The U.S. Chamber of Commerce isn't taking Apple's resignation quietly after Apple announced on Monday it was quitting the organization because it disagrees with the chamber's policy on climate change.

Before Apple, four other large companies, including PG&E and Nike, had also cut all or part of their relations with the chamber, blaming the organization’s lobby efforts and rigid opposition to the cap-and-trade legislation making its way toward the Senate, which they believe will cut jobs.

The Wall Street Journal, however, quotes a letter from Chamber President Thomas Donohue to Apple CEO Steve Jobs.

It is unfortunate that your company didn’t take the time to understand the Chamber’s position on climate and forfeited the opportunity to advance a 21st century approach to climate change, the letter said.

Donohue which goes on to criticize the leading proposal in Congress to limit U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions as one that “will cause Americans to lose their jobs and shift greenhouse-gas emissions overseas, negating potential climate benefits.”

In a statement released on Monday, Catherine Novelli, Apple’s Vice President of Worldwide Government Affairs, said, “As a company, we are working hard to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by relying on renewable energy at our facilities and designing more energy-efficient products for our customers. . . . For those companies who cannot or will not do the same, Apple supports regulating greenhouse gas emissions, and it is frustrating to find the chamber at odds with us in this effort.”

In a shot clearly aimed at progressive climate-change initiatives, Donohue said, “Some in the environmental movement claim that, because of our opposition to a specific bill or approach, we must be opposed to all efforts to reduce greenhouse gases, or that we deny the existence of any problem. They are dead wrong.”

The US Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation, representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations.

Steve jobs Climate change Apple