Anti-energy Cornell prof funded by leftist foundation

Professor Howarth

Cornell University professor Robert Howarth has produced a paper claiming shale gas pollutes more than coal.   While national media ran with the story, Upstate bloggers were quick to point out that Howarth is a well known opponent of fracking, putting the professor's scientific objectivity in question.

Unlikely Hospitalist at Pundit Press:  Results of Cornell Natural Gas Study a Foregone Conclusion

Sam Foster at Lonely Conservative:  Robert Howarth speaker at an anti-fracking rally, comes out with a paper against fracking

Today, Gannett reports that Howarth's research was funded by Ithaca's notoriously left-leaning Park Foundation:

A Cornell University study that was released this week shows Marcellus Shale drilling could do more to exacerbate global warming than mining coal.

The study was partially funded by the Ithaca-based Park Foundation, ecologist Robert Howarth said. Though the foundation has been active in the anti-drilling lobby, the data were compiled from an objective view, he said.

"They gave us the grant with no strings attached," he said. "The agreement was to do an objective analysis and then do our best to publish whatever the conclusions were."

Howarth declined to reveal how much money the foundation gave the study, but said it was less than one third of the funding. Cornell funded the rest, he said.

Its clear that the anti fracking agenda is really an anti energy conspiracy.  No form of energy is to be allowed, other than those that are too expensive and too inefficient to power our economy (wind, solar, unicorn).   The goal is to destroy our standard of living, and we're well on the way to that outcome.