WHEATON – Democrat Congressman Sean Casten's (IL-6) big issue is the environment – at least that's what he says. But the DC political blog RollCall.com reports he has between $250,000 and $500,000 invested in a California biomass company that had five EPA warnings since 2016 for violating the Clear Water Act. The problem? Sending lead and solid waste into a nearby river.
"Federal regulators have cited a Greenleaf facility in Connecticut five times since 2016 for violating the Clean Water Act. The facility in Plainfield was releasing lead and solid waste into its surroundings and the adjacent Quinebaug River at levels that surpassed limits under the CWA, EPA records show. Two of the violations came in 2016, one in 2017 and two in 2018, according to the records, RollCall.com writes.
It's really no big deal, though. At least that's what Casten's spokeswoman said.
Casten said through a spokeswoman, Maddie Carlos, he owns a “non-controlling, minority stake in Greenleaf” obtained after the financial crash of 2008, the story says.
Wednesday morning, Jeanne Ives, a Republican candidate for Congress (IL-6), said not only is Casten's investment accused of polluting a river, it also burns wood – an energy source that adds to the environment's CO2 amount.
"The political left would have us believe that Sean Casten is the Sheldon Cooper of climate science. In reality, he is the Elizabeth Holmes." said Ives. "Positioned as a prolific climate scientist by his party – and himself - Casten is making money off a wood-burning biomass company, Greenleaf Power LLC."
According to the report, Ives says, “the process emits climate-warming carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and often means the elimination of living trees that trap carbon emissions.”
“This is problematic for two reasons,” Ives said. “One: Trees provide a carbon sink. And two: Studies from the Massachusetts Environmental Energy Alliancefound that biomass combustion (burning) produces 1.5 times more CO2 than fossil fuels on a per unit basis. According to Steve Gorham, author of the book Outside the Green Box: Rethinking Sustainable Development, biomass burning releases more CO2 than coal, is more expensive, and results in deforestation.
All that points to Casten's ignorance or his greed, she went on to say. He's a hypocrite.
“If he is the energy expert he portrays himself to be, then he knew the harm of Greenleaf’s processes and chose to invest in the company anyway to enrich himself. If he had no idea what this company was doing, then he is not the expert he claims to be.
"Either way, Sean Casten is a hypocrite to his core,” Ives continued. “Unfortunately, aside from a few political blogs, the political class and the media have decided to look the other way rather than do their due diligence.
"As a result, there is a great deal voters in the 6th Congressional District don't know about Mr. Casten. But not for long. Over the next year, we will make sure they know exactly who he is: a crony capitalist who wants to regulate every aspect of their lives."
No comment yet from Republican primary candidate in the 6th CD Evelyn Sanguinetti on the story.
Per a statement issued July 30th, 6th CD Republican candidate Evelyn Sanguinetti offered a response to the RollCall story:
"Sean Casten is another hypocrite politician who puts his ‘priorities’ aside when it benefits him financially,” said Evelyn Sanguinetti. “While claiming climate change an ‘urgent threat’ and his top priority, Sean Casten chose to make money off a dirty company cited numerous times for violating the Clean Water Act. Unfortunately, he’s fitting in well in Washington, D.C. with the other politicians who say one thing and do another.”
