The Financial Times newspaper reports that BP aggressively courted Texas state regulators and public officials, successfully staving off new regulation before a 2005 refinery explosion in Texas City that killed 15 people. Lax safety practices and monitoring at the BP refinery were later blamed for the blast, over which BP may face federal criminal charges.
The 47-page document viewed by reporters was dated May 29, 2003 and titled “Advocacy Strategy.” It assigned BP staff to invite Texas regulators, judges and lawmakers to lunch, to attend meetings with them and even get involved with Boy Scout troops and local rodeos.
The company’s successful lobbying saved it at least $150 million in monitoring and equipment upgrades, the story says.
Other oil companies have similarly aggressive PR operations , but the documents that lay out their strategy are rarely seen.
A key excerpt:
BP employees were to attend small public meetings with their assigned TCEQ [Texas Commission on Environmental Quality] staffer in order to build close relationships, and make sure they went to any BP meeting where that staffer was present. They were to "meet with the person at least annually for lunch or other close encounter"; and send a follow-up note after any one-on-one meeting or facility visit.
BP aimed to host either a TCEQ Commissioner or the executive director for a plant tour at least annually, according to the document. Those in BP’s health, safety and environment office were to visit the regional TCEQ office at least twice per year, and BP environmental engineers were told to establish a relationship with state regulatory permit writers, corrective action project managers or their respective counterparts with periodic contact.
Everyone from county judges and fire chiefs to state representatives and air permit engineers were on the list of people that staffers were assigned to woo.
The effort was so comprehensive that BP staffers were assigned community involvement opportunities ranging from the Boy Scouts of America, and the high school business club of junior achievement, to Habitat for Humanity, and the Galveston fair and rodeo.