Simon R. Lomax

Credentials

• B.A., Journalism, Queensland University of Technology. [1]

Background

Simon R. Lomax is an Australian-born journalist. After earning a degree in journalism at Queensland University of Technology, Lomax immigrated to the United States in 2002. He moved to Washington as an energy and environment reporter for Argus Media in 2004 where he has written articles favorable to the fossil fuel industry. He has worked on a contract basis with the Independence Institute as an associate energy policy analyst since late 2015. [1]

Since transitioning from primarily journalism to advocacy in 2012, Simon Lomax has contributed to a western United States fossil fuel industry network with the Western Energy Alliance at its center. The Western Energy Alliance is made up of more than 300 oil and gas drilling companies as well as banking and financial institutions and industry consultants. According to their website, the group supports “policies encouraging job growth, investment and timely access to western federal lands.” As of 2010, Western Energy Alliance advertised membership benefits as including “A professional staff monitoring and influencing regulatory and legislative actions” and “access to special events with regulators and legislators.” [2], [27]

Lomax has also worked for FTI Consulting, and Energy In Depth. In the past seven years, nearly all of the groups he works with have financial and personnel ties to the Western Energy Alliance and promote fossil fuel deregulation.

Lomax has regularly contributed op-eds, media appearances, and Congressional testimonies with a strong focus on advocacy for hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) deregulation and criticism of environmental groups and policies. Since 2015, Lomax has also been active in opposing anti-fracking efforts in Western states like California, Nevada, and New Mexico.

Champion for the “Fracking” Industry

In January 2015 Lomax wrote an op-ed titled “New York Fracking Ban Throws Peer Review Under the Bus,” where he claimed studies supporting the fracking ban were “actually peer-reviewed by active opponents of shale gas development who concealed their bias from the scientific community and the general public” and an attempt to “subvert the peer-review process.” [3]

In March, Lomax followed up with a Financial Times piece—one of a series of op-eds and media appearances in spring 2015 in which Lomax argued New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s hydraulic fracturing ban was an example of “junk science” or were examples of poor peer review. [4]

Just over one month after penning a piece in the Financial Times, Lomax was a witness to a hearing before the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology at the House of Representatives entitled “Hydraulic Fracturing: Banning Proven Technologies on Possibilities Instead of Probabilities.” The Committee was chaired by Lamar Smith. [5]

In his 2015 testimony, where he represented Energy In Depth, Lomax discussed his group’s white paper “A Look inside New York’s Anti-Fracking Echo Chamber,” which criticized New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s ban on Marcellus shale fracking. “Governor Cuomo’s decision was completely at odds with earlier findings from state and Federal environmental regulators,” Lomax claimed. [5]

Lomax has portrayed the environmental movement opposing fracking as elite, with an example being his consistent criticism of billionaire-environmentalist and political contributor Tom Steyer. Lomax is quoted in 2017 Washington Times article, declaring that, “Tom Steyer isn’t just bad at politics; he’s the biggest loser of the past two election cycles”; a 2014 Energy In Depth piece written by Lomax is titled, “Anti-Fracking Activism: A Game for Millionaires and Billionaires (like Tom Steyer).” [6], [7], [8]

Lomax has also criticized former Boulder Congressman and current Colorado Governor Jared Polis. Lomax has called Polis’s opposition of hydraulic fracturing “radical” and called him out for teaming up with “fringe environmental groups.” [9]

Stance on Climate Change

Since his Twitter account’s conception in winter 2017, Lomax has not once mentioned the terms “climate change” or “global warming.” He also does not appear to have mentioned it in his editorial pieces.

Divestment

January 23, 2017

In a statement to CBS News, Lomax criticized a student activism campaign calling for divestment: [10]

 “There are more than 11,000 students at DU and just a handful of them walked out of class today. That tells you the fossil-fuel divestment campaign, which is run by 350.org in New York, has almost no traction with DU students at all. We hope DU sees through the 350.org divestment campaign. It’s a costly political stunt that will hurt DU students and faculty without doing anything – on campus or off campus – to lower carbon emissions.”

Key Quotes

July 2016

Speaking of climate litigation efforts by state Attorneys General against oil companies including ExxonMobil, Lomax said on an episode of “Devil’s Advocate” with John Caldera: [11]

Lomax: “Let me start with the bad news. So, the bad news is there’s a group of Democratic attorneys general at the state level who have basically decided they want to use their law enforcement powers to go after people who disagree with the Obama climate agenda and especially the Clean Power Plan.

So, basically, their legal theory is that if you disagree with them on climate change, that’s fraud, and therefore the First Amendment no longer applies to you.”

Jon Caldara: “Make sure I got this clear: [if] you disagree with climate change, you’re not wrong, your fraudulent.”

Lomax: “You’re fraudulent.”

Caldara: “It’s not like, let’s argue, this, let’s argue that. No; you’re fraudulent and you need to be brought to justice.”

Lomax: “Right. Therefore, they can subpoena you, they can demand you turn over documents, emails, phone records, all that kind of thing. So that’s the bad news. Now the good news is that this effort is really kind of falling apart. It’s not going the way they hoped.”

Caldara: “I want this to keep going because it’s just hysterical.”

Key Deeds

July 2016

In an episode of “Devil’s Advocate,” an Independence Institute talk show featuring President John Caldera and Lomax, the pair attacked climate litigation efforts by state Attorneys General against organizations like ExxonMobil, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, and the Cato Institute. [11]

The discussion, which from the offset describes climate change as a “raging debate,” frames climate accountability litigation as an environmentalist assault on free speech: “If you disagree with them on climate change, then that’s fraud, and the first amendment no longer applies to you,” Lomax explained.

Affiliations

• Independence Institute — Associate energy policy analyst (contract). [1]
• Western Wire (project of Western Energy Alliance) — Managing editor, as of 2017. [12]
• Energy in Depth — Former research director. Energy in Depth is a project of the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA). [13]
• Divestment Facts — Has been described as an adviser and spokesperson. [14], [15]
• The Complete Colorado — Former columnist. [16]
• Vital for Colorado — Research fellow, hired in May 2017 after working for FTI Consulting. [17]
• FTI Consulting — Managing director (2012 – 2017). [12]
• energyNOW! — Editorial director (2011 – Present). [18]
• Bloomberg — Reporter (2009 – 2011). [18]
• Argus Media — Editor, DC Office from 2004 to 2006 and senior editor from 2007 to 2009. Argus Media “provides price indexes, business intelligence and market data for the global energy and commodities markets, including crude oil, oil, [and] coal,” according to its website. Lomax’s LinkedIn profile describes his role at Argus as a mix of writing, editing, hosting TV events, and representing the firm at conferences. [19], [18]
• American Political Science Association — Congressional fellow (2006 – 2007) where he acted as an energy-policy and communications adviser to U.S. Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD). [18]
• The Commercial Dispatch — City editor (2002 – 2004). [18]
• The Courier-Mail — Reporter (1999 – 2002). [18]
• Department of Transport and Main Roads, Maritime Safety Queensland — Researcher (1997 – 1999). [18]

Independence Institute

Since 2015, Lomax has been as an associate energy policy analyst with the Independence Institute, a Colorado-based libertarian think tank with a stated mission “to empower individuals and to educate citizens, legislators and opinion makers about public policies that enhance personal and economic freedom.” The organization, described by its President, John Caldera, as a sister organization to the Competitive Enterprise Institute, received $141,000 from Koch foundations between 2000 and 2006, has received $1.42 million from the NRA, and has been funded by organizations such as Donors Trust, the Adolf Coors Foundation, and oil corporations including Chevron and Mobil. [20], [11], [21], [22]

Energy In Depth

Lomax has served as research director and western director for the oil-industry- funded Energy In Depth, a media project of the Independent Petroleum Institute of America (IPAA) and FTI Consulting. [1], [23], [24]

Western Wire

Lomax serves as the managing editor of Western Wire, a news service established by Western Energy Alliance in 2017 that regularly publishes artilces in favor of the fossil fuel industry. According to E&E News, Western Wire’s website expresses that support for the fossil fuel industry, “Runs deep throughout western communities. But those voices don’t get the same attention as the well-organized minority of opposition groups. So we decided to do something about it.” [12]

Vital For Colorado

Lomax was hired as a research fellow at Vital For Colorado in 2017, described by DeSmog as “a well-funded and highly active pro-fracking front group.” Vital For Colorado produces pledges and newspaper pieces with messages like “say no to anti-fracking regulations”. One run in Pueblo and Grand Junction in March 2014 read, “Don’t be fooled […] under the guise of local control, special interests are trying to create energy chaos in Colorado.” [17], [25], [26] 

Divestment Facts

Lomax is an adviser and spokesperson to the IPAA project Divestment Facts, a platform established in response to a 2015 campaign of student environmental activism at Denver University calling for the university’s divestment from fossil fuels. [14], [15]

Social Media

• Simon Lomax on LinkedIn.
• @simonrlomax on Twitter.

Publications

According to his profile at the Independence Institute, Lomax is regularly quoted or has written as a guest columnist in news sources such as Associated Press, Bloomberg News, Fox News, National Review, Politico, The Hill, The Washington Examiner, The Washington Times, Forbes, The Las Vegas Review-Journal and The Financial Post. [1]

Some sample publications below:

• “Junk Science Week 2015: New York’s phoney fracking ban,” Financial Post, March 3, 2015.
• “Anti-fracking advocates are angry because they are losing,” Washington Examiner, February 3, 2014.

Below are Simon Lomax’s publications listed at Energy in Depth:

• “HBO Might Not Know It, But North Dakota Is a Really Important State – and a Great One,” Energy In Depth, October 12, 2015.
• “When Non-Profit News Attacks Bakken Oil, There Will Be Bad Journalism,” Energy In Depth, June 18, 2015.
• “Texas Environmental Regulators Refute EPA‘s Ozone Claims,” Energy In Depth, June 3, 2015.
• “Colorado Health Officials Debunk Lung Association’s Ozone ‘Report Card’,” Energy In Depth, May 6, 2015.
• “Food & Water Watch Reboots Fringe Campaign for Colorado Energy Ban,” Energy In Depth, February 24, 2015.
• “New York-Style Fracking Ban Defeated by Colorado Task Force,” Energy In Depth, February 24, 2015.
• “In Denver, ‘Ban Fracking’ Groups Stage Desperate Media Stunt,” Energy In Depth, February 11, 2015.
• “National ‘Ban Fracking’ Groups Target Erie, Colo. Once Again,” Energy In Depth, January 27, 2015.
• “Absolutely Objective’ Peer Reviewer Gives ‘Victory’ Speech at New York Anti-Fracking Party,” Energy In Depth, January 23, 2015.
• “Tom Steyer’s Political Firm Pressures Colorado Oil & Gas Task Force,” Energy In Depth, January 15, 2015.
• “Just Fracking Wrong: Colo. Task Force Leader Undermines Her Credibility,” Energy In Depth, January 15, 2015.
• “Earthworks Brings ‘War on Fracking’ to Colorado Oil & Gas Task Force,” Energy In Depth, November 20, 2014.
• “Shameful: Denver Post Helps Anti-Energy Group Politicize Infant Deaths in Utah,” Energy In Depth, October 30, 2014.
• “Colorado Activist Group Misleads Task Force with Denial of Anti-Energy Agenda,” Energy In Depth, October 23, 2014.
• “Another Strong Showing from Energy Workers, Pro-Energy Citizens in Durango,” Energy In Depth, October 10, 2014.
• “Compromise’ Means Ban Drilling, Sierra Club Tells Colorado Task Force,” Energy In Depth, October 9, 2014.
• “Wilson & Doe Hit a New Fracking Low at Colorado Task Force,” Energy In Depth, October 6, 2014.
• “Data Debunks Millionaire Congressman on Shale Development and Property Values,” Energy In Depth, September 25, 2014.
• “Millionaire Congressman Gets Caught Using Tom Steyer’s Anti-Energy Playbook,” Energy In Depth, September 12, 2014.
• “The Campaign Goes On: ‘Ban Fracking’ Groups Target New Colorado Task Force,” Energy In Depth, August 28, 2014.
• “Millionaire Congressman Has Some Fracking Explaining To Do,” Energy In Depth, August 1, 2014.
• “Colorado Town to East Coast Anti-Fracking Activists: You’re Wrong,” Energy In Depth, July 24, 2014.
• “Anti-Fracking Activists Believe in Science and the Law? Not So Much,” Energy In Depth, July 10, 2014.
• “Votes Show Strong Support for Colorado Energy, Rejection of Anti-Fracking Activism,” Energy In Depth, June 30, 2014.
• “More Scrutiny for National Groups, Big Donors Funding Colorado ‘Ban Fracking’ Campaign,” Energy In Depth, June 18, 2014.
• “Colorado Anti-Fracking Activism: A Game for Millionaires and Billionaires (Like Tom Steyer),” Energy In Depth, April 30, 2014.
• “State of Colorado Flood Report Discredits ‘Ban Fracking’ Political Activists,” Energy In Depth, March 21, 2014.
• “Colo. Health Department Disavows Activists’ Favorite Fracking Researchers,” Energy In Depth, January 30, 2014.
• “Business Groups: Anti-Fracking Campaign Threatens Jobs Across Colorado,” Energy In Depth, January 24, 2014.
• “Clueless Celebs Reveal True Cost of Colorado’s “Ban Fracking” Activism,” Energy In Depth, December 20, 2013.
• “Anti-Energy Activists Go Local Because They Are Losing Everywhere Else,” Energy In Depth, November 5, 2013.
• “Climate Warrior’ Jeff Immelt Corrects Activists on Gas and Renewables,” Energy In Depth, November 1, 2013.
• “Obama EPA Debunks Activists Who Played Politics with Tragic Floods,” Energy In Depth, October 4, 2013.
• “Are Anti-Industry Activists Playing Politics with Colorado’s Tragic Floods?“ Energy In Depth, September 27, 2013.
• “What Bruce Finley Failed to Mention About Air Quality,” Energy In Depth, July 29, 2013.
• “Existing Oil and Gas Studies That Activists Claim Don’t Exist,” Energy In Depth, July 5, 2013.
• “*UPDATE* Reporter, Disclose Thyself,” Energy In Depth, July 5, 2013.
• “*UPDATE* Back to the Future: Ceres Water Report Relies on Old Understanding of Issue,” Energy In Depth, July 1, 2013.
• “COLUMN: Daily Camera: Boulder County Moratorium on HF Under Scrutiny,” Energy In Depth, June 26, 2013.
• “COLUMN: Los Angeles Times (CIPA‘s Rock Zierman): Why Such Hysteria Over Proven Safe Hydraulic Fracturing?“ Energy In Depth, June 26, 2013.
• “San Luis Obispo Tribune (EID‘s Dave Quast): CBD shuns science and law for pure politics,” Energy In Depth, June 7, 2013.
• “Sacramento Bee (EID‘s Dave Quast): Anti-science group runs hysteria campaign against HF,” Energy In Depth, June 7, 2013.
• “Bloomberg News: Legislature rejects HF moratorium,” Energy In Depth, June 7, 2013.
• “In Colorado, A County Commissioner’s Boulder-Dash,” Energy In Depth, April 17, 2013.
• “Modesto Bee (EID‘s Dave Quast): Sierra Club disgracefully misleading on hydraulic fracturing,” Energy In Depth, April 5, 2013.
• “Daily Caller: Gov. Brown shows “enthusiasm” for domestic oil production, rejects hydraulic fracturing ban,” Energy In Depth, March 26, 2013.
• “Sacramento Bee (Op-Ed): Shale oil “could spark an economic boom”,” Energy In Depth, March 26, 2013.
• “Much Ado About Thumping,” Energy In Depth, March 22, 2013.
• “California Gov. Jerry Brown Rejects Activists’ ‘Ideological Bandwagon’,” Energy In Depth, March 15, 2013.
• “SF Chronicle: California oil production rises for first time since 1997,” Energy In Depth, February 28, 2013.
• “OC Register (Editorial): California’s oil industry offers ‘most promise’ for jobs, tax revenues,” Energy In Depth, February 28, 2013.
• “Politico: ‘FrackNation’ gets a Capitol Hill screening,” Energy In Depth, February 28, 2013.
• “Sacramento Bee (Op-Ed): Shale could ‘supercharge’ California’s economy,” Energy In Depth, February 28, 2013.
• “IBD: Could the Monterey Shale save California?“ Energy In Depth, February 11, 2013.
• “New York Times: Vast oil reserve may now be within reach,” Energy In Depth, February 11, 2013.
• “Wall Street Journal (Op-Ed): Calif. shale could bring ‘gusher’ of tax revenue,” Energy In Depth, February 11, 2013.
• “The ‘Promised Land’ Problem for Activists,” Energy In Depth, February 7, 2013.
• “SF Chronicle: CIPA‘s Rock Zierman corrects the record on hydraulic fracturing,” Energy In Depth, January 23, 2013.
• “San Jose Mercury News (Op-Ed): Environmental groups took credit for regulations they now oppose,” Energy In Depth, January 18, 2013.
• “Energy, Jobs and Growth: California Can Lead the Trend,” Energy In Depth, January 18, 2013.
• “L.A. Times: “Promised Land” disappoints,” Energy In Depth, January 9, 2013.
• “A Reality “Click” for Matt Damon,” Energy In Depth, January 9, 2013.
• “L.A. Times: Gov. Jerry Brown wants to “calibrate” environmental rules,” Energy In Depth, January 4, 2013.
• “Ventura County Star (Op-Ed): Fracturing provides jobs, revenue,” Energy In Depth, December 30, 2012.
• “SF Chronicle: Chevron CEO says affordable energy is crucial,” Energy In Depth, December 27, 2012.
• “San Diego Union-Tribune: Brown walks the walk on HF rules,” Energy In Depth, December 24, 2012.
• “Bloomberg’s Misleading Hydraulic Fracturing Poll,” Energy In Depth, December 19, 2012.
• “Bloomberg’s Misleading Hydraulic Fracturing Poll,” Energy In Depth, December 18, 2012.
• “This is What Recovery Looks Like,” Energy In Depth, December 15, 2012.
• “Key Concessions You’ll Never Hear About in New TEDX Air Report,” Energy In Depth, November 26, 2012.
• “*UPDATE* Enormous Differences between USGS and EPA on Pavillion,” Energy In Depth, October 16, 2012.
• “Grading the Duke Study News Coverage,” Energy In Depth, July 12, 2012.
• “An American Success Story in Paris,” Energy In Depth, May 31, 2012.
• “*UPDATE III* State Rep.’s Claims Don’t Pass the Smell Test,” Energy In Depth, May 25, 2012.
• “The Re-Education of Bill McKibben,” Energy In Depth, April 23, 2012.
• “Natural Gas Use at the Wellsite: Makes Sense (and Cents),” Energy In Depth, April 18, 2012.
• “EDF Methane Paper: Constructive, But Premature?“ Energy In Depth, April 11, 2012.
• “U.S. Steel’s Shale Gas Comeback,” Energy In Depth, March 27, 2012.
• “Ag Dept. Rebuffs NYT on Shale. Again.“ Energy In Depth, March 21, 2012.

Resources

1. “Simon Lomax,” Independence Institute. Archived August 13, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/c5rJR
2. “The Alliance,” Western Energy Alliance. Archived August 13, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/Zu47K
3. Simon Lomax. “New York Fracking Ban Throws Peer Review Under the Bus,” Breaking Energy, January 14, 2015. Archived August 15, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/iHqWS
4. “Junk Science Week 2015: New York’s phoney fracking ban,” Financial Post, March 3, 2015. Archived August 15, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/tH5hh
5. “HYDRAULIC FRACTURING: BANNING PROVEN TECHNOLOGIES ON POSSIBILITIES INSTEAD OF PROBABILITIES,” House Hearing, 114th Congress, via U.S. Government Publishing Office, April 23, 2015. Archived August 15, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/SupRU
6. Simon Lomax. “LOMAX: Billionaire poised to bankroll another round of green politics in Colorado,” Colorado Politics, January 31, 2018. Archived August 15, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/VoCG4
7. “’The biggest loser’: Liberal billionaire Tom Steyer spent $88 million on Democrats in 2016,” The Washington Times, January 4, 2017. Archived August 15, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/AI3Fa
8. “COLORADO ANTI–FRACKING ACTIVISM: A GAME FOR MILLIONAIRES AND BILLIONAIRES (LIKE TOM STEYER),” Energy in Depth, April 30, 2014. Archived August 15. 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/35Pfj
9. “Lomax: Don’t Get Fooled Again By Anti-Fracking Congressman Jared Polis,” The Complete Colorado, January 29, 2016. Archived August 15, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/Qz3WM
10. “DU Students, Faculty Walk Out For ‘Climate Justice’,” CBS Denver, January 23, 2017. Archived August 15, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/04Yff
11. “You Could Be Sued for Having the ‘Wrong’ Opinion on Climate Change?!,” YouTube video uploaded by user “IITV,” July 11, 2016. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.
12. Pamela King. “Western energy group launches publication,” E&E News. January 25, 2017. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
13. Mary Esch. “U.S. Insurer Won’t Cover Gas Drill Fracking Exposure,” Claims Journal, July 16, 2012. Archived August 13, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/RME59
14. “Industry, Academics and Experts Agree DU Divestment Is ‘Distracting’,” Divestmentfacts.com, August 30, 2016. Archived August 14, 2019. Archive.fo URL:https://archive.fo/hH1t9
15. “DU Students, Faculty Walk Out For ‘Climate Justice’,” CBS Denver, January 23, 2017. Archived August 13, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/04Yff
16. “VITAL for Colorado – Simon Lomax,” Colorado Business Roundtable. Archived August 13, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/THoiX
17. (Press Release). “VITAL FOR COLORADO HIRES SIMON LOMAX AS NEW RESEARCH FELLOW,” Vital for Colorado, May 16, 2017. Archived November 8, 2018. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/c2Za3
18. “Simon Lomax,” LinkedIn. Accessed July 13, 2019. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
19. Argus Media homepage. Archived August 13, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/E3iiL
20. “About II,” Independence Institute. Archived September 12, 2018. Archive URL: https://archive.fo/JG90X
21. “Independence Institute,” Greenpeace. Accessed July 8, 2019.
22. “The Times Have Finally (Quietly) Outed NRA-Funded ‘Independent’ Scholar,” The Progressive. April 23, 2014. Archived August 13, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/Jzvgn
23. Brendan DeMelle. “‘Energy In Depth’ Was Created By Major Oil and Gas Companies According To Industry Memo,” DeSmogBlog. February 11, 2011.
24. Connor Gibson. “Big Oil Front Group Poured Millions Into Lobby Against Fracking Regulation,” Polluter Watch. February 18, 2011.
25. “Josh Penry and Kristin Strohm: First Couple of Colorado Fracking Front Groups,” DeSmogBlog. October 21, 2014.
26. Anne Landman. “New Business Coalition Forms in Colorado to Fight Anti-Fracking Movement,” DeSmogBlog. March 14, 2014.
27. “General Membership Benefits” Western Energy Alliance. Archived October 5, 2010. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/gj86t

Other Resources

• “FTI Consulting, Inc.,” Little Sis.
• “Opposition to Fossil Fuels: A Study of Divestment Facts.com,” Environmenta Critique.