The Troll Army of Big Oil

Sources & Citations

[0:17] Women for Natural Gas Website (Wayback Machine, 2020)

[0:41] 

NYT: How One Firm Drove Influence Campaigns Nationwide for Big Oil, 2020

Mother Jones: These Ladies Love Natural Gas! Too Bad They Aren’t Real, 2020

[2:18] Texans for Natural Gas: Texas Pride (Ad, 2017)

[3:06]

BBC News: The Texas town that banned fracking (and lost), 2015

Union of Concerned Scientists: How Fossil Fuel Lobbyists Used “Astroturf” Front Groups to Confuse the Public, 2017

NYT: ‘Citizen Army’ Carries Coal’s Climate Message to Hinterlands, 2009

[3:19] Deception Dossier #4: Forged Letters from the Coal Industry to Members of Congress (PDF DOWNLOAD)

[4:30] EPA: Respiratory Health Effects of Passive Smoking: Lung Cancer and Other Disorders, 1992 (PDF DOWNLOAD)

[5:01] Union of Concerned Scientists: Smoke, Mirrors, and Hot Air, 2007

[5:16] APCO: Revised Media Plan: Launching of TASSC and the TASSC Public Information Bureau, 1993 (PDF DOWNLOAD)

[7:39] 1985 Ross Dress for Less Explosion

[8:30] WSPA Website: Celebrating the Women of Oil and Gas, 2021

[8:34] Deception Dossier #3: WSPA’s Deception Campaign

[8:43] WSPA’s IRS Form 990, 2015

[9:00] Astroturf ads 

Californians for Energy Independence

Oregonians for Sound Fuel Policy

Concerned Mineral Owners of California

[9:24] WSPA Priority Issues (2014 leaked PowerPoint)

[10:41] California Drivers Alliance ads 

Say NO to California Driving Restrictions

[11:24] Grist: California wants its cars to use half as much gas by 2030. Is it possible?, 2015

[11:36] PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians & the Environment, 2015

[11:58] Consumer Watchdog: Consumer Watchdog Asks California Attorney General and US Attorneys to Investigate Oil Industry for Mail Fraud in Effort to Defeat Climate Change Legislation, 2015

[13:16] NYT: California Democrats Drop Plan for 50 Percent Oil Cut, 2015

[14:03] The Real News Network: Why Did the California Assembly Table Oil Setbacks Bill?, 2019

[14:56] Life: Powered - Navajo Nation (Texas Public Policy Foundation, 2018)

[15:19] Life:Powered website

[15:22] NYT: The Texas Group Waging a National Crusade Against Climate Action, 2022

[15:41] 

American Coalition for Ocean Protections Website

Gizmodo: NIMBYs and a Trump Advisor Unite to Try and Kill the Nation’s Largest Offshore Wind Project, 2021

[15:53] The Lens: Actors were paid to support Entergy’s power plant at New Orleans City Council meetings, 2018

[18:16] Evergreen Action: Powering Toward 100 Percent Clean Power by 2035 (2023)

OTHER GOODIES: 

Pew Research Center: Americans are less concerned – but more divided – on climate change than people elsewhere, 2021

Special thanks to Hiroko Tabuchi (  / hirokotabuchi  ) & Rebecca Leber (  / rebleber  ) for their tireless and exhaustive reporting. Links above, but follow them on Twitter pls.

John Oliver Astroturfing segment:   Astroturfing: Last Week Tonight with John ...  

Episode Credits

Executive Producers: Rollie Williams, Benjamin Boult, Matt Nelsen

Writers: Rollie Williams, Matt Nelsen, Benjamin Boult

Editor: Rollie Williams

Cinematographer: Benjamin Boult (https://www.benjaminboult.com/)

Assistant Editor: Matt Nelsen (https://mattofnewyork.com/)

Animator: Cliffton Real (https://www.cliffreal.com/)

Theme music by Gratis (https://www.gratistheband.com/)

Special Thanks to Sage Welch for help with background/research

Special Thanks to CLDC for their support

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