Todd Myers

Todd Myers

Credentials

Background

Todd Myers is a public relations professional and director of the Center for the Environment at a small think tank located in Seattle, Washington, called the Washington Policy Center (WPC).3Our Staff,” Washington Policy Center. Archived April 2, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/KhY54

According to their website, the WPC‘s mission is to “promote free-market solutions through research and education.” Former Republican politician Jack Kemp describes the Washington Policy Center as the “The Heritage Foundation of the Northwest.”

Myers runs the WPC‘s Center for the Environment. Prior to the WPC, Myers worked as a communications director for the Department of Natural Resources.4Our Staff,” Washington Policy Center. Archived April 2, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/KhY54

Myers has also run his own public relations business, Todd Myers Communications. According to his profile, Myers has “more than a decade [of experience] in public relations. His experience “combines planning and implementing public relations strategies for sports franchises, producing award-winning public events, managing successful statewide political campaigns, building strong grassroots coalitions, and creating innovative Internet marketing solutions” (emphasis added).

Myer’s past clients include Pfizer, PhRMa, and the Washington Policy Center.5Current and Past Clients,” Todd Myers Communications. Archived July 7, 2017. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/NGVJp

In 2000, Myers ran Doug Sutherland’s campaign for Commissioner of Public Lands and served as his Communications Director until 2004.6“First International Conference on Climate Change, Program” (PDF)Heartland Institute. Archived January 8, 2018.

Stance on Climate Change

June 10, 2011

“[C]limate models indicate that the impact of current CO2 concentrations on the climate is slight, within the ‘noise level’ in the data. In other words, according to the climate models, we are at levels in which it is hard to distinguish the CO2 impacts from natural forces,” Myers wrote at Washington Policy Center.7Climate Data That Sounds Meaningful…But Isn’t,” Washington Policy Center, June 9, 2011. Archived August 13, 2014. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Gd3nP

On Covid

February 10, 2022

“As alarming as the death toll from the heatwave [in Washington State] is, it is small compared to the rise in non-COVID excess deaths in Washington. These deaths are those above a normal year but were not caused by COVID itself. These include those The Seattle Times called “deaths of despair” related to legal mandates and social restrictions state officials imposed in their effort to fight the spread of the coronavirus,.” Myers wrote in an article for the Washington Policy Center.8Todd Myers. “Heat wave deaths got attention, but COVID restrictions silently killed 16 times as many,” Washington Policy Center, February 10, 2022. Archived June 18, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/S6COn

“For all of 2021, there were about 4,700 non-COVID excess deaths. That is equivalent to the deaths from the record-breaking heatwave every three weeks for an entire year,” he added.

Key Quotes

December 14, 2015

“If the Paris accords are just another catalyst to temperamental environmentalism, they will reinforce these counterproductive trends, we will lose more time, waste more money and squander more opportunity to help the environment,” Myers wrote at The Daily Herald of Everett, Washington.9Paris deal won’t lead to results,” HeraldNet, December 15, 2015. Archived May 9, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/owd7h

December 6, 2015

“Put simply, corn production is not correlated with honeybee death, beekeepers who expose their hives to the highest level of pesticides have the lowest rates of hive death and hive loss related to pesticides is a small percentage of total hive loss,” Myers wrote at the Washington Policy Center.10Todd Myers. “Yet Another Unscientific Claim About Honeybees and Pesticides,” Washington Policy Center, December 6, 2015. Archived May 9, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/EplpQ

2011

“[W]e challenge Sightline to find one climate scientist at the UW Department of Atmospheric Sciences who says recent weather patterns (unusually hot in 2009 or unusually cold in 2011), are the result of anthropogenic climate change. I’ll give you until the end of the day on Tuesday to find someone.

If I lose, I’ll send $50 to the charity of their choice. If I win, they send $50 to KIVA.ORG, to fund entrepreneurs in developing countries,” Myers wrote at the Washington Policy Center.11Greens vs. Science: Is Climate Change Already Here? I’ll Take That Bet!Washington Policy Center, July 8, 2011. Archived August 13, 2014. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/UwAtb

Key Deeds

May 27, 2020

Myers wrote an article at the Wall Street Journal critical of Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, using him as a supposed example of how “politicians discard the scientific method and deploy the term merely as a weapon against their opponents.”12Todd Myers. “When Covid ‘Science’ Is a Smokescreen,” Wall Street Journal, May 27, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/aY7SA

Myers quoted a February 27 tweet from Inslee to Mike Pence suggesting “our work would be more successful if the Trump administration stuck to the science and told the truth.”13Todd Myers. “When Covid ‘Science’ Is a Smokescreen,” Wall Street Journal, May 27, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/aY7SA

“Mr. Inslee didn’t say what he meant by ‘the science.’ In fact, at the time of his tweet, there wasn’t yet much science regarding the virus at all. We’re still learning it. What is the true mortality rate? What is a safe social distance? How contagious is the virus? What percentage of carriers are asymptomatic? We still don’t know any of these facts with certainty,” Myers wrote.

“When the governor and other politicians refer to ‘the science,’ they rarely point to actual science. It is a bluff designed to imply that their chosen policy is based on more than guesswork and politics.”

[…]

“On both climate change and the Covid-19 crisis, Mr. Inslee has either refused to provide real measures or has changed the metrics when they became politically inconvenient.”14Todd Myers. “When Covid ‘Science’ Is a Smokescreen,” Wall Street Journal, May 27, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/aY7SA

May 14, 2020

Myers wrote an article at National Review suggesting “The Coronavirus Lockdown Has Not Made the Air Cleaner.” Referring to levels of particulate matter, PM 2.5, Myers claimed “The key factor, however, is that in most places, human-caused pollution is small relative to natural sources. Even a significant reduction in the human contribution makes only a small difference.”15Todd Myers. “The Coronavirus Lockdown Has Not Made the Air Cleaner,” National Review, May 14, 2020. Archived June 1, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/sOwkk

Referring to reduced NO2 levels associated with driving, Myers argues that while he cannot deny numbers have come down, numbers are “driven mostly by the influence of clouds and routine seasonal changes in the angle of the sun.”16Todd Myers. “The Coronavirus Lockdown Has Not Made the Air Cleaner,” National Review, May 14, 2020. Archived June 1, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/sOwkk

“Although it can be harmful, NO2 is a concern primarily because it is a precursor to particulate matter and ozone. Rather than look at just NO2, we should track the actual pollutant that concerns us. Ironically, many of the misleading articles specifically leave out PM 2.5, perhaps because the data tell the wrong story,” he wrote.17Todd Myers. “The Coronavirus Lockdown Has Not Made the Air Cleaner,” National Review, May 14, 2020. Archived June 1, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/sOwkk

He concludes that this is evidence that reducing vehicle travel may not be an effective way to reduce air pollution: “the economic lockdown has provided a painful, but useful, natural experiment to test the potential benefits of future air-quality regulations. If a policy claims to reduce PM 2.5 by more than we are seeing currently, under a drastic reduction of car travel, we should be very skeptical.”18Todd Myers. “The Coronavirus Lockdown Has Not Made the Air Cleaner,” National Review, May 14, 2020. Archived June 1, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/sOwkk

“Even those (or most of those) claiming our air quality is better admit that shutting down the economy is not a good approach. Considering the painful economic impacts of environmental policy is important, not just for our prosperity, but for the environment,” he concluded.19Todd Myers. “The Coronavirus Lockdown Has Not Made the Air Cleaner,” National Review, May 14, 2020. Archived June 1, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/sOwkk

April 6, 2020

Myers, representing the Washington Policy Center, is signatory to an American Energy Alliance letter to President Donald Trump supporting the Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule which would scrap federal fuel economy mandates under the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) program.20CAFE-Coaliton-to-Trump-April-2020-9 (PDF)American Energy Alliance.

Describing CAFE, the letter contends: “Those families and individuals who prefer or need trucks, SUVs, and crossovers pay more to subsidize those who buy smaller vehicles or electric vehicles under the existing mandate. This significant, needless, and unjust cost is a very real regressive tax on American families that has made our country worse off.”21CAFE-Coaliton-to-Trump-April-2020-9 (PDF)American Energy Alliance.

November 2018

According to a State Policy Network press release WPC was a “key voice” in shutting down a carbon tax initiative  (I-1631) in Washington.22WPC messaging helped defeat carbon tax initiative,” State Policy Network, November 28, 2018. Archived November 28, 2018. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/MbnGI

“Media and campaigns repeatedly cited WPC’s analysis on the initiative’s costs, hidden components buried in the text, and overall ineffectiveness,” the SPN press release boasted.23WPC messaging helped defeat carbon tax initiative,” State Policy Network, November 28, 2018. Archived November 28, 2018. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/MbnGI

As part of WPC‘s success, the press release cites a September 2018 policy brief written by Myers entitled a “Citizens’ Guide to Initiative 1631” (PDF).24Todd Myers. “Citizens’ Guide to Initiative 1631” (PDF), Washington Policy Center, September 2018. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

According to Myers, “Ultimately, Initiative 1631 represents a costly and dramatic experiment in the government-heavy approach to reducing carbon emissions.”25Todd Myers. “Citizens’ Guide to Initiative 1631” (PDF), Washington Policy Center, September 2018. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

November 9, 2017

Myers was a speaker at the Heartland Institute’s “America First Energy Conference” at the Marriott Hotel in Houston, Texas. Myers’ presentation was titled “Fueling Prosperity Powers a Flourishing Environment”:26TODD MYERS,” America First Energy Conference. Archived November 21, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/oVh4O

The event description read as follows:27About,” America First Energy. Archived October 11, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/8bTTJ

At the America First Energy Conference, we plan to examine—one year and one day after Trump’s shocking Election Day victory—the following:

Where does Trump’s America First Energy Plan stand?

How much progress has been made in implementing it, and what remains to be done?

What scientific and economic evidence is there that the plan is putting the nation on the right path for economic growth, environmental protection, or both?”28About,” America First Energy. Archived October 11, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/8bTTJ

In a fundraising letter obtained by DeSmog, Fred Palmer had promoted the event as having the goal to “review the scientific and economic evidence that exposes the fraud inherent in the Obama-era regulation regime” while discussing “the overwhelming benefits of fossil fuels to us all.”29October 2017 Fundraising letter by Fred Palmer. On file at Desmog.

Many of the other speakers have regularly spoken at the Heartland Institute’s past ICCCs. Notable speakers listed so far include Joe Bast, Fred PalmerRoger BezdekH. Sterling BurnettHal Doiron, Paul DriessenJohn Dale DunnMyron Ebell, Heartland’s new President Tim HuelskampCraig IdsoDavid LegatesJay LehrAnthony LupoRoss McKitrickSteve MilloyTodd MyersJohn Nothdurt, David Schnare, and numerous others.30SPEAKERS,” America First Energy. Archived October 10, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/OJWeX

As reported at the Houston Chronicle, speakers notably included two Trump Administration officials: Richard W. Westerdale II of the State Department and Vincent DeVito of the Department of Interior. David Bernhardt, deputy secretary of the Interior Department, was also formerly listed as a Heartland conference speaker, but apparently withdrew.31James Osborne. “Trump officials to appear at Houston event hosted by climate skeptics,” Houston Chronicle, November 2, 2017. Archived November 20, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/XPtYc

Scott Pruitt also addressed the conference in a recorded video, personally thanking Heartland for “what you’re doing to advance energy” and “for what you’re doing to advance natural resources.32Scott Pruitt,” America First Energy ConferenceArchived November 20, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/X4F6m

The Climate Investigations Center put up a parody of the America First Energy conference website, complete with profiles on the individual speakers and highlighting their corporate funding and ties to groups such as the Cooler Heads Coalition (CHC).33America First Energy Conference Stacked with Climate Change Deniers,” Climate Investigations Center, November 6, 2017. Archived November 20, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/mISrd

May, 2016

In a “Policy Note” from the Washington Policy Foundation, Todd Myers criticized “green” building standards proposed in Spokane, WA, claiming that buildings made to LEEDcertification standards are “costing more to build and actually increasing energy use.”34Todd Myers. “Proposed Spokane ‘green building’ ordinance would increase costs and increase energy use” (PDF), Washington Policy Center, May 2016. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

“Spokane can join the club of cities that chose trendy environmentalism over environmental results, or it can do the hard work of finding real ways to do more with less; that is at the heart of true environmentalism,” Myers writes.35Todd Myers. “Proposed Spokane ‘green building’ ordinance would increase costs and increase energy use” (PDF), Washington Policy Center, May 2016. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Myers and the Washington Policy Center have consistently criticized green building plans. Earlier in the year, Myers published a report on the supposed failure of LEED-certified schools in North Carolina with the John Locke Foundation.36Todd Myers. “Certified ‘Green’ Schools: Savings & Benefits Fail To Materialize In North Carolina,” Washington Policy Center, March 1, 2016. Archived May 9, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/THl7y

“Many advocates who promote LEED or similar rating systems point to the supposed carbon dioxide emission reductions achieved by green schools. The failure to save energy, or even slow the increase in energy use, wastes resources on efforts that do nothing for climate change or the environment. Instead misguided green  building rules divert scarce funding from efforts that could have a positive environmental impact, or which could be used to fulfill other public needs,” Myers claimed.37“Certified ‘Green’ Schools: Savings & Benefits Fail to Materialize in North Carolina” (PDF), John Locke Foundation. Retrieved from scribd.com. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

In 2015, Todd Myers also wrote an article at the Wall Street Journal titled ”The Environmental Failure of ‘Green’ Schools,” saying that “In every state, green schools fall short of promises. Not a single school we’ve found will save more in energy costs than it spent to achieve the ‘green’ rating.”38Todd Myers. “The Environmental Failure of Green Schools,” Wall Street Journal, November 17, 2015. Archived May 9, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Dsf2X

On march 9, 2016, Todd Myers was featured on the Heartland Institute’s Daily Podcast, where he talked with host H. Sterling Burnett about his paper. Audio below.39H. Sterling Burnett. “Todd Myers: Green Schools Shown to Use More Energy,” The Heartland Institute. Archived April 12, 2016. Archived .mp3 on file at DeSmog.

April 29, 2016

The Washington Department of Ecology (DOE) released a study on the environmental impacts of building a coal-export terminal in Longview along the Lower Columbia River, highlighting a large potential increase in greenhouse gas emissions. The project would be undertaken by Millennium Bulk Terminals, a partnership of two coal companies, and proposes to export up to 44 million metric tons a year to Asia.40Don Jenkins. “Washington demands coal exporter cut carbon footprint in half,” Capital Press, May 1, 2016. Archived May 9, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/EuU3E

One of the DOE‘s primary concerns was the potential for increasing global carbon output. It requested Millenial submit a plan to cut the net increase by 50 percent, a mandate it describes as “’reasonable and appropriate’ based on state laws regarding emission standards for new power plants and overall carbon-reduction goals.”41Don Jenkins. “Washington demands coal exporter cut carbon footprint in half,” Capital Press, May 1, 2016. Archived May 9, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/EuU3E

Todd Myers questioned the DOE‘s request:

“A regulator is supposed to be clear and objective. In this case, the regulation is far from clear and far from being an objective standard and has become an arbitrary tool,” Todd Myers said. “Ecology’s suggestions are probably the most expensive things that you can do and do almost nothing for the environment,” Myers said.42Don Jenkins. “Washington demands coal exporter cut carbon footprint in half,” Capital Press, May 1, 2016. Archived May 9, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/EuU3E

January 20, 2016

Todd Myers, Director of the Washington Policy Center’s “Center for the Environment,” wrote a Legislative Memo opposing HB 2346, a bill which would introduce solar energy subsidies in Washington.43Todd Myers. ”HB 2346: Solar subsidy bill would spend $100 to get $1 of environmental benefit” (PDF), Washington Policy Center, January, 2016. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

“Despite Western Washington’s status as one of the worst places in the United States for solar energy production, legislators continue to subsidize a technology that costs more and delivers less environmental benefit than virtually all other strategies,” Myers writes. “Shifting to solar energy only reduces CO2 emissions by a very small amount.”44Todd Myers. ”HB 2346: Solar subsidy bill would spend $100 to get $1 of environmental benefit” (PDF), Washington Policy Center, January, 2016. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Andrew Follett quoted Myers in The Daily Caller in an article titled “Washington’s Solar Subsidies Cost 13.5 Times The Price Of Power Generated.”45Andrew Follett. “Washington’s Solar Subsidies Cost 13.5 Times The Price Of Power Generated,” The Daily Caller, April 14, 2016. Archived May 9, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/LEM6m

November, 2015

A group of young people, the oldest in their teens, known as “Climate 8” submitted a lawsuit arguing that the Department of Ecology has a mandatory duty to protect natural resources for future generations and come up with tough new standards for cutting carbon emissions.46Kids in court: The climate’s best hope?” Crosscut.com, November 16, 2015. Archived May 9, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/iyY7t

Todd Myers commented that the lawsuit is “unscientific and ill-informed” and added “more politics when we really need less.” He said the children “are being used by activists.”

March 27, 2015

Todd Myers released a March, 2015 Policy Brief titled “Five myths of Cap-and-Trade” critical of the cap and trade system recommended by Governor Inslee in Washington State.47Todd Myers. “Policy Brief: Five myths of Cap-and-Trade,” Washington Policy Centre, March, 2015. Archived September 23, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/lqhMO

The Policy Brief concludes:

Cap-and-trade continues to be the preferred climate policy of the environmental left. The arguments they make to support it, however, are often incorrect or contradicted by experience. A serious approach to environmental policy and funding education should be built on more than the hope that it will work out better this time.”48Todd Myers. “Policy Brief: Five myths of Cap-and-Trade,” Washington Policy Centre, March, 2015. Archived September 23, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/lqhMO

October 2014

Todd Myers has been consistently critical of Governor Inslee’s actions on climate change policy. For example,  In October, 2014, Todd Myers criticizes Inslee for his use of a “flawed University of Oregon study that used outdated projections.”49Todd Myers. “Inaccurate and misleading University of Oregon study used in Governor Inslee’s climate Executive Order,” Washington Policy Centre, October, 2014. Archived September 23, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/J0Xbt

Much of the discussion about climate policy in Washington state involves raising the specter of catastrophic economic impacts as a way of justifying expensive and harmful policies. This Executive Order makes use of this approach, warning that unless we take action, the costs to Washington’s economy will be significant,” Myers concludes.

September 2011

Todd Myers released a book (published by the Washington Policy Center) titled ”Eco-Fads: How The Rise Of Trendy Environmentalism Is Harming The Environment.” 

According to the WPC‘s description, “Eco-Fads exposes the pressures that cause politicians, businesses, the media and even scientists to fall for trendy environmental fads. It examines why we fall for such fads, even when we should know better. The desire to “be green” can cloud our judgment, causing us to place things that make us appear green ahead of actions that may be socially invisible yet environmentally responsible.”50Eco-Fads,” Washington Policy Centre. Archived September 23, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/yeWZu

Myers promoted his book in an article in the Opinion section of The Seattle Times, titled “How the rise of trendy environmentalism is harming the planet.51Todd Myers. “How the rise of trendy environmentalism is harming the planet,” The Seattle Times, September 5, 2011. Archived November 17, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/msWNv

Eco Facts received praise from climate change skeptics in the media including Patrick Michaels in Forbes, (10/13/2011) and Sterling Burnett in National Review, (9/21/2011).52Eco-Fads,” Washington Policy Centre. Archived September 23, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/yeWZu

March 2–4, 2008

Myers was a speaker at the Heartland Institute’s First International Conference on Climate Change

The Heartland Institute has received significant funding from ExxonMobil, Phillip Morris and numerous other corporations and right-wing foundations with vested interest in the global warming debate.

The 2008 International Conference on Climate Change introduced the Manhattan Declaration on Climate Change, which was created by the International Climate Science Coalition (ICSC) in 2008.

The declaration states that “global warming is not a global crisis” and that “there is no convincing evidence that CO2 emissions from modern industrial activity has in the past, is now, or will in the future cause catastrophic climate change.”

The conference was co-sponsored by numerous prominent climate change denier groups, think tanks and lobby groups, almost all of which have received money from the oil industry, including the Competitive Enterprise Institute, The Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow, the Frontiers of Freedom Institute, the George C. Marshal Institute and many others.

Myers’ speech, titled “The difference between Scientists and Policymakers: What the Science Doesn’t Say about Climate Policy” can be viewed below. 

Affiliations

Social Media

Publications

Myer’s books include Eco-Fads: How the Rise of Trendy Environmentalism is Harming the Environment, Five Years of Environmental Policy: Are We Making a Difference; Promoting Personal Choice, Incentives and Investment to Cut Greenhouse Gases, among others.

Myers does not have a scientific background, and a search for his name on Google Scholar does not return any articles published in peer-reviewed journals.

Other Resources

Resources

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