Oil Change USA is the advocacy arm of the anti-conventional energy environmentalist group Oil Change International. Oil Change USA supports the far-left legislative proposal called the Green New Deal. ¹

Background

Oil Change USA was created in 2018 as the advocacy arm of Oil Change International. The group endorses candidates for public office who publicly espouse left-wing environmentalist policies. It also hosts demonstrations centered around combating climate change.

A separate entity under Oil Change USA, ClimateTruth.org, merged with the organization in September 2018 after its creation in 2017. ²

Political Activities

Programs

Oil Change USA takes part in demonstrations related to spreading climate awareness. It attended the Global Climate Action Summit in California in 2018 to stop Gov. Jerry Brown (D-CA) from issuing further permits for oil wells. ³

Oil Change USA was one of 600 environmental organizations to send a letter to the House of Representatives to start legislation proceedings on the climate issue. ⁴ It also sent a letter to the U.S. Senate with 200 other environmental groups to oppose the European Energy Security and Diversification Act of 2019 that would increase development in the oil and gas industry. ⁵ Oil Change USA also monitors funding from oil executives that go directly to Congressmen. ⁶

2020 Democratic Party Primaries

Oil Change held a demonstration to host a climate change debate at the Democratic National Committee headquarters ahead of the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries, calling on candidates to support stronger environmentalist policies as part of their campaigns. ⁷ The group also demanded presidential candidates pledge that they would not accept oil money under the No Fossil Fuel Pledge. ⁸ Oil Change removed Presidential hopeful Beto O’Rourke after unveiling that he had taken donations from traditional oil executives over $200. ⁹ Partnering with Greenpeace, Labor Network for Sustainability, Data for Progress, Honor the Earth, and the Indigenous Environmental Network, Oil Change has released a scorecard tracking how Democratic candidates have prioritized the climate issue in their legislation. ¹⁰

In addition, Oil Change USA monitors many congressional and presidential candidates on their relationships to the oil and gas industry through the group’s blog. The organization publicly reports and advocates candidates who lay out a plan to halt oil and gas expansions such as Governor Jay Inslee’s (D-WA) plan. ¹¹

Leadership

Stephen Kretzmann is the founder of Oil Change International and Oil Change USA. His former positions included working at Greenpeace for eight years, as an environmental advisor for Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People in Nigeria and as a consultant on environmental issues. ¹²

Elizabeth Bast is the managing director at Oil Change USA who oversees the development and international public finances. ¹³ She also worked at Friends of the Earth as international program director, Worldwatch Institute and the Environmental Policy Center.

Alex Doukas is the lead analyst of Oil Change USA who works to stop international subsidies and all financial sources reaching oil and gas industries. ¹⁴ He formerly worked with the World Resources Institute and the Pembina Institute.

Nathan Lemphers is the senior campaigner where he works alongside the Energy Futures and Transitions Program. He used to work for the Pembina Institute. ¹⁵

Greg Muttitt is the research director for Oil Change. He has worked in several countries on environmental issues. ¹⁶

1. “Oil Change USA Response to Green New Deal Resolutions.” Oil Change U.S. February 07, 2019. Accessed June 24, 2019. http://oilchangeusa.org/oil-change-response-green-new-deal-resolutions/.
2. “After Merger, ClimateTruth Becomes Oil Change USA.” Oil Change U.S. November 07, 2018. Accessed June 18, 2019. http://oilchangeusa.org/after-merger-climatetruth-becomes-oil-change-usa/.
3. “Sparking a New Conversation around “climate Leadership”.” Oil Change U.S. October 15, 2018. Accessed June 20, 2019. http://oilchangeusa.org/sparking-a-new-conversation-around-climate-leadership/.
4. “We Need Ambitious Climate Action That Matches the Scale and Urgency of the Climate Crisis.” Oil Change U.S. February 06, 2019. Accessed June 20, 2019. http://oilchangeusa.org/626-groups-urge-congress-to-phase-out-fossil-fuels-build-green-economy/.
5. “200 Groups Urge Senate to Oppose European Fossil Fuel Promotion Bill.” Oil Change U.S. May 10, 2019. Accessed June 21, 2019. http://oilchangeusa.org/200-groups-oppose-european-fossil-fuel-bill/.
6. Kaufman, Alexander C., and Alexander C. Kaufman. “Senators Not Backing Green New Deal Received On Average 7 Times As Much Fossil Fuel Cash.” HuffPost. February 21, 2019. Accessed June 21, 2019. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/senate-green-new-deal-fossil-fuel-donations_n_5c6dc9b2e4b0e2f4d8a24e83.
7. “We Brought Our Call for a #ClimateDebate Right to DNC Headquarters.” Oil Change U.S. June 12, 2019. Accessed June 18, 2019. http://oilchangeusa.org/we-brought-our-call-for-a-climatedebate-right-to-dnc-headquarters/.
8. “With Sen. Booker Signing No Fossil Fuel Money Pledge, All Eyes Now on VP Biden.” Oil Change U.S. June 01, 2019. Accessed June 18, 2019. http://oilchangeusa.org/booker-fossil-fuel-money-pledge/.
9. “Beto O’Rourke Removed From ‘No Fossil Fuel Money Pledge’ Following Sludge Report.” Sludge. Accessed June 21, 2019. https://readsludge.com/2018/12/18/beto-orourke-removed-from-no-fossil-fuel-money-pledge-following-sludge-report/.
10. Corbett, Jessica. “New Greenpeace Report Breaks Down Why Next US President Has No Choice But to Prioritize Total ‘Fossil Fuel Phase Out’.” Common Dreams. June 06, 2019. Accessed June 21, 2019. https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/06/06/new-greenpeace-report-breaks-down-why-next-us-president-has-no-choice-prioritize.
11. “Inslee Raises the Bar, Recognizes the Imperative of a Fossil Fuel Production Phase-out – Oil Change U.S. Response.” Oil Change U.S. June 24, 2019. Accessed June 24, 2019. http://oilchangeusa.org/response-inslee-phase-out-fossil-fuel-production/.
12. “About.” Oil Change International. Accessed June 18, 2019. http://priceofoil.org/about/.
13. “About.” Oil Change International. Accessed June 18, 2019. http://priceofoil.org/about/.
14. “About.” Oil Change International. Accessed June 18, 2019. http://priceofoil.org/about/.
15. “About.” Oil Change International. Accessed June 18, 2019. http://priceofoil.org/about/.
16. “About.” Oil Change International. Accessed June 18, 2019. http://priceofoil.org/about/.