Lung Association funded by natural gas industry, too

EPA is not the only anti-coal organization funding the American Lung Association.

Sen. Rand Paul raised the issued of EPA’s multi-million dollar funding of the American Lung Association’s pro-EPA advocacy during today’s floor debate on the EPA Cross State rule.

From its 2010 annual report,

Donor spotlight: Chesapeake and Fighting for Air

Anxious to spread the message of the American Lung Association’s work to a wider audience, we embarked on a branding effort that resulted in a new platform, Fighting for Air. We chose Fighting for Air because of its double meaning — battling to protect our country’s air while depicting the struggle of the lung disease sufferer. But like a car without an engine, our new platform had no funding to promote it.

Thankfully, Chesapeake Energy provided the funds that allowed the American Lung Association to create a new public service campaign based on the Fighting for Air platform. In addition to traditional radio and television advertisements, the campaign includes online components, print and even outdoor advertising. The campaign launched toward the end of our fiscal year and has already generated substantial interest and online traffic.

Chesapeake Energy is a natural gas producer that in 2007 funded the anti-coal “Dirty Faces” advocacy campaign to scare utilities away from coal and into natural gas.

Click here to see the pro-EPA, anti-coal Fighting for Air advocacy platform.

Click for “Boxer attacks Paul for Lung Association remark”.