Chevron Corp. spent $2.06 million in the second quarter to lobby the federal government on trade with Ecuador and other issues, according to a disclosure report.
That’s down from the $3.92 million that Chevron spent in the year-ago period, and the $2.8 million it spent in the first quarter of this year.
The San Ramon, Calif., oil giant also lobbied the federal government on legislation involving offshore drilling, taxes for refined fuels, pipeline safety, renewable fuel standards, speculation in oil markets, new drilling techniques, greenhouse gas regulation, Canadian oil sands mining, piracy in Somalia, political stability in the Niger Delta, biofuels, and many other issues, according to the report filed on July 20.
For years, Chevron has been involved in a legal battle with residents of Ecuador, who claim that oil fields operated by Texaco, which Chevron bought in 2001, is responsible for widespread environmental contamination in the rainforest. Chevron has argued that Texaco already has paid to clean up the region and isn’t responsible for any further damages.
This month, a federal appeals court in New York cleared the way for a court in Ecuador to collect on an $18 billion judgment against the company. Chevron says it will continue to fight that judgment in other courts.
In the April-to-June period, America’s second-largest oil company lobbied Congress, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Office of Management & Budget, the Executive Office of the President, National Security Council, the departments of treasury, interior, state, commerce, the Securities & Exchange Commission, according to the report filed with the House clerk’s office.
