100 environmental standards to allow Big Oil to keep polluting and profiteering at Americans’ expense while giving the industry billions in tax breaks. If he’s re-elected, he’s already promised to do exactly the same.”
President Biden’s climate plan has helped create more than 271,000 clean energy jobs – lowering energy costs for all Americans, giving them more energy choices, and unleashing a clean energy boom that’s revitalizing big cities and small towns across the country. The Biden-Harris administration is working to hold Big Oil accountable for their pollution by making sure they pay their fair share and clean up their own mess.
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