In an exclusive report to Fox News, it has been revealed that James Comer, the Republican Chairman of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee from Kentucky, is investigating the State Department for its alleged collaboration with environmental groups advocating for the closure of global coal power.
Comer, in a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday, disclosed that his committee had obtained emails between the office of Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry, and environmental organizations such as the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). These emails reportedly show extensive discussions about plans to oppose coal power, including the possibility of joining the Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA), which the U.S. officially became a member of in December.
Kerry, speaking at the COP28 United Nations climate summit in Dubai on December 2, stated, "To meet our goal of 100% carbon pollution-free electricity by 2035, we need to phase out unabated coal, and we urge the world to join us in doing so, while working to grow good-paying clean energy jobs." He further added, "Together with the Powering Past Coal Alliance, we will be working to accelerate unabated coal phase-out across the world, building stronger economies and more resilient communities. The first step is to stop making the problem worse: stop building new unabated coal power plants."
In his letter, Comer voiced concerns that Kerry's decision to join the PPCA was heavily influenced by non-governmental organizations, which may be coordinating with foreign entities. He highlighted that the NRDC has significant operations and investments in China, aimed at assisting the country's decarbonization efforts.
Comer also pointed out that coal-fired power plants still generate a significant portion of the nation's electricity. According to the Energy Information Administration, coal accounted for 20% of total U.S. electricity generation in 2022, second only to natural gas.
In his letter to Blinken, Comer wrote, "Documents produced to the Committee reveal that the State Department sought and received feedback from leftist environmental groups on the [PPCA] and enabled those groups to influence U.S. foreign policy. These documents raise significant concerns that confidential information related to U.S. foreign policy, energy policy, and national security policy, have been shared with these groups, including in off-the-record meetings with Envoy John Kerry."
Comer further criticized the Biden Administration and Kerry for taking actions under the guise of climate advocacy that undermine the country's economic health and threaten foreign policy priorities while avoiding congressional scrutiny.
As an example, Comer referred to a March 2021 exchange where State Department officials sought and received guidance from the NRDC about the PPCA. In response, NRDC international analyst Han Chen connected the State Department with another environmental group, E3G, and praised the PPCA for its work in driving countries to announce earlier coal plant closures.
In April 2021, the NRDC, E3G, Sierra Club, Solutions for Our Climate, and World Resources Institute sent a memo to State Department officials expressing their support for the U.S. joining the PPCA. They believed that this would support President Biden's goal to decarbonize the U.S. power grid by 2035.
Comer's letter to Blinken continued, "These exchanges raise concerns as to what information Envoy Kerry and the SPEC office are providing to organizations like the NRDC in exchange for this information."
Comer expressed concern that U.S. government officials providing non-public information to such groups could enable them to share it with foreign governments, potentially undermining U.S. national and energy security.
Comer has requested a series of documents and communications related to the State Department's decision to join the PPCA. He asked for the information to be submitted to his committee by January 19 and also requested a staff-level briefing on the topic.
The State Department, NRDC, and PPCA have not yet responded to requests for comment.
This investigation is part of Comer's broader oversight into Kerry's office and his actions representing the U.S. in climate negotiations globally.
Upon taking office in 2021, President Biden appointed Kerry as the U.S. SPEC, a new position that did not require Senate approval and gave him a seat on the president's cabinet and National Security Council. The SPEC office, housed at the State Department, has an estimated annual budget of $13.9 million and approval for 45 personnel.
Since assuming the role, Kerry has traveled worldwide, attending high-profile climate summits and diplomatic engagements to advocate for a global transition from fossil fuels to green energy alternatives.
Despite his high-level role leading the Biden administration's global climate strategy, Kerry's office has been tight-lipped about its internal operations and staff members, sparking criticism from Republicans, including Comer, who have demanded transparency from his office.
Login