Koch brother says supporters of carbon tax are “on LSD”

He also expressed skepticism about renewable energy — and supports the Keystone XL Pipeline

Elias Isquith
SALON ®  

William Koch (Credit: AP/Louis Lanzano)

According to a report in the Palm Beach Daily News, Bill Koch, one of the lesser-known members of the Koch family, recently told a group of about 600 people at a Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce gathering that supporters of a carbon tax are “on LSD.” A better way to combat high carbon levels, Koch suggested, would be to plant more trees.
Koch also weighed in on the Keystone XL Pipeline, which he supports, and climate change, in which he does not believe. “I won’t bet on global warming,” Koch said before arguing that alternative energy sources — like solar or wind — were too expensive.  ”We can’t count on renewable energy to save us,” he said.

Koch encourages drilling for shale gas. He described the process involved in extracting shale gas deposits, which requires vertical and horizontal drilling and the process known as fracking to break through the rock surrounding the oil.

He dismissed concerns about pollution and environmental contamination raised with regard to fracking.
“Carbon is going to be around longer than we are,” Koch said. “Pollution problems can be solved.”
To get away from carbon dioxide, the human race will have to move to another planet, he said.

[h/t ThinkProgress]

Elias Isquith is an assistant editor at Salon, focusing on politics. Follow him on Twitter at @eliasisquith, and email him at eisquith@salon.com.