Three Companies Quit Climate Group

BP, Caterpillar, and ConocoPhillips have dropped their membership in the U.S. Climate Action Partnership (USCAP), the 30-member organization of leaders of corporations and nongovernment groups that support federal legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The two oil companies and the equipment manufacturer leave the organization as the probability of national climate-change legislation passing Congress this election year becomes more remote. In a statement, Conoco said it will pursue energy legislation that encourages greater use of natural gas and is favorable to refineries and the transportation sector. A BP spokesman said the company agreed with USCAP’s position but believes it would be more effective working on its own. Caterpillar said it will seek more clean-energy business opportunities, citing its recent decision to join the FutureGen Alliance, a coalition of companies intending to build—with government financial support—a coal-fired power plant in Illinois using gasification and carbon-capture technology. In a statement, USCAP stated its continued belief that U.S. action on climate legislation will take place in 2010. It also noted that three new members had joined the coalition in recent months: the energy and engineering firms AES, Alstom, and Honeywell.