US Gas Industry Stumped Up $1m for Fracking Movie Truthland

The US gas industry funded a pro-fracking movie called Truthland last year but newly filed tax receipts have revealed that a trade group stumped up $1m in the form of a grant.

The film, which was panned by its critics for downplaying the dangers of fracking, was funded with $1m (£620,694, €739,754) from a trade group in Washington DC called America's Natural Gas Alliance (ANGA).

While the movie revealed that that it "was funded by various natural gas companies," after 33 minutes into the film, and the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) logo is displayed on the Truthland website, below the fold at the bottom of the homepage, the total amount was only unveiled recently.

This trade group is made up of fracking firms including Apache, Devon Energy and Range Resources among others.

The tax form shows that the grant for the film was given to the Chesapeake Energy Corporation, which is an important fracking firm and ANGA member.

Fracking or hydraulic fracturing is a process where millions of gallons of water, sand and chemicals are pumped underground to break apart the rock and release gas.

There are obvious concerns that the chemicals used in fracturing will pose a threat to the environment.

However, fracking is reported to be used in nine out of ten gas wells in the US, and the industry wants to show it in a favourable light if possible.

Truthland's premier in 2012 in Washington DC was hosted by the oil and gas lobby group, the American Petroleum Institute. It was attended by numerous US oil and gas industry grandees.

Truthland is seen as a response to acclaimed anti-fracking documentaries by Josh Fox, Gasland and Gasland 2.

According to Lee Fang, a reporting fellow with the Investigative Fund and writer at the Nation magazine, there has been an increasing stream of activity from supporters of the fracking industry to get the sector's message across.

Anga 2012 990 - Public Inspection Copy by lhfang