“Researchers at the San Francisco-based environmental nonprofit (Rainforest Action Network (RAN)) combed through U.S. Bureau of Land Management lease records and found some of the world’s largest conglomerates—Chevron, ConocoPhillips, BP and Royal Dutch Shell among them (RAN dubbed the top federal leaseholders “The Filthy 15”), along with many smaller, independent energy companies—holding millions of acres for the purposes of fracking, drilling and coal mining, all leased at “nominal” fees. Even the Mormon Church’s tax-exempt financial arm is in on the action.”
September 28, 2015