Unqualified Individual Appointed to North Carolina Oil and Gas Commission

Unqualified Individual Appointed to North Carolina Oil and Gas Commission

In October 2017, the North Carolina legislature appointed Jim Womak to the state’s Oil and Gas Commission, in a seat the commission’s bylaws reserve for a “representative of a nongovernmental conservation interest.” In support of his appointment, Mr. Womak argued that he has significant “conservation” experience, having served as a member of the board of science and policy advisors of the American Council on Science and Health (ACSH). Mr. Womak described the ACSM as “the poster-child of conservationists.” However, a review of the ACSM’s website, position papers, books and other materials found that it performs no conservation-related activities. ACSM states that it focuses on “debunking” alarmist public health news and pushing back against “scaremongers and activist groups who have targeted . . . natural gas and chemicals,” among other things. Several members of its advisory board are affiliated with the Heartland Institute, whose publications deny the scientific consensus on climate change, and promote increased use of fossil fuels.

Following opposition to Womak’s appointment, legislators in North Carolina sought to amend the Oil and Gas Commission’s by-laws to remove the requirement that two seats be reserved for “representatives” of nongovernmental conservation interests, and allow them to be filled by “members” of conservation organizations. Critics say this will “low the bar” for conservation-focused members as “[a]nybody can send a $25 check to the Sierra Club” and meet the requirement.