Liberal group ad links Gulf oil spill with Murkowski climate plan

A liberal advocacy group is tying Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s (R-Alaska) bill to block EPA climate change rules to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill ahead of a pivotal Senate vote on the measure Thursday.

Americans United for Change is launching a three-day TV ad in Washington, D.C., cable markets that combines images of BP’s gushing well with the claim that Republicans are “working to gut the bipartisan Clean Air Act…and give big oil a bailout.”

Murkowski’s plan would overturn EPA’s “endangerment finding” last year that greenhouse gases threaten humans. The finding is the legal precursor to rules that would eventually require facilities including oil refineries and power plants to minimize emissions.

Murkowski argues that EPA regulations will harm the economy and eventually reach small businesses, despite an agency plan to shield small emitters.

But opponents of Murkowski’s measure argue that she and the bill’s backers are doing the bidding of industry lobbyists bent on warding off any emissions-cutting mandates.

“Tell the Grand Oil Party – oil money has polluted our politics and environment enough,” states the ad, which highlights oil industry contributions to Republicans. The labor-backed advocacy group is spending $40,000 on the three-day buy that starts Tuesday, a spokesman said.

Murkowski’s resolution cannot be filibustered, but she will still face an uphill fight to reach 51 votes. The measure currently has 41 backers, including three moderate Democrats: Blanche Lincoln (Ark.), Mary Landrieu (La.) and Ben Nelson (Neb.).