John Droz Jr.
Credentials
- Masters Degree, Solid State Science, Syracuse University (1975).1โFellows & Advisors,โ American Tradition Institute. Archived February 7, 2013. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/kEv1n 2โResume for Broker John Droz, jr.,โ Adirondack Real Escapes. Archived December 14, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/3UoT5
- B.S., Physics, Boston College (1968).3โFellows & Advisors,โ American Tradition Institute. Archived February 7, 2013. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/kEv1n
- B.S. Mathematics, Boston College (1968).4โFellows & Advisors,โ American Tradition Institute. Archived February 7, 2013. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/kEv1n
Background
John Droz, Jr. is an anti-wind-power activist and founder of Alliance for Wise Energy Decisions. Droz formerly served as Senior Fellow at American Tradition Institute (now known as E&E Legal Institute).5โFellows & Advisors,โ American Tradition Institute. Archived February 7, 2013. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/kEv1n
He retired at age 33 after a successful career in real estate investing, but has also worked for GE: Aerospace Electronics (Utica, NY), Mohawk Data Sciences (Herkimer, NY), and Monolithic Memories (Cupertino, CA).6James Borden. โThe Man WHo Makes Sea Level Rise Go Away,โ Scientific American, September 30, 2013. Archived December 14, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/odHVr
In 2011, he became a member of the Board of Directors and scientific advisor to NC-20, an advocacy group that has been outspoken against restrictions on coastal development. He was listed as science advisor until at least 2012.7โBoard of Directors,โ NC-20. Archived July 30, 2012. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/viyNn
Droz ran the website โWind Power Factsโ8โWind Power Facts: Toolkit of Information,โ WindPowerFacts.info. Archived June 11, 2012. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/iCnok (now called Alliance for Wise Energy Decisions)9โPotpourri,โ Alliance for Wise Energy Decisions. Archived December 14, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/waYxl which asserted mainstream information about wind power was distributed primarily by industry lobbyists while the โreal scienceโ indicated we should abandon wind power as a source of energy. AWED and Droz were also behind Ptcfacts.info, a website opposing production tax credits for the wind industry.10โCONTACT US,โ Wind Production Tax Credit Facts. Archived December 14, 2017. Archive.is URL:https://archive.is/QZLWe
Droz also runs the website Mac vs. PC, where Droz writes that โIt seems somewhat strange that I have to give credentials โ or need to explain ‘my motivation’ โ for presenting factual information.โ He notes that โMost people would probably consider me a technology expert.โ11โPerson behind the website,โ Mac vs. PC. Archived December 14, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/xKToF
Stance on Climate Change
June 17, 2014
Droz has released a position document on climate change (emphasis added):12โGlobal Warming: The Scientific Viewโ (PDF). Document created by John Droz June 17, 2014. Retrieved from Black River Valley Macintosh User Group and converted to PDF.
โAs a scientist I have been asked to elaborate a bit on my position regarding the Global Warming proposition โ and how it relates to wind energy. These are very legitimate (and important) questions.
The main hypothesis put forward is technically called Anthropogenic Global Warming (AGW), where the fancy term โanthropogenicโ means โman-made.โ
Although I am not a climatologist, as a scientist I know how to do thorough and objective research. (BTW, skepticism is a key ingredient of true scientists.) In my capacity as a scientist, I have read literally hundreds of reports and studies on this climate issue, from numerous experts. After digesting these studies and reports, it is very clear to me that AGW is still a scientifically unresolved matter. This is what is called a hypothesis.โ
Later in his document, he also claims to debunk โmythsโ related to climate change, then linking to a wide range of prominent climate change deniers as resources including WUWT by Anthony Watts, the International Climate Science Coalition (ICSC), Marc Morano‘s Climate Depot, Judith Curry’s Climate Etc., the Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change’s CO2 Science, Friends of Science, and the debunked Oregon Petition among other sources.
October 2, 2008
The following is from a paper by John Droz titled: โThe Power of Energyโ:13John Droz. โThe Power of Energy,โ October 2, 2008. Available at SSRN.
โIs Global Warming a scientifically resolved matter? No. There is some very convincing evidence (and scientists) that indicate that there is such a thing as Global Warming. But there are some very qualified scientists (with good evidence) that suggest just the opposite.
More importantly, statements often appearing in the media like ‘the majority of scientists’ believe in Global Warming, are meaningless. First of all, no legitimate survey has ever been done, and secondly, science is not about the number of people who advocate a position.โ
Droz on Covid-19
John Droz is listed as a contact for a website registered on October 18, 2021 titled c19science.info. The website purports to provide “Science-Based Information” on Covid-19, and repeats a range of common misinformation and myths regarding the deadly virus.14“COVID-19: Science-Based Information,” c19science.info. Archived November 8, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/yT7zi
The website compares science around climate change to Covid-19 (Emphasis in original):
“We are being bombarded with numerous ‘politically correct’ products (e.g., industrial wind energy) and agendas (e.g., climate change), parading about as if they are proven by Science. They are not!
“So, itโs no surprise that COVID-19 policies have fallen prey to this anti-science (and anti-American) scourge. The bottom line is that self-serving parties will continue to use a strategy as long as it works. We need to expose the deviations from real Science in ALL of our technical policies โ but here our focus is on COVID-19.”
The website links to two reports and several resources arguing against Covid-19 vaccinations and advocating for alternative treatments not approved to treat Covid-19.
The first report, which listed Droz as the sole author, was titled “The FDA COVID-19 Drug Approval Process: Remdesivir vs Ivermectin: How Greed and Negligence Likely Killed 450,000ยฑ Americans.”
In that report, Droz claimed 400,000 Americans “died unnecessarily” when Ivermectin was not approved for use to treat Covid-19.15John Droz. “The FDA COVID-19 Drug Approval Process: Remdesivir vs Ivermectin: How Greed and Negligence Likely Killed 450,000ยฑ Americans,” c19science.info, September 2, 2021.
The second report did not list any author, and was titled “Some Scientific Observations about the Medical Establishmentโs Handling of COVID-19 to Date.”
This report referred to “thousands of medical professionals” who had “courageously spoken up, objecting to certain actions/inactions of the Medical Establishment, often at great professional risk.”
It linked to an article at Natural News16“100,000 doctors & medical professionals oppose COVID-19 vaccine,” Natural News, December 18, 2020. Archived November 18, 2021. Archive URL:https://archive.ph/KNI0j โ “a conspiracy-minded alternative medicine website”17Mariah Blake. “Popular Anti-Science Site Likens Journalists to ‘Nazi Collaborators’ Over GMO Coverage,” Mother Jones, July 25, 2014. Archived November 19, 2021. Archive URL:https://archive.ph/rCUpG that is a prominent purveyor of anti-vaccine misinformation.18Alexis C. Madrigal. “The Small, Small World of Facebookโs Anti-vaxxers,” The Atlantic, February 27, 2019. Archived November 19, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/NeBq3
The article talked about “doctors & medical professionals” opposing the Covid-19 vaccine. It referred positively to a video “banned on Facebook and YouTube and is being denounced by media all over the world,” and suggested (emphasis in original):
“There is no pandemic, the governments are faking the death counts (simply placing all deaths in the fabricated COVID category), all the governments are using a fraudulent RT-PCR machine to mark healthy people as infected (therefore driving a fear based case-demic of people who arenโt ill) plus the vaccine is designed to kill, cripple and/or cause infertility,” the article claimed.
Droz commented on the “doctors” speaking out: “That is commendable, as this is how real Science works.”
Droz’s report claims it is beneficial for the “Medical Establishment” to hear from those who are not medical professionals:
“Since outsiders are not medical professionals, the Medical Establishment does not have an official say regarding their professional certifications, reputation, livelihood, etc. As such they can be more candid than most insiders are willing to be,” the report claimed.
The report, like the other, compared climate science to science around Covid-19:
“Unfortunately it is yet another chapter in the global fight between real Science and political science. This conflict is now going on in multiple fronts (e.g. energy, climate, education, etc.),” it claimed.
The report claimed inaccurately that “most masks are ineffective” and linked to a study claiming they could cause health issues. “The general Covid-19 rules and recommendations from the Medical Establishment have been illogical, inconsistent and/or harmful” the report suggested.
While the report claims it is not against vaccination, it goes on to describe the mRNA injection as “deceptive”:
“Calling this injection a ‘vaccine’ is like saying ‘clean energy’ or ‘wind farm’ โ which are deceptive and inaccurate marketing (political science) terms,” the report claimed.
It repeats similar theories to the other report written by Droz:
“[T]hey are cooking the books regarding the COVID-19 death rate by combining those who died with COVID-19, with those that died from COVID-19,” it claimed.
It goes on to claim up to 50,000 deaths were caused by the vaccine:
“There are Medical Establishment insiders who claim that the actual data indicates that the COVID-19 bio-chemical injection has caused significant problems โ e.g., 50,000ยฑ US deaths and here.”
The report linked to an interview with Dr. Peter McCullough, who received a restraining order from Baylor in 2021,19Alicia Ault. “Baylor Gets Restraining Order Against COVID Vaccine Skeptic Doc,” Medscape, September 16, 2021. and has made false claims about Covid-19 vaccinations.20Rรฉmi Banet,”US cardiologist makes false claims about Covid-19 vaccination,” AFP Fact Check, April 9, 2021.
Droz’s website links to a wide range of other similar content on the website.
Key Quotes
January, 2012
In a PowerPoint presentation opposing the Pantego wind project, Droz said:
โWhen I first heard about wind energy I was a supporter. Quite frankly, I never liked the looks of turbines but felt that we would have to live with the unsightliness as a trade-off for the good I initially assumed they were doing. Then I did some research and Critical Thinking. My conclusion now (as a scientist, economist, and environmentalist) is that industrial Wind Energy is not based on sound science.โ21โDoes the Pantego Wind Project Make Sense?โ, Power Point Presentation by John Droz, Jr., January 2012.
2012
The following is an archived excerpt from the โToolkit of Informationโ on the Wind Power Facts website:
โA critical fact to understand is that just because a power source is an alternative, or a renewable, does NOT automatically mean that it is better than any conventional or fossil fuel source!โ22โWind Power Facts: Toolkit of Information,โ WindPowerFacts.info. Archived March 11, 2012. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/16M3j
โ90% of my time is spent on science. My focus is to try to educate citizens. Citizens could care less whether I have a peer-reviewed article.โ23Laura Leslie. โSea-level bill: Who is John Droz?โ, WRAL.com, June 6, 2012.
Key Actions
February 5, 2021
Droz, identified as โphysicist, North Carolina,โ was the only signatory on a two-page Feb. 5, 2021 report claiming that Trump, who lost 61 of the 62 lawsuits24William Cummings, Joey Garrison and Jim Sergent. โBy the numbers: President Donald Trump’s failed efforts to overturn the election,โ USA Today, January 6, 2021. Archived February 11, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/8YKCV he and his allies filed seeking to overturn the results of the 2020 election, had โWON the majority of 2020 election cases fully heard, and then decided on the merits.โ His report was cited by news sites including Christianity Daily25Olivia Cavallaro. โTrump Actually Won Two-Thirds Of Election Lawsuits Heard In Court, Report Says,โ Christianity Daily, February 5, 2021. Archived February 1o, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/xURuB and the Epoch Times.26Matthew Vadum โTrump Won Two-Thirds of Election Lawsuits Where Merits Considered,โ Epoch Times, February 7, 2021. Archived February 8, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/3rEja
โThe article was flagged as part of Facebookโs efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed,โ PolitiFact reported. Referring to an Epoch Times article that had used Drozโs 2-page โreportโ to allege that Trump โwon two-thirds of election lawsuits where the merits [were] considered,โ PolitiFact wrote, โThat claim is literally not true.โ27โTrump Won Two-Thirds of Election Lawsuits Where Merits Considered,โ Politifact. Accessed February 12, 2021.
โTrump and his allies have won one lawsuit related to the results of the 2020 election, and that case did not prove that widespread voter fraud affected the outcome,โ PolitiFact wrote. โJudges across the political spectrum have rejected dozens of other cases filed after Nov. 3 that sought to overturn the election. Just because a case is dismissed on procedural grounds does not mean it wasnโt duly considered.โ
April 2020
As reported at DeSmog,28Dana Drugmand. โUnder Cover of Pandemic, Fossil Fuel Interests Unleash Lobbying Frenzy,โ DeSmog, April 2, 2020. Life:Powered sent a letter to Congress critical of the COVID-19 stimulus package for including โtax incentives and spending for unreliable ‘green’ energy
programs.โ29Coronavirus Stimulus Letter, Life:Powered, March 23, 2020. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
The letter, to which Droz is a signatory, concludes:30Coronavirus Stimulus Letter, Life:Powered, March 23, 2020. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
โThis is no time for political games. Climate change is not an immediate threat to humanity. Climate-related deaths have declined 98.9% in the last century, and humanity is growing more and more resilient thanks to the availability of affordable, reliable energy. On behalf of all Americans, we urge you to oppose any stimulus proposals that carve out special treatment for or bail out any energy companies and focus instead on stopping COVID-19.โ
The full list of signatories is below:31Coronavirus Stimulus Letter, Life:Powered, March 23, 2020. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
October 2019
Droz signed the โRealist Catholic Climate Declaration,โ drafted by Heartland Institute policy analyst William Briggs, which stated, โthe earthโs climate has always changed, is changing now, and will never cease changing. The extent to which man is responsible for climate change is not known, only surmised. There is no earthly force capable of stopping climate change,โ and that, โthe salvation of souls is of more pressing concern than the air temperature. Pray to God and pray for your neighbor, not to the planet.โ32โThe Declaration,โ Realist Catholic Climate Declaration, Archived October 29, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.is/O2m5D 33โWilliam Briggs,โThe Heartland Institute, Archived October 26, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/bDHXU
The declaration was endorsed by Anthony Wattsโ blog Watts Up With That, in a post by Charles Rotter, which stated, โplease share this as widely as possible. With the concept of ‘eco-sins’ being bruited, and the return of paganism, this declaration is timely and important.โ34Charles Rotter,โRealist Catholic Climate Change Declaration,โ Watts Up with That, October 13, 2019. Archived October 23, 2020. Archive. URL: https://archive.vn/aieXw
According to a post at William Briggsโs website: โThis statement is to be in contradistinction to the hyperbolic and inaccurate ‘U.S. Catholic Climate Declaration’,โ Briggs wrote of the draft. โThe goal is to have something short, sweet, certain, and Catholic.โ35โDraft Realist Catholic Climate Declaration: Please Share!โ William M. Briggs, October 7, 2019. Archived October 8, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/yveCN
February 4, 2018
In January 2018, more than 200 scientists endorsed an open letter calling on the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) to remove climate change denier Rebekah Mercer from its board and to โend ties to anti-science propagandists and funders of climate science misinformation.โ The New York Times reported that those among the AMNH letter calling for Mercer to step down were Michael E. Mann, director of the Earth System Science Center at Pennsylvania State University, and Katharine Hayhoe, director of the Climate Science Center at Texas Tech University.36Robin Pogrebin and Somini Sengupta. โA Science Denier at the Natural History Museum? Scientists Rebel,โ The New York Times, January 25, 2018. Archived February 13, 2018. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/tAIv4
Droz was among a group of climate change deniers who responded with their own open letter, calling for the AMNH โnot to cave in to this pressure.โ The letter was signed by numerous individuals with ties to groups funded by the Mercer Family Foundation such as Will Happer of the CO2 CoalitionRichard Lindzen, a fellow at the Cato InstituteCraig Idso, the chairman of the Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change. There are a number of signatories affiliated with the Heartland Institute, which has received over $5.78 million from the Mercer Family Foundation since 2008.37Graham Readfearn. โClimate Science Deniers Defend New Yorkโs American Museum of Natural History From Calls to Drop Trustee Rebekah Mercer,โ DeSmog, February 6, 2018.
The letter reads:38amnh18-feb4-petitionletter (PDF – Untitled). Retrieved from Watts Up With That.
โThe Earth has supported abundant life many times in the geological past when there were much higher levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. It is quite likely that future generations will benefit from the enrichment of Earthโs atmosphere with more carbon dioxide.
โMake no mistake, the agitators are not defending science from quackery โ quite the contrary!โ
May 8, 2017
John Droz, representing Alliance for Wise Energy Decisions, is a signatory to an open letter to President Donald J. Trump urging him โto withdraw fully from the Paris Climate Treaty and to stop all taxpayer funding of UN global warming programs.โ39โDear Mr. Presidentโ (PDF), retrieved from Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
DeSmog reported that the 40 groups represented in the letter, including the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), The Heartland Institute, and the Heritage Foundation, have received a combined total of millions of dollars from the Koch Brothers, ExxonMobil, and other industry groups.40Graham Readfearn. โConservative Groups Pushing Trump To Exit Paris Climate Deal Have Taken Millions From Koch Brothers, Exxon,โ DeSmog, May 10, 2017.
Analysis also showed that the groups accepted about $80 million through Donors Capital Fund and Donors Trust, two groups that have been confirmed is a key financial source for key U.S-based climate change denial groups.41Susanne Goldberg. โConservative groups spend up to $1bn a year to fight action on climate change,โ The Guardian, December 20, 2013. Archived May 12, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/TB2yy
February 23, 2017
John Drox, Jr. was a signatory of a petition (PDF) organized by Richard Lindzen of the Cato Institute urging President Donald Trump to pull the United States out of the United Nations international convention on climate change (UNFCCC).42โPETITIONโ (PDF), February 23, 2017. Richard Lindzen. PDF Archived at DeSmog.
โIn just a few weeks, more than 300 eminent scientists and other qualified individuals from around the world have signed the petition below,โ Lindzen wrote in the letter.43โPETITIONโ (PDF), February 23, 2017. Richard Lindzen. PDF Archived at DeSmog.
DeSmog investigated the list, and found that only a small handful of the signatories could be considered โeven remotely โqualifiedโ or โeminentโ โ but not in the field of climate science.โ The list included individuals โinterested in climate,โ and one signatory who only identified as an โemailer who wished to sign the petitionโ while some signers provided no affiliation or address whatsoever.44Graham Readfearn. โClimate Science Denier Richard Lindzen’s List of 300 โScientistsโ Sent to Trump Is the Usual Parade of Non-Experts,โ DeSmog, February 27, 2017.
January 5, 2017
John Droz was a signatory to a Cornwall Alliance open letter supporting Scott Pruitt for EPA Administrator under the Trump administration.45โOpen Letter Supporting Scott Pruitt for EPA Administrator,โ Cornwall Alliance, January 5, 2017. Archived January 19, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/xMash
โMr. Pruitt has also demonstrated understanding of and open-mindedness toward scientific insights crucial to the formulation and implementation of environmental regulation. He is prepared to hear all sides in debates over the risks and benefits of various activities that come under the purview of the EPA,โ reads the letter.
On January 12, 2017, Senate Democrats raised conflict of interest concerns regarding Scott Prutt‘s fossil fuel ties. Pruitt had spent years working to combat the Obama Administration’s Clean Power Plan.46Ben Jervey. โMapping EPA Nominee Scott Pruitt’s Many Fossil Fuel Ties,โ DeSmog, January 13, 2017.
In an open letter to the Office of Government Ethics, members of the Senate’s environmental panel commented:
โDuring his tenure as Attorney General of Oklahoma, Mr. Pruitt has blurred the distinction between official and political actions, often at the behest of corporations he will regulate if confirmed to lead EPA,โ the letter said. โPublic reporting based on documents produced by Freedom of Information Act requests illustrate how Mr. Pruitt and members of his staff have worked closely with fossil fuel lobbyists to craft his office’s official positions.โ
Pruitt was further grilled on his fossil fuel ties at his confirmation hearing on January 18.47Ben Jervey and Steve Horn. โEPA Nominee Scott Pruitt Gets Grilled on Fossil Fuel Ties at Confirmation Hearing,โ DeSmog, January 18, 2017.
Some notable signatories of the Cornwall Alliance letter, as of January 5, 2017, included:
- Tim Ball
- Charles G. Battig
- E. Calvin Beisner
- H. Sterling Burnett
- Kenneth Chilton
- Donn Dears
- John Droz
- James E. Enstrom
- Joseph Farah
- Steve Goreham
- Jay Grimstead
- William Happer
- Richard Land
- David Legates
- Richard S. Lindzen
- Anthony R. Lupo
- Rod D. Martin
- Anthony J. Sadar
- Willie Soon
- Roy W. Spencer
- David J. Theroux
- James A. Wanliss
- Anthony Watts
- Peter W. Wood
- Thomas H. Wysmuller
- Benjamin Zycher
October 23, 2014
John Droz assembles a collection of anti-wind billboards and yard signs on WiseEnergy.org. Droz asks the website’s visitors to send him โan example of an additional good wind related billboard โฆ The criteria we are looking for,โ he writes, โare: 1) universal applicability, 2) brevity [KISS], and 3) powerful message.โ48John Droz. โPR-Sample Billboards,โ WiseEnergy.org, October 23, 2014.
February 3, 2013
John Droz delivered a presentation titled โScience Under Assaultโ which suggests that modern climate science is being threatened by environmentalists, educators and the media. He highlights articles that claim environmentalism is a โnew religionโ with a primary goal to โundermine the authority of science,โ and that mainstream climate science is based on โfiction.โ
Facing South notes that Droz cites a number of less-than-credible sources:
โsources like WorldNetDaily, a website that promotes conspiracy theories about topics such as President Obama’s citizenship; Quadrant, a conservative Australian magazine that was involved in a scandal over publishing fraudulent science; and the Institute for Creation Research, a Texas outfit that rejects evolution and promotes Biblical creationism and the notion that โAll things in the universe were created and made by God in the six literal days of the Creation Week.โ49Sue Sturgis. โClimate conspiracy theorist returns to NC legislature, warns of threat from science ‘elite’,โ Facing South, February 7, 2013. Archived May 10, 2013. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/PX7Ph
Sam Pearsall, a UNC environment and ecology professor and retired program manager for the Environmental Defense Fund described the presentation as โthe most remarkable example of propaganda delivered as anti-propagandaโ he had ever witnessed.
August 2012
According to WHOIS records, John Droz registered the domain Ptcfacts.info on August 17, 2012.50Domain Dossier for ptcfacts.info. Accessed December 14, 2017. The website, titled โWind Production Tax Credit Factsโ is focused on preventing the renewal of the Wind Production Tax Credit (PTC) and includes directions and specifies wording on how to contact Congress to oppose it, including links to initiatives by Americans for Prosperity (AfP) and FreedomWorks.51โContact Congress,โ Wind Production Tax Credit Facts.
June 2012
NC-20 brought forward a bill that would restrict how state agencies and planners predict sea-level change. An early version set out to ban the state from using current data models to predict sea-level change caused by climate change. A later version bans predictions of sea level rise โunless such rates are from statistically significant, peer-reviewed data and are consistent with historic trends.โ
According to WRAL, that would essentially ban projections based on cliamate change as these results would be inconsistent with historic trends. The following is an excerpt from the NC-20 memo that was obtained by WRAL.com (emphasis added):52Laura Leslie. โSea-level bill: Who is John Droz?โ, WRAL.com, June 6, 2012.
โBottom Line: we got everything we asked for. I’ll send the technical details later, but we got a commitment to totally abandon any reference to accelerated SLR. Instead, the State will use historic, linear sea level measurements to create future projections (about 8 inches by 2100 instead of the 56 inches once being considered) and the provision of standard deviations which are basically fluctuations around the average projection at any given year. This is a huge win for NC 20 counties which always seem to lose in regulatory negotiations. It proves once again that unity is the key to advancing the cause of equity for NC 20 in matters such as regulation and economic development.โ
John Droz demanded a retraction by WRAL, claiming that NC-20 had not been involved in the regulation despite the above memo.
May 21โ23, 2012
John Droz was a speaker at the Heartland Institute‘s Seventh International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC7). His speech, titled โWind Energy: Based on Real Science?โ can be viewed below.53โWind Energy: Based on Real Science?โ International Conferences on Climate Change. Archived December 14, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/QaxAB
DeSmogBlog researched the co-sponsors behind Heartland’s ICCC7 and found that they had collectively received over $67 million from ExxonMobil, the Koch Brothers and the conservative Scaife family foundations.
February 2012
Droz was a member of a group who critiqued the 2010 โNC Sea-Level Rise Assessment Reportโ by the Coastal Resource Commission’s Science Panel that had stated sea levels in Carolina would rise one meter by 2100.54โATI Fellow, John Droz, Convinces State to Rethink Climate-Related Policy,โ American Tradition Institute, March 1, 2012. Archived May 15, 2012. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/xYj3J
January 23, 2012
Droz was listed as an editor of a confidential memo obtained by The Guardian that described a PR campaign against wind energy.55Suzanne Goldenberg. “Conservative thinktanks step up attacks against Obama’s clean energy strategy,” The Guardian, May 8, 2012. Archived January 31, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Qt92e
According to The Guardian, the American Tradition Institute (ATI), where Droz was a fellow, formally disavowed the project. ATIโs executive director Tom Tandon said Droz acted alone on the memo.56Suzanne Goldenberg. “Conservative thinktanks step up attacks against Obama’s clean energy strategy,” The Guardian, May 8, 2012. Archived January 31, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Qt92e
The document suggested the โminimum national PR campaign goalโ was โto constructively influence national and state wind energy policies.โ One of the listed โgoals of the PR Campaignโ was to โCause subversion in message of industry so that it effectively becomes so bad no one wants to admit in public they are for it (much like wind has done to coal, by turning green to black and clean to dirty).โ57Suzanne Goldenberg. “Conservative thinktanks step up attacks against Obama’s clean energy strategy,” The Guardian, May 8, 2012. Archived January 31, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Qt92e
The proposal also listed some โoptionalโ considerations, including plans to โ[t]ake zoning boards to court to rezone as industrial land to create chilling effect on signing contracts,โ as well as plans to โ[s]ue states regarding [Renewable Portfolio Standards].โ58Suzanne Goldenberg. “Conservative thinktanks step up attacks against Obama’s clean energy strategy,” The Guardian, May 8, 2012. Archived January 31, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Qt92e
January 2012
Contributed a presentation opposing a proposed wind project in Beaufort County (NC).59โBeaufort County Commissioners hear from citizens on separate issues,โ Beaufort County Now, January 10, 2012.
An article in the local paper, Beaufort County Now, reported that โSelf-proclaimed physicist, economist and environmentalist John Droz. Jr. witnessed to the Beaufort County Commissioners that not only should the the Pantego Wind Farm project not be constructed, but no wind turbine generating power should be erected anywhere.โ
Droz summarized his belief that โWind energy is not a technically sound solution to provide us power, or to meaningfully reduce global warming,โ โwind energy is not an economically viable source of power on its own,โ and โwind energy is not environmentally responsible.โ60โDoes the Pantego Wind Project Make Sense?โ, Power Point Presentation by John Droz, Jr., January 2012.
Droz is involved in setting up an activist network opposed to wind power and has developed a strategy to combat wind industry advocates by โcommunicate[ing] the Science message in the proper way to the public.โ
His objectives include to โcome up with an effective National PR Plan.โ
Droz’s list of โOur Typical Opponentsโ includes the wind industry, utilities supporting wind power, labour unions, most environmental organizations, pro-wind media, and many academic institutions61.โWhy I Think Science is Our Best Strategy,โ Power point presentation by John Droz, Jr. February, 2012.
December 5, 2011
Was a presenter at a John Locke Foundation workshop titled โThe Truth About Wind Power on the Coasts of North Carolina.โ62โWorkshop – โThe Truth About Wind Power on the Coasts of North Carolina,โ Crystal Coast Tea Party, November 17, 2011. Archived November 11, 2013. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/OuEX6
According to the event description, โThis workshop will present an alternative view of wind power and what it would mean to North Carolinaโs coastal communities. Participants will learn about wind power in general, including its intermittency problems, high costs, limited value and its environmental and economic impact. Myths will be countered, including why wind power would not play any meaningful role in energy security.โ
The other presenters included David W. Schnare and Darenย Bakst.
November 25, 2011
Droz prepared a slideshow for NC legislators entitled โOur Sea Level Policy: from Science or Lobbyists?โ where he alleged that the authors of the โNC Sea-Level Rise Assessment Reportโ by the Coastal Resource Commissionโs Science Panel failed to โmeet the fundamental standards of science.โ63“SLR Presentation NC Legislators,” SlideShare by user John Droz. Uploaded November 21, 2011. Archived at DeSmog.
December 3, 2010
Droz wrote a handout titled “What Not To Say” (PDF) that provided tips on how to deliver a message opposing wind projects.64“John Droz. “What Not To Say” (PDF), December 3, 2010. Retrieved from Wind-watch.org.
“Consider the following two facts: 1) that you have little hope of success unless you get a sizable number of other citizens on your side, and 2) that these citizens [e.g. in the audience] are not a fresh slate, as they have already been propagandized by incessant messages as to why green is good, wind is free, etc.” he wrote. “Another way of phrasing it is that this is a Public Relations matter.”
“You should be secure in the knowledge that no pseudo-science pro-wind report to date (that I am aware of) is based on the Scientific Method,” he claimed.
“Here is what I am recommending that you stand up and say (and this should be
restated as often as needed, as opponents will try to move you away from this):
1 – We believe that we have environmental and energy issues, and
2 – We believe that these technical matters should be solved using real science.”
He concluded: “In the most intransigent cases, a lawsuit may be called for. If you do decide to go that way, make sure that you have an aggressive attorney who is willing to pull out all the stops.” (emphasis in original).65“John Droz. “What Not To Say” (PDF), December 3, 2010. Retrieved from Wind-watch.org.
Affiliations
- American Tradition Institute โ Former Senior Fellow and Director of the Environmental Law Center.66โFellows & Advisors,โ American Tradition Institute. Archived February 7, 2013. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/kEv1n
- NC-20 โ Former โScience Advisorโ and Member, Board of Directors.67โBoard of Directors,โ NC-20. Archived July 30, 2012. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/viyNn
- Wind Power Facts (now Alliance for Wise Energy Decisions or AWED)68โWind Power Facts: Toolkit of Information,โ WindPowerFacts.info. Archived March 11, 2012. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/16M3j 69โPotpourri,โ Alliance for Wise Energy Decisions. Archived December 14, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/waYxl
- Ptcfacts.info70โCONTACT US,โ Wind Production Tax Credit Facts. Archived December 14, 2017. Archive.is URL:https://archive.is/QZLWe
Other Affiliations
- General Electric (GE) โ Former employee.71โResume for Broker John Droz, jr.,โ Adirondack Real Escapes. Archived December 14, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/3UoT5
- Faith Properties (now a Coldwell Banker franchise) โ Co-founded in 1979.72โResume for Broker John Droz, jr.,โ Adirondack Real Escapes. Archived December 14, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/3UoT5
- Adirondack Real Escapes โ Real estate company he started in 1984. “part-time real estate business focused on Brantingham Lake properties”73โResume for Broker John Droz, jr.,โ Adirondack Real Escapes. Archived December 14, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/3UoT5
Social Media
- @JohnDrozjr on Twitter.
Publications
According to a search of Google Scholar, John Droz does not appear to have published any articles in peer-reviewed journals on the subject of climate or any other topic.
Other Resources
Resources
- 1โFellows & Advisors,โ American Tradition Institute. Archived February 7, 2013. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/kEv1n
- 2โResume for Broker John Droz, jr.,โ Adirondack Real Escapes. Archived December 14, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/3UoT5
- 3โFellows & Advisors,โ American Tradition Institute. Archived February 7, 2013. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/kEv1n
- 4โFellows & Advisors,โ American Tradition Institute. Archived February 7, 2013. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/kEv1n
- 5โFellows & Advisors,โ American Tradition Institute. Archived February 7, 2013. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/kEv1n
- 6James Borden. โThe Man WHo Makes Sea Level Rise Go Away,โ Scientific American, September 30, 2013. Archived December 14, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/odHVr
- 7โBoard of Directors,โ NC-20. Archived July 30, 2012. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/viyNn
- 8โWind Power Facts: Toolkit of Information,โ WindPowerFacts.info. Archived June 11, 2012. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/iCnok
- 9โPotpourri,โ Alliance for Wise Energy Decisions. Archived December 14, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/waYxl
- 10โCONTACT US,โ Wind Production Tax Credit Facts. Archived December 14, 2017. Archive.is URL:https://archive.is/QZLWe
- 11โPerson behind the website,โ Mac vs. PC. Archived December 14, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/xKToF
- 12โGlobal Warming: The Scientific Viewโ (PDF). Document created by John Droz June 17, 2014. Retrieved from Black River Valley Macintosh User Group and converted to PDF.
- 13John Droz. โThe Power of Energy,โ October 2, 2008. Available at SSRN.
- 14“COVID-19: Science-Based Information,” c19science.info. Archived November 8, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/yT7zi
- 15John Droz. “The FDA COVID-19 Drug Approval Process: Remdesivir vs Ivermectin: How Greed and Negligence Likely Killed 450,000ยฑ Americans,” c19science.info, September 2, 2021.
- 16“100,000 doctors & medical professionals oppose COVID-19 vaccine,” Natural News, December 18, 2020. Archived November 18, 2021. Archive URL:https://archive.ph/KNI0j
- 17Mariah Blake. “Popular Anti-Science Site Likens Journalists to ‘Nazi Collaborators’ Over GMO Coverage,” Mother Jones, July 25, 2014. Archived November 19, 2021. Archive URL:https://archive.ph/rCUpG
- 18Alexis C. Madrigal. “The Small, Small World of Facebookโs Anti-vaxxers,” The Atlantic, February 27, 2019. Archived November 19, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/NeBq3
- 19Alicia Ault. “Baylor Gets Restraining Order Against COVID Vaccine Skeptic Doc,” Medscape, September 16, 2021.
- 20Rรฉmi Banet,”US cardiologist makes false claims about Covid-19 vaccination,” AFP Fact Check, April 9, 2021.
- 21โDoes the Pantego Wind Project Make Sense?โ, Power Point Presentation by John Droz, Jr., January 2012.
- 22โWind Power Facts: Toolkit of Information,โ WindPowerFacts.info. Archived March 11, 2012. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/16M3j
- 23Laura Leslie. โSea-level bill: Who is John Droz?โ, WRAL.com, June 6, 2012.
- 24William Cummings, Joey Garrison and Jim Sergent. โBy the numbers: President Donald Trump’s failed efforts to overturn the election,โ USA Today, January 6, 2021. Archived February 11, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/8YKCV
- 25Olivia Cavallaro. โTrump Actually Won Two-Thirds Of Election Lawsuits Heard In Court, Report Says,โ Christianity Daily, February 5, 2021. Archived February 1o, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/xURuB
- 26Matthew Vadum โTrump Won Two-Thirds of Election Lawsuits Where Merits Considered,โ Epoch Times, February 7, 2021. Archived February 8, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/3rEja
- 27โTrump Won Two-Thirds of Election Lawsuits Where Merits Considered,โ Politifact. Accessed February 12, 2021.
- 28Dana Drugmand. โUnder Cover of Pandemic, Fossil Fuel Interests Unleash Lobbying Frenzy,โ DeSmog, April 2, 2020.
- 29Coronavirus Stimulus Letter, Life:Powered, March 23, 2020. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
- 30Coronavirus Stimulus Letter, Life:Powered, March 23, 2020. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
- 31Coronavirus Stimulus Letter, Life:Powered, March 23, 2020. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
- 32โThe Declaration,โ Realist Catholic Climate Declaration, Archived October 29, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.is/O2m5D
- 33โWilliam Briggs,โThe Heartland Institute, Archived October 26, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/bDHXU
- 34Charles Rotter,โRealist Catholic Climate Change Declaration,โ Watts Up with That, October 13, 2019. Archived October 23, 2020. Archive. URL: https://archive.vn/aieXw
- 35โDraft Realist Catholic Climate Declaration: Please Share!โ William M. Briggs, October 7, 2019. Archived October 8, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/yveCN
- 36Robin Pogrebin and Somini Sengupta. โA Science Denier at the Natural History Museum? Scientists Rebel,โ The New York Times, January 25, 2018. Archived February 13, 2018. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/tAIv4
- 37Graham Readfearn. โClimate Science Deniers Defend New Yorkโs American Museum of Natural History From Calls to Drop Trustee Rebekah Mercer,โ DeSmog, February 6, 2018.
- 38amnh18-feb4-petitionletter (PDF – Untitled). Retrieved from Watts Up With That.
- 39โDear Mr. Presidentโ (PDF), retrieved from Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
- 40Graham Readfearn. โConservative Groups Pushing Trump To Exit Paris Climate Deal Have Taken Millions From Koch Brothers, Exxon,โ DeSmog, May 10, 2017.
- 41Susanne Goldberg. โConservative groups spend up to $1bn a year to fight action on climate change,โ The Guardian, December 20, 2013. Archived May 12, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/TB2yy
- 42โPETITIONโ (PDF), February 23, 2017. Richard Lindzen. PDF Archived at DeSmog.
- 43โPETITIONโ (PDF), February 23, 2017. Richard Lindzen. PDF Archived at DeSmog.
- 44Graham Readfearn. โClimate Science Denier Richard Lindzen’s List of 300 โScientistsโ Sent to Trump Is the Usual Parade of Non-Experts,โ DeSmog, February 27, 2017.
- 45โOpen Letter Supporting Scott Pruitt for EPA Administrator,โ Cornwall Alliance, January 5, 2017. Archived January 19, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/xMash
- 46Ben Jervey. โMapping EPA Nominee Scott Pruitt’s Many Fossil Fuel Ties,โ DeSmog, January 13, 2017.
- 47Ben Jervey and Steve Horn. โEPA Nominee Scott Pruitt Gets Grilled on Fossil Fuel Ties at Confirmation Hearing,โ DeSmog, January 18, 2017.
- 48John Droz. โPR-Sample Billboards,โ WiseEnergy.org, October 23, 2014.
- 49Sue Sturgis. โClimate conspiracy theorist returns to NC legislature, warns of threat from science ‘elite’,โ Facing South, February 7, 2013. Archived May 10, 2013. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/PX7Ph
- 50Domain Dossier for ptcfacts.info. Accessed December 14, 2017.
- 51โContact Congress,โ Wind Production Tax Credit Facts.
- 52Laura Leslie. โSea-level bill: Who is John Droz?โ, WRAL.com, June 6, 2012.
- 53โWind Energy: Based on Real Science?โ International Conferences on Climate Change. Archived December 14, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/QaxAB
- 54โATI Fellow, John Droz, Convinces State to Rethink Climate-Related Policy,โ American Tradition Institute, March 1, 2012. Archived May 15, 2012. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/xYj3J
- 55Suzanne Goldenberg. “Conservative thinktanks step up attacks against Obama’s clean energy strategy,” The Guardian, May 8, 2012. Archived January 31, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Qt92e
- 56Suzanne Goldenberg. “Conservative thinktanks step up attacks against Obama’s clean energy strategy,” The Guardian, May 8, 2012. Archived January 31, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Qt92e
- 57Suzanne Goldenberg. “Conservative thinktanks step up attacks against Obama’s clean energy strategy,” The Guardian, May 8, 2012. Archived January 31, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Qt92e
- 58Suzanne Goldenberg. “Conservative thinktanks step up attacks against Obama’s clean energy strategy,” The Guardian, May 8, 2012. Archived January 31, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Qt92e
- 59โBeaufort County Commissioners hear from citizens on separate issues,โ Beaufort County Now, January 10, 2012.
- 60โDoes the Pantego Wind Project Make Sense?โ, Power Point Presentation by John Droz, Jr., January 2012.
- 61.โWhy I Think Science is Our Best Strategy,โ Power point presentation by John Droz, Jr. February, 2012.
- 62โWorkshop – โThe Truth About Wind Power on the Coasts of North Carolina,โ Crystal Coast Tea Party, November 17, 2011. Archived November 11, 2013. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/OuEX6
- 63“SLR Presentation NC Legislators,” SlideShare by user John Droz. Uploaded November 21, 2011. Archived at DeSmog.
- 64“John Droz. “What Not To Say” (PDF), December 3, 2010. Retrieved from Wind-watch.org.
- 65“John Droz. “What Not To Say” (PDF), December 3, 2010. Retrieved from Wind-watch.org.
- 66โFellows & Advisors,โ American Tradition Institute. Archived February 7, 2013. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/kEv1n
- 67โBoard of Directors,โ NC-20. Archived July 30, 2012. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/viyNn
- 68โWind Power Facts: Toolkit of Information,โ WindPowerFacts.info. Archived March 11, 2012. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/16M3j
- 69โPotpourri,โ Alliance for Wise Energy Decisions. Archived December 14, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/waYxl
- 70โCONTACT US,โ Wind Production Tax Credit Facts. Archived December 14, 2017. Archive.is URL:https://archive.is/QZLWe
- 71โResume for Broker John Droz, jr.,โ Adirondack Real Escapes. Archived December 14, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/3UoT5
- 72โResume for Broker John Droz, jr.,โ Adirondack Real Escapes. Archived December 14, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/3UoT5
- 73โResume for Broker John Droz, jr.,โ Adirondack Real Escapes. Archived December 14, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/3UoT5