The American Gas Association (AGA) is one of the largest trade associations representing the natural gas industry. Members include natural gas distributors, transmission companies, suppliers and companies that provide financial advisors, legal firms, and marketing companies to the industry.
From 2008 to 2016, AGA spent a relatively conservative amount on their public relations and advertising budget. The trade association paid out just over $3.4 million in contracts, $2.7 million of which went to the Burson-Marsteller’s Proof Integrated Communications (PIC).
PIC gained attention in 2013 when it was revealed that the PR firm was working for astroturf group Fix the Debt, which advocates dissolving Social Security and Medicare to reduce the US government debt. PIC’s other clients include Dominion, Chevron, Shell, and the National Fisheries Institute.
In 2017, AGA had a huge spike in PR contracts, spending $5.3 million, $4.5m of which went to Democracy Data & Communications (DDC) and $400k to Burson-Marsteller.
Democracy Data and Communications contracts
This major jump in contract spending is likely a result of AGA’s funding of the “Your Energy America” (YEA) campaign. As reported by DeSmogBlog, YEA was created to bolster support for Dominion Energy’s Atlantic Coast Pipeline. YEA’s website was hosted by DDC during the same time that the PR firm received $4.5m from AGA.
DDC has become a go-to PR firm for front groups and advocacy campaigns. DDC’s long list of clients include the American Petroleum Institute, American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, Edison Electric Institute, and the National Association of Manufacturers.
One large role that DDC fulfills for these trade associations is hosting their websites. For instance, AllianceForJobsandEnergy.com, a front group funded by the US Chamber of Commerce and other Virginia organizations to oppose climate change “cap and trade” legislation was hosted at this IP address.
Another US Chamber funded site, ExploreOffshore.org, which promotes offshore drilling on the US East Coast was also hosted at this address. This same IP address is also the home of many defunct Energy Citizens webpages indicating an overlap or inheritance of the API Energy Citizens work that Edelman started. Several other pop-up campaign organizations apparently created by DDC were found, including groups that oppose the Hours and Scheduling Stability Act, a bill that would improve retail and food service workers benefits and rights.
Total contracts with DDC: $4,526,136
- 2017: $4,526,136
AGA 990s: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
Read more about AGA at Sourcewatch
Read more about AGA at DeSmog
Return to Trade Association PR spending main page.
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