Open in TheBrain

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<p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="">see CIC:</font></p><div id="su-post-5171" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><h2 class="su-post-title" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; clear: none; line-height: 1.2;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">C<a href="https://climateinvestigations.org/trade-associations-pr-investigation-media/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: inherit; outline: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; transition: all 0.07s ease-in-out 0s;">IC’s Trade Associations PR Investigation in the Media</a></font></h2><div class="su-post-meta" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.7em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; opacity: 0.6;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Posted: April 8, 2019</font></div><div class="su-post-excerpt" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="margin: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In early March 2019, the Climate Investigations Center (CIC) launched its Trade Associations and the Public Relations Industry report, which revealed the almost $1.4 billion energy and business trade associations spent over the past decade on advertising, communications, and advocacy via contracts with public relations (PR) companies. Since the publication of the report, CIC’s Kert&nbsp;<a class="read-more" href="https://climateinvestigations.org/trade-associations-pr-investigation-media/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: inherit; outline: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; transition: all 0.07s ease-in-out 0s;">…</a></font></p></div></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://climateinvestigations.org/trade-associations-pr-investigation-media/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; outline: none;">https://climateinvestigations.org/trade-associations-pr-investigation-media/</a></font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" /><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">no lnx graphs</font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">CIC’s Trade Associations PR Investigation in the Media</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">Climate Investigations Center on April 8, 2019</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">cic pr trade association report summarization photo</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><b>In early March 2019, the Climate Investigations Center (CIC) launched its Trade Associations and the Public Relations Industry report, which revealed the almost $1.4 billion energy and business trade associations spent over the past decade on advertising, communications, and advocacy via contracts with public relations (PR) companies.</b></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">Since the publication of the report, CIC’s Kert Davies has been interviewed by online media outlets and podcasts discussing which PR firms were contracted, the various campaigns spawned from these connections, and the impacts these campaigns have on the public and lawmakers.</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">HuffPost</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">In a HuffPost article titled Big Business Spent $1.4 Billion On PR, Advertising Over The Last Decade, Chris D’Angelo wrote about CIC’s findings on trade associations and their public relations contracts. Additionally, D’Angelo interviewed Robert Brulle, an environmental sociologist at Brown University who has tracked corporate spending and climate change denial groups. Regarding trade association PR contracts, Brulle says, “I don’t think you can understand the opposition to climate action unless you take this massive amount of activity into account.” Brulle called these PR campaigns the “sinews of the political operations and the cultural operations surrounding climate politics.”</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">Drilled Podcast</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">“In a lot of ways, PR firms have been sort of the linchpin of the fossil fuel industry’s plan for a long, long time.”</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">The true crime podcast, Drilled, hosted Davies on an episode titled, Big Oil Is Ramping Up PR Spending and Oil Production, which focused on the relationship between the fossil fuel industry and public relations firms. The episode covered both CIC’s trade association PR investigation as well as a report published by Influence Map.</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">Host Amy Westervelt described PR firms as being “the linchpin of the fossil fuel industry’s plan for a long, long time,” highlighting their extensive use by trade associations that represent the corporate interests of their membership. These trade associations allow member companies to push their political and anti-environmental agendas without a direct connection to their brand which might tarnish their reputation.</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">Westervelt highlighted trade associations such as the American Petroleum Institute (API), the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), and the US Chamber of Commerce as some of the biggest offenders.&nbsp; During the interview, Davies explained that the visible PR campaigns are part of larger goals and targets that have been “agreed upon by the members of that trade association” and are a “window into their political game.” He notes that this tactic includes “very little overt climate denial” and instead is about “laying the groundwork for the campaigns that are against policies on climate change.” For instance, by “making fracking look good” people may begin to “question these policies like the Green New Deal,” Davies says.</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">Example of trade association advertising, this is API’s Vote4Energy campaign: “We can produce the energy America needs and protect the environment – it doesn’t have to be either/or. There’s already been a lot of progress.” Member companies of API include ExxonMobil, BP, and Shell.</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">The Real News Network</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">Kert Davies interviewed by Dharna Noor on the Real News Network, April 2019. View the video above to watch the full Real News Network segment on CIC’s trade associations and public relations spending report.</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">Davies was also recently interviewed on the Real News Network where he outlined the origins of CIC’s 2019 trade association PR investigation, showcased the report’s findings, and discussed the purpose of trade association campaigns.</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">As discussed on the show,&nbsp;<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 102);">the money spent on PR contracts by renewable energy associations and fossil fuel associations was a major finding of CIC’s investigation. Of the almost $1.4 billion spent by trade associations in the past decade, only $98.4 million of it (7%) was spent by renewable energy associations</span>. In his interview, Davies elaborated, stating:</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><b>…it turns out that if you add all of [the renewable energy trade association PR contracts] up, including the ones that do biofuels and ethanol… they are a fraction of the total spending…<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">&nbsp;API alone is six times the total spending of all the renewable energy associations combined.</span></b></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">API alone spent over six times more than the renewable energy trade associations we analyzed.</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">Davies also explains that this 2019 report was a continuation of a 2014 CIC investigation, which started with a survey to PR firms asking questions about their internal climate action plans, carbon tracking initiatives, and any client projects focused on climate change issues. As Davies explained, “Turns out, nobody had ever asked the PR companies these questions before, but we got some very interesting responses, including the biggest company, Edelman, who accidentally sent me an email saying ‘there are only wrong answers here, don’t respond.’”</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><b>Edelman PR email replying to Kert Davies, "There are no right answers for this guy."</b></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Dharna Noor, host of the Real News Network segment, also highlighted Edelman’s connection to Koch Industries, “a key funder of climate change denial messaging.” As detailed in CIC’s investigation, Edelman was a frequent contractor to the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers, of which Koch Industries and its subsidiary, Flint Hills Resources, is a member.</span></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">The Intercept</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">…companies are “using stories that appear to be part of a journalistic publication, but are actually paid for by advertisers in attempt to improve an image…”</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">In early April 2019, the Intercept published an article by&nbsp;<b>Sharon Lerner titled, How the Media Launders Fossil Fuel Industry Propaganda Through Branded Content. The Intercept article warns against the rise of ”<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">native advertising</span>”</b>, which is a form of advertising where an ad is written in article form and published on credible news sites to look like an article.</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">Lerner explains that fossil fuel and other companies are “using stories that appear to be part of a journalistic publication, but are actually paid for by advertisers in attempt to improve an image suffering in the coverage done by actual journalists.” Lerner cites CIC’s research, saying, “Industry trade groups spent almost $1.4 billion on PR, advertising and communications contractors over the past decade, according to the Climate Investigations Center, almost half of which came from the American Petroleum Institute.”</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">Click here to read CIC’s full Trade Associations and the Public Relations Industry report</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><a href="https://climateinvestigations.org/trade-association-pr-spending/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; outline: none;">https://climateinvestigations.org/trade-association-pr-spending/</a></div></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style="" /><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style=""><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style=""><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style=""><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style=""><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">no lnx graphs</font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><div class="entry-content" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;"><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.2em; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; text-align: center;" /></div></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">Trade Associations and the Public Relations Industry</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">How much money have the corporate and fossil fuel industry’s powerful trade association allies spent to convince the American public that its products are beneficial and necessary – and to stymie progress on climate change that could harm its financial interests?</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">To find out, Climate Investigations Center researchers analyzed the public relations expenditures of these trade associations going back to 2008, using data from publicly-available federal Form 990 tax records. The expenditures provide unique insight into trade association priorities and the willingness of public relations firms to represent socially harmful industries.</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">The trade associations we analyzed spent almost $1.4 billion on contracts with public relations, advertising, and communications contractors since 2008.</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Between 2008 and 2017, these trade associations spent almost $1.4 billion on public relations, advertising, and communications contractors. The American Petroleum Institute eclipses all spenders at $663 million over this time period, accounting for nearly half the total trackable spending from all trade associations. The US Chamber of Commerce ranked second at $244 million spent. We found that the public relations firms with the most lucrative contracts over the time period of our dataset were&nbsp;<b>Edelman, DDC Advocacy, FleishmanHillard, and Blue Advertising (once part of Edelman).</b></span></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">Many of the trade associations we analyzed are fossil fuel associated but represent different sectors of the industry, such as oil, gas, coal, petrochemical, mining, and utility companies. Trade associations spend their revenue, from members’ dues, on salaries, rent, and services such as lobbying and legal counsel, to forward the goals of the industry they represent.</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">Trade associations routinely utilize the advertising and<b>&nbsp;front group — astroturf&nbsp;</b>— services that public relations firms can provide. Top trade associations spend millions on public relations work each year, often targeting the Washington DC media market and political decision makers.&nbsp; Some prominent PR campaigns are launched nationwide,&nbsp; while others create front groups that will intentionally never bear the trade association’s name.</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">To view the spending by individual trade associations or to see a profile of the PR firms we analyzed,</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">click on the links below:</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><b>Trade Associations</b></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">American Fuels & Petrochemical Manufacturers</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">America’s Natural Gas Alliance</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">American Petroleum Institute</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">Edison Electric Institute</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">National Association of Manufacturers</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">National Mining Association</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">National Propane Gas Association</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">National Rural Electric Cooperative Association</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">Nuclear Energy Institute</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">United States Chamber of Commerce</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">Western Energy Alliance</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">Renewable Energy associations</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><b>Public Relations Firms</b></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">Edelman and Blue Advertising</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">Burson-Marsteller (Burson Cohn & Wolfe, as of 2018)</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">DCI Group</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">Democracy, Data & Communications Advocacy (DDC Advocacy)</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><b>FleishmanHillard</b></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">FTI Consulting</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">Hawthorn Group</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">Hill+Knowlton</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Kivvit</span></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">Porter Novelli</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">Something Else Strategies</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">Our analysis also reveals that fossil fuel trade associations far exceed the PR and advertising spending of renewable energy trade associations. One fossil fuel industry trade association, the American Petroleum Institute, spent over six times more than four prominent renewable energy trade associations combined. In total, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), Growth Energy, the National Biodiesel Board (NBB), and the Solar Energy Industry Association (SEIA) spent $98.4 million on PR and advertising during the 2008 to 2017 period. API alone dwarfs all four associations, spending a total of $663.2 million during the same time period.</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">API alone spent over six times more than the renewable energy trade associations we analyzed.</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">In addition to a comprehensive analysis of how industry utilizes these sizable contracts, CIC has made available all the IRS 990 tax forms used in this analysis, and produced interactive data visualizations and downloadable spreadsheets with the raw data.</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">In this report, the Climate Investigations Center has extended and updated the Center for Public Integrity’s groundbreaking 2015 report on public relations spending by trade associations.&nbsp; Spending data we have compiled since the CPI analysis confirms that public relations firms remain in a lucrative and influential partnership with big business and energy trade associations.</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><b>The Center for Public Integrity published “Who needs lobbyists? See what big business spends to win American minds,”</b>&nbsp;which was the most thorough analysis of trade association spending to date in January 2015.&nbsp;<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 102);">The report compiled IRS 990 data from 2008 through 2012 to reveal that trade associations were often spending more on public relations firms than lobbyists.&nbsp;</span>For some industries, advertising and front groups seemed to be the most powerful chosen means of achieving policy goals, putting public relations firms at the center of the policy debate over clean air, climate solutions, and good governance.</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">Download our data here (.csv file), or view in the table below:</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><b>Trade Association<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Contract Recipient<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Year<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Amount Paid</b></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><b>Western Energy Alliance</b><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Resonate Networks<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>2014<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$175,000.00</span></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">Western Energy Alliance<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">FTI Consulting<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>2017<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$217,317.00</span></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">Western Energy Alliance<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>Resonate Networks<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>2013<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$200,000.00</b></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">Western Energy Alliance<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>FTI Consulting<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>2018<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$243,000.00</b></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">Western Energy Alliance<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Clear Channel<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>2013<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$125,360.00</span></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">United States Chamber of Commerce</span><b><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Revolution Agency<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></b>2018<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$4,834,422.00</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Something Else Strategies<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span>2018<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$5,270,805.00</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Revolution Media Group<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>2017<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$1,150,000.00</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>R Street Films<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>2018<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$1,554,650.00</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">United States Chamber of Commerce<b><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Albright Stonebridge Group LLC</b><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>2017<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$712,888.00</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Something Else Strategies<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>2017<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$2,919,990.00</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>R Street Films</b><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>2016<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$4,500,000.00</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Revolution Media Group<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>2016<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$9,204,150.00</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Something Else Strategies<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>2016<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$10,400,000.00</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>Glass House Strategy</b><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>2016<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$797,550.00</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Integrated Web Strategy</span><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>2015<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$1,756,009.00</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Revolution Media Group<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>2015<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$1,734,327.00</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Revolution Media Group<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>2014<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$14,456,184.00</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Something Else Strategies<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>2015<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$1,200,000.00</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Something Else Strategies<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>2014<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$7,050,000.00</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">many more pages]</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;">...p2</div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>R Street Films<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2014<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$4,075,000.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>Purple Strategies<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2014<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$4,652,568.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>Craft Media Digital<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2014<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$6,341,375.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>Integrated Web Strategy<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2013<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$2,208,823.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>Something Else Strategies<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2013<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$1,049,800.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>Adfero Group<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2013<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$709,250.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>Revolution Media Group<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2012<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$23,365,676.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>Craft Media Digital<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2012<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$8,718,330.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>Designated Market Media<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2012<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$8,267,709.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>Something Else Strategies<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2012<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$2,773,205.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>Smart Media Group<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2012<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$2,650,000.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>Revolution Media Group<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2011<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$2,605,111.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>Revolution Media Group<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2010<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$12,268,494.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>National Media Public Affairs<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2010<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$9,095,731.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>Mentzer Media Services<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2010<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$6,313,861.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>Smart Media Group<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2010<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$8,013,628.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>Designated Market Media<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2010<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$8,200,000.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>National Media Public Affairs<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2009<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$60,772,056.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>APCO Worldwide<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2009<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$17,370,239.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>Integrated Web Strategy<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2009<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$1,858,864.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">p3</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>Integrated Web Strategy<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2008<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$1,225,909.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">United States Chamber of Commerce<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>Presentation Testing<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2008<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$452,450.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Solar Energy Industries Association<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>Crosscut Strategies<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2018<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$251,005.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Solar Energy Industries Association<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>Crosscut Strategies<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2018<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$451,005.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Solar Energy Industries Association<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>Greentech Media<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2014<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$161,363.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Solar Energy Industries Association<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>Greentech Media<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2013<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$206,338.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Solar Energy Industries Association<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>Blue Worldwide<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2011<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$410,790.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Solar Energy Industries Association<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>Tiger Communications<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2011<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$275,915.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Solar Energy Industries Association<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>Forum One Communications<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2011<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$160,200.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Solar Energy Industries Association<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>Tiger Communications<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2010<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$272,164.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Solar Energy Industries Association<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>Blake & Company<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2010<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$141,343.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Solar Energy Industries Association<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>Tiger Communications<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2009<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$277,035.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Solar Energy Industries Association<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>Pillsbury Winthrop<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2009<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$143,719.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Solar Energy Industries Association<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>Tiger Communications<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2008<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$282,561.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Nuclear Energy Institute<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>Bully Pullpit Interactive LLC<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2018<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$1,297,500.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Nuclear Energy Institute<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>APCO Worldwide<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2017<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$5,801,384.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Nuclear Energy Institute<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>Bully Pulpit Interactive<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2017<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$1,129,201.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Nuclear Energy Institute<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>APCO Worldwide<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2016<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$1,152,606.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Nuclear Energy Institute<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>Hill+Knowlton<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>2016<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>$1,624,600.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Nuclear Energy Institute<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Kivvit<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>2016<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$4,887,451.00</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">p 4</font></div><div id="su-post-5103" class="su-post" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Nuclear Energy Institute<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Kivvit<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>2015<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$7,231,176.00</font></div><div style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
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</font><h2 class="su-post-title" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; clear: none; line-height: 1.2;"><a href="https://climateinvestigations.org/energy-trade-associations-spend-pr/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: inherit; outline: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; transition: all 0.07s ease-in-out 0s;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">Energy and Corporate Trade Associations Spend $1.4 Billion on PR Campaigns</font></a></h2><div class="su-post-meta" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.7em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; opacity: 0.6;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Posted: March 14, 2019</font></div><div class="su-post-excerpt" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="margin: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">How much money have the fossil fuel industry’s powerful trade association allies spent to convince the American public that its products are beneficial and necessary – and to stymie progress on climate change that could harm its financial interests? To find out, Climate Investigations Center researchers analyzed the public relations expenditures of these trade association</font></p></div></div><p style="margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em; line-height: 19.2px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
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