Securing America's Future Energy

According to its website, Securing America's Future Energy (SAFE) is an action-oriented, nonpartisan organization that works to reduce America's dependence on oil, educating policy makers and advocating for comprehensive energy reform.

Projects
2H2B-EtzyzE The Energy Policy Information Center (EPIC) is a site composed of legislative updates, analysis, expert commentary, and news reports on important domestic and global energy developments.

Oil Shockwave is a scenario exercise in which top former government officials take part in a series of meetings over a length of time in order to advise the President on how to respond to a series of events that would affect world oil supplies. The simulation is set six months into the future to provide distance from current events.

For a more detailed description of SAFE's projects, please see:

Funding and Lobbying
Jonathan Grella, SAFE's senior vice president said that the group is funded through foundations and individuals and that it does not take money from oil companies. However, SAFE spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on the Downey McGrath Group, a lobbying firm whose past clients include energy companies like Chevron, the Standard Renewable Energy Group, several foreign countries and the Albright Group. The organization spent $20,000 on the Downey McGrath Group in 2006 ; $160,000 in 2007 ; and $150,000 in 2008.

Spousal ties to lobbying
Carol Browner, wife of the founder chairman of the Downey/McGrath Group, was named Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change in 2009. In 2006, Downey and Browner worked together on issues related to a Dubai firm's purchase of a U.S. port operator. Barack Obama's selection of Browner to a high-level position illustrated a potential loophole in his pledge of keeping special interests at a distance. However, since taking her position in the Obama administration, Browner's husband, Downey, has severed all ties and no longer represents SAFE. 

Leadership
People related to Securing America's Future Energy :


 * Dennis C. Blair - council member
 * Vernon E. Clark - council member
 * David Conover - lobbyist
 * Michael L. Eskew - council member
 * Adam M. Goldstein - council member
 * John A. Gordon - council member
 * Maurice R. Greenberg - council member
 * Robert D. Hormats - council member
 * Gregory G. Johnson - council member
 * Herbert D. Kelleher - council member
 * Paul X. Kelley - co-chair
 * John F. Lehman - co-chair
 * Michael E. Ryan - council member
 * Frederick W. Smith - co-chair

It should be noted that multiple council members and co-chairs have interests in the oil industry or in industries heavily reliant on oil. For instance, Frederick W. Smith is a member of the National Petroleum Council; Vernon E. Clark is the director of Rolls-Royce North America Inc.; and Herbert D. Kelleher is the chairman emeritus of Southwest Airlines Co. Muckety provides an excellent interactive map showing the relationships among the people, companies, and organizations associated with SAFE.