WASHINGTON — When President-elect Barack Obama introduced James L. Jones Jr. as his national security advisor Monday, he emphasized the retired Marine general's understanding of "the connection between energy and national security."
Obama sees that as a plus, but some environmental groups and global warming activists view Jones' environmental record with suspicion.
Jones will not be responsible for environmental policy, but he has said energy is a vital national security issue. It affects domestic economic stability and international geopolitical relationships, particularly in the oil-rich Middle East.
Jones sits on the board of Chevron Corp., and since March 2007 has been president and chief executive of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Institute for 21st Century Energy, which has been criticized by environmental groups.
"They have a reprehensible record," said Frank O'Donnell, the outspoken leader of Clean Air Watch, of the institute led by Jones.
The institute calls for the immediate expansion of domestic oil and gas production, nuclear energy and clean-coal technology, in addition to investment in renewable and alternative energy sources.
O'Donnell criticized institute reports under Jones that challenged the use of the Clean Air Act to combat global warming and the right of states, such as California, to impose environmental standards that go beyond those set by the federal government.
"Since global warming is a security threat, this selection raises a real eyebrow," O'Donnell said in an e-mail. "Will Jones be predisposed to compromise the new administration's environmental agenda, both at home and in the international arena? . . . Stay tuned."
O'Donnell said the U.S. Chamber of Commerce had "the worst track record" of any business advocacy group when it came to global warming.
Chamber officials dismissed concerns that they represented extreme pro-industry views on climate change.
"If you look at our reports, one thing you will see is balance," said David Chavern, the chamber's chief operating officer. "The general is a balanced, rational guy. That will serve him well as national security advisor."
The nonprofit institute is an arm of the chamber, the country's leading business lobby. Chamber officials declined to reveal the budget or who finances the institute.
Today, an institute executive will hold a chamber-sponsored discussion about global warming featuring Lawrence Solomon, the author of a book questioning whether there is a scientific consensus on climate change.
