ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE BACKGROUNDER

May 2005

Background Information:

Environmental Defense Was Founded In 1967 As The Environmental Defense Fund. (Environmental Defense Website, http://www.environmentaldefense.org, Accessed 5/4/05)

“Environmental Defense Is A Leading National Nonprofit Organization Representing More Than 400,000 Members.” (Environmental Defense Website, http://www.environmentaldefense.org, Accessed 5/4/05)

“Environmental Defense Also Maintains A 750,000-Member Action Network, Which Joins Environmental And Social Groups Around The Globe, And Alerts An Online Community Of Activists To Send Emails And Faxes On Timely Issues To Legislators And Other Policymakers.” (Environmental Defense Website, http://www.environmentaldefense.org, Accessed 5/4/05)

“Environmental Defense Is Noted For Its Rigorous Scientific Approach And Has More Ph.D. Scientists And Economists On Staff Than Any Other Similar Organization.” (Environmental Defense Website, http://www.environmentaldefense.org, Accessed 5/4/05)

Funding:

“Environmental Defense Receives Less Than 1% Of Its Financial Support From Corporate Donors. We Accept No Payments From Our Corporate Partners (Such As McDonald’s And FedEx). Generous Individuals And Foundations Fund Our Corporate Partnership Work To Ensure Its Independence And Public Credibility.” (Environmental Defense Website, http://www.environmentaldefense.org, Accessed 5/4/05)

“Total Operating Support And Revenue [For 2004] Reached A Record Level Of $50.5 Million, A 13% Increase Over The Previous Year.” (Environmental Defense Website, http://www.environmentaldefense.org, Accessed 5/4/05)

“More Than 400,000 Members Contributed $29.5 Million, Representing 59% Of The Total.” (Environmental Defense Website, http://www.environmentaldefense.org, Accessed 5/4/05)

“Grants From More Than 170 Foundations Reached A Record $16.2 Million, Or 32% Of The Total.” (Environmental Defense Website, http://www.environmentaldefense.org, Accessed 5/4/05)

From 1998-1999, Pew Charitable Trusts, Which George F. Will Labeled As “Liberal,” Gave At Least $3.3 Million To Environmental Defense. (Capital Research Center Website, www.capitalresearch.org, Accessed 5/4/05; George F. Will, Op-Ed, “1,600 Pages Of Confusion,” The Washington Post, 5/8/03)

· From 1996-2001, The “Liberal” Joyce Foundation Gave Environmental Defense At Least $4,373,000. (Capital Research Center Website, www.capitalresearch.org, Accessed 5/4/05; Geoffrey S. Underwood, Op-Ed, “In The Tanks: Strange Bedfellows,” United Press International, 2/15/01)

· From 1997-2001, The “Liberal” MacArthur Foundation Gave Environmental Defense At Least $2,085,000. (Capital Research Center Website, www.capitalresearch.org, Accessed 5/4/05; Geoffrey S. Underwood, Op-Ed, “In The Tanks: Strange Bedfellows,” United Press International, 2/15/01)

“Bequests Of $2.2 Million From Members Of Our Osprey Society Accounted For 4% Of The Total.” (Environmental Defense Website, http://www.environmentaldefense.org, Accessed 5/4/05)

“Government And Other Grants Provided 1% [Of The Total].” (Environmental Defense Website, http://www.environmentaldefense.org, Accessed 5/4/05)

“[I]nvestment Income And Other Revenue Accounted For The Remaining 4% [Of The Total].” (Environmental Defense Website, http://www.environmentaldefense.org, Accessed 5/4/05)

Expenditures:

“Expenditures On Program And Supporting Services Totaled $47.7 Million In Fiscal 2004.” (Environmental Defense Website, http://www.environmentaldefense.org, Accessed 5/4/05)

“Program Services Expenditures Of $37.9 Million Accounted For 80% Of Total Operating Expenses, With The Large Majority Devoted To Our Four Priority Areas – Climate, Ecosystems, Health And Oceans.” (Environmental Defense Website, http://www.environmentaldefense.org, Accessed 5/4/05)

“Five Percent Of The Total Was For Management And Administration.” (Environmental Defense Website, http://www.environmentaldefense.org, Accessed 5/4/05)

“13% [Of The Total] Went Toward The Fundraising Needed To Generate Current Income And Support For Future Years.” (Environmental Defense Website, http://www.environmentaldefense.org, Accessed 5/4/05)

“Two Percent [Of The Total] Was Spent On The Acquisition Of New Members.” (Environmental Defense Website, http://www.environmentaldefense.org, Accessed 5/4/05)

Board Members:

Environmental Defense Chairman N.J. Nicholas, Jr. Has Given $1,500 To Joe Lieberman And $1,000 To Bill Bradley. (Environmental Defense Website, http://www.environmentaldefense.org, Accessed 5/4/05; The Center For Responsive Politics Website, www.opensecrets.org, Accessed 5/4/05)

· Nicholas Also Donated $1,000 To Sen. Olympia Snow (R-ME) in 2004. (The Center For Responsive Politics Website, www.opensecrets.org, Accessed 5/4/05)

Environmental Defense Vice Chairwoman Jessica Catto Donated $25,000 To The DNC, $2,000 Each To John Kerry And Ken Salazar. (Environmental Defense Website, http://www.environmentaldefense.org, Accessed 5/4/05; The Center For Responsive Politics Website, www.opensecrets.org, Accessed 5/4/05)

· Catto Was Appointed By President Clinton to the Advisory Board of the National Parks System in 1993. (World Resource Institute Website, http://staff.wri.org, Accessed 5/4/05)

Environmental Defense Vice Chairman Gene Likens Donated $250 To John Kerry In 2004. (Environmental Defense Website, http://www.environmentaldefense.org/, Accessed 5/4/05; The Center For Responsive Politics Website, www.opensecrets.org, Accessed 5/4/05)

Environmental Defense Treasurer Carl Ferenbach Donated $25,000 To The DSCC, $6,000 To John Kerry And $4,000 To Erskine Bowles (D-NC) In 2004. (Environmental Defense Website, http://www.environmentaldefense.org, Accessed 5/4/05; The Center For Responsive Politics Website, www.opensecrets.org, Accessed 5/4/05)

· Ferenbach Also Donated $20,000 To The Republican State Committee Of Massachusetts. (The Center For Responsive Politics Website, www.opensecrets.org, Accessed 5/4/05)

Environmental Defense Secretary Arthur P. Cooley Donated $250 To John Kerry In 2004. (Environmental Defense Website, http://www.environmentaldefense.org, Accessed 5/4/05; The Center For Responsive Politics Website, www.opensecrets.org, Accessed 5/4/05)

Environmental Defense Has Been “Left-Of-Center” And Even Has Barbra Streisand Support:

“The Pew Center And The Environmental Defense Fund Are Left-Of-Center Environmental Organizations.” (“Think Tanks Wrap-Up,” United Press International, 1/9/03)

Barbra Streisand Supports The Environmental Defense Fund. (“What The Celebrities Support,” The Toronto Star, 10/17/99)