American Clean Skies Foundation

American Clean Skies Foundation
Name	American Clean Skies Foundation
Type	Nonprofit foundation
Founded	2007
Founder	Philip Anschutz
Location	Washington, D.C.
Focus	Clean energy advocacy, natural gas policy, renewable energy
Key people	Philip Anschutz, Tom Kimbis

American Clean Skies Foundation

The American Clean Skies Foundation was a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit foundation established to influence energy and environmental policy in the United States. It focused on promoting natural gas and renewable energy technologies through research, advocacy, and grantmaking while engaging with federal entities such as the United States Department of Energy and regulatory bodies like the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The foundation operated at the intersection of energy markets, public policy, and technology deployment, interacting with a range of actors from ExxonMobil to Sierra Club.

History

The foundation was founded in 2007 by Philip Anschutz, an American entrepreneur associated with Qwest Communications International, The Anschutz Corporation, and investments in Kroenke Sports & Entertainment. Early activities tied the foundation to national debates involving George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and legislative efforts such as the Energy Policy Act of 2005. During the late 2000s and early 2010s the foundation engaged with entities including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Congressional Budget Office, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and advocacy groups like Natural Resources Defense Council and Environmental Defense Fund. Its timeline intersected with major industry events such as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill response, the expansion of shale gas development in regions like the Marcellus Shale and Barnett Shale, and regulatory shifts led by officials from the Securities and Exchange Commission to state public utility commissions in California Public Utilities Commission and New York Public Service Commission.

Mission and Policy Activities

The foundation articulated a mission to advance cleaner-burning fuels and low-emission technologies, frequently framing its agenda alongside policy instruments such as carbon pricing debated in forums like the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and domestic proposals from lawmakers in the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives. Its policy work interfaced with think tanks and institutions including the Brookings Institution, Heritage Foundation, American Enterprise Institute, Center for Strategic and International Studies, and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. The foundation produced analyses that drew upon data and models from the Energy Information Administration, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and the International Energy Agency to inform stakeholders such as Governors from Texas, Wyoming, and Pennsylvania and regulators from the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities.

Programs and Initiatives

Programmatically, the foundation supported market-oriented approaches to accelerate deployment of natural gas infrastructure, distributed solar power projects, and emerging technologies like carbon capture and storage and combined heat and power demonstrated at facilities such as Argonne National Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Initiatives included grantmaking to projects in states affected by shale development in the Appalachian Basin and public engagement campaigns that coordinated with organizations like American Wind Energy Association and Solar Energy Industries Association. The foundation also convened events featuring speakers from entities such as Chevron, BP, General Electric, Tesla, Inc., and academic researchers from Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Harvard University.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding sources and partnerships spanned philanthropic, corporate, and institutional actors. Initial endowment funding traced to Philip Anschutz and was connected to his holdings in companies such as Qwest, Anschutz Entertainment Group, and investments in Union Pacific Corporation. The foundation collaborated with think tanks and nonprofits including Resources for the Future, World Resources Institute, Pew Charitable Trusts, and regional organizations like the Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association. It entered joint projects with utilities and energy firms including Dominion Energy, Duke Energy, and PG&E Corporation, and worked with academic partners from Columbia University and Princeton University on research and pilot projects.

Organizational Structure and Leadership

Governance structures included a board of directors and professional staff engaged in policy analysis, communications, and grant management. Leadership connections linked to high-profile figures in business and energy policy circles such as Philip Anschutz and executives who had prior roles at institutions like ExxonMobil, Chevron, and regulatory agencies including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency. Staff affiliations often overlapped with alumni networks from universities and think tanks including Yale University, University of Chicago, Johns Hopkins University, and Georgetown University.

Impact and Criticism

The foundation influenced public discourse on natural gas and renewable energy through reports, conferences, and advocacy campaigns, shaping policy conversations that reached actors including members of the United States Congress, state governors, and federal agencies. Supporters cited its role in promoting cleaner-burning fuels and technology deployment in markets like New York and California, while critics—from organizations such as Sierra Club, Greenpeace, and investigative outlets like ProPublica—questioned ties to fossil-fuel interests and the foundation’s emphasis on natural gas amid debates over climate change mitigation strategies advanced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Debates about the foundation intersected with litigation and regulatory controversies involving entities such as Kinder Morgan and policy disputes around pipeline approvals adjudicated in courts including the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

Category:Energy politics Category:Non-profit organizations based in Washington, D.C.