In this issue:
- My Congressional testimony and its aftermath
- Chris Wright, proud Oil & Gas CEO
- Quick updates
- Ignoring me won’t work
Breaking: I have just released a video that refutes literally every claim made by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and her energy witness in our hearing yesterday. I think it’s one of the best videos I’ve ever made.
Watch the full video here and a 2-minute excerpt here.
My Congressional testimony and its aftermath
Yesterday I testified in front of the House Natural Resources Committee on energy in Puerto Rico. Here‘s my full testimony and Q&A.
My testimony has been getting a lot of attention on Twitter, especially this video I put together with my response to “AOC”—who was at the hearing—who advocated for shutting down “tomorrow” the coal plant that provides 20% of Puerto Rico’s electricity.
The video has well over 100,000 views in less than 24 hours. Please share it!
Also, I had a heated exchange with Rep. Anthony Espaillat about fossil fuels in the Dominican Republic.
He initially posted the exchange on his Twitter but then deleted it (I’m guessing because he did not look good).
Here are the videos I’ve shared so far on YouTube.
Alex Epstein’s full Congressional testimony on energy in Puerto Rico — including Q&A
Alex Epstein’s Congressional testimony on energy in Puerto Rico — opening statement
Congressman Adriano Espaillat gets educated by Alex Epstein on energy in the Dominican Republic
Alex Epstein vs. AOC in Congressional hearing on energy in Puerto Rico
Alex Epstein respectfully refutes every AOC claim about energy in Puerto Rico — Alex Epstein
Chris Wright, proud Oil & Gas CEO
On this week’s Power Hour I have a wide-ranging discussion with Chris Wright, the proud and outspoken CEO of Liberty Oilfield Services.
I first met Chris when we tag-teamed in a debate against climate catastrophists back in late 2015.
He, like me, came to love fossil fuels despite not coming from that industry background at all (his background was working on fusion at MIT).
In the past month Chris has done two very cool things.
One is that he has responded to the ESG movement with a report entitled “Bettering Human Lives” that highlights the amazing benefits of the oil and gas industry, and encourages rational thinking about climate.
Chris has also been making a lot of noise with a new “Thank You, North Face” billboard and video campaign.
In our discussion Chris and I cover:
- Why he chose to be an entrepreneur
- The response to his revolutionary ESG report
- The response to his “Thank You, North Face” campaign
- His role working with Mitchell Energy to bring about the shale revolution
- What Chris’s activist successes can teach other energy CEOs
- Chris’s plans for future activism
- Our common motivations for focusing our careers on energy
- How we think about criticism
You can watch on YouTube or listen on Apple Podcasts.
Quick updates
I’m holding the first Energy Champions meeting on Monday at 3 pm ET, 12 pm PT. Here again is the info on how to apply.
Note: Energy Champions is not a public group that people represent or affiliate with. It’s a private group devoted to radically improving the quality of energy messaging and the distribution of that messaging.
- The goal of this group, which will feature regular Zoom calls, is to share my approach to energy messaging and policy with as many “energy champions” as possible so they can be far more effective–including creating far more valuable material. I have the conviction that there are a lot of people out there with so much valuable knowledge in their heads that I and others can use, but it is not communicated in anywhere near the most useful way. I want to help with that.
- There is no cost to joining this group.
- By joining this group you will get regular messaging as well as invites to biweekly meetings.
- The main criteria for being in the group is that you spend a significant portion of your time (at least 5 hours a week) championing energy and energy freedom.
- Eligible groups include:
- Think-tank members
- Activists
- Trade group members
- Lobbyists
- Energy company representatives
- Elected officials at any level
- To apply, email me at alex@alexepstein.com subject “Energy Champions” and a few sentences on why you’d like to join.
My podcast with Jimmy Song is live. Listen to it here.
My podcast with Aleks Svetski is live. Listen to it here.
Ignoring me won’t work
Yesterday, just like the last time I testified in front of Congress, no one who disagreed with me would ask me a challenging question. Even usually-formidable questioners like “AOC,” Katie Porter, and Rashida Tlaib. (Many representatives were happy to bully-question the other witness who was considered on my side.)
Why won’t these anti-fossil fuel officials–whom I argued are a threat to the future of Puerto Rico–ask me a challenging question? Are they being advised not to after what happened to Barbara Boxer in 2016?
Ignoring me is not going to work. I’m not going anywhere, and I will keep winning over more smart people. Eventually the leaders of the anti-fossil fuel movement will have to debate me–and lose–or everyone is going to know that they will not debate me *because they will lose*.
To Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Energy,
Alex