More than 50 Western Energy Alliance executives penned an open letter in a full-page New York Times advertisement on February 24 to respond to several presidential candidates who have claimed an interest in pursuing criminal charges against companies that produce the oil and natural gas that provides affordable, reliable electricity and cleaner air to our nation, along with the thousands of consumer, medical and commercial products used every day by hundreds of millions of American households.   

Help spread the word by sending this advertisement to your business and personal contacts to ensure that more people understand the invaluable and life-saving role oil and natural gas plays in our country and around the world!


In an open letter to 2020 Democratic presidential candidates printed in New York Times on February 24th, 54 executives from the western oil and natural gas industry forcefully pushed back against months of claims that they are corrupt criminals who should be jailed. The following full-page advertisement placed by Western Energy Alliance responds to statements that have gone unchallenged by Sen. Bernie Sanders, Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Elizabeth Warren by explaining the environmental and life-sustaining benefits of oil and natural gas.

Contrary to the anti-oil and natural gas messages candidates are spreading to voters and the media on the campaign trail, the underlying statement from business leaders is that it “would be criminal not to produce oil and natural gas.” They represent companies that develop oil and natural gas across the West.

The full-page ad features a young boy studying by lantern light, one of the billion people worldwide who lack access to affordable, reliable electricity. Exports of American natural gas could help him and others suffering from energy poverty raise their standard of living. According to a recent report by the International Energy Agency, the United States again leads the world in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, largely because of increased natural gas electricity generation. In addition to the environmental benefits, abundant supplies of American natural gas have kept home heating prices so low that  11,000 deaths are averted annually during cold weather.