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Russian firm tried to influence US energy policy via social media, report finds

A Russian company used social media to propagate controversy related to U.S. energy and environmental issues in an attempt to influence policy, according to a report by Republicans on a U.S. House of Representatives committee.

The report, released by Republicans on the Committee on Science, Space and Technology, found that more than 4,000 accounts on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram linked to the St. Petersburg, Russia-based Internet Research Agency, or IRA, published divisive posts on the natural gas production technique of hydraulic fracturing, pipeline construction and climate change between 2015 and 2017.

Posts related to energy or environment made up just over 4% of all IRA-linked tweets over that time period, compared to 8% of tweets about the 2016 presidential election, according to information provided to the committee by Twitter. Twitter provided the statistics in response to letters from Rep. Lamar Smith, a Republican from Texas who chairs the committee. Smith also asked for information from Facebook, which owns Instagram, but the report did not have similar information for these two sites.

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An account with the name "bornliberal" received 1,794 "likes" on this May 2017 Instagram post.

Source: U.S. House Science, Space, and Technology Committee majority staff report

IRA-backed posts targeted pipelines and other domestic energy infrastructure, including Energy Transfer Partners LP's controversial Dakota Access crude oil pipeline. While some of the posts "emphasized and exacerbated the alleged violent nature" of the Dakota Access protests, others appeared to support construction efforts, "illustrating once again the Kremlin's indiscriminate efforts to cause discord and disruption," majority staff said in the report.

One example included an Instagram account with the handle "bornliberal," which posted a captioned photo that read: "Dakota Access Pipeline has already leaked 84 gallons of oil. Like if you want justice!" The image, posted in May 2017, received more than 1,700 "likes" and 96 comments.

Another example, posted by an account named "_americafirst_," appeared to characterize the construction of the Dakota Access pipeline as less damaging to the surrounding environment than the aftermath of on-the-ground protests. It was posted twice, receiving more than 3,000 likes in May 2017 and roughly 1,700 likes in April 2017.

The committee's ranking Democrat, Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, said in an emailed statement that minority staff will "thoroughly" review the report. She called on Republicans to look into instances of Russian interference, including alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

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While some posts were designed to oppose the Dakota Access pipeline, this Instagram post by "_americafirst_" appears sympathetic to the project.

Source: U.S. House Science, Space, and Technology Committee majority staff report

IRA-backed accounts also retweeted posts on Twitter opposing other pipelines, including the Enbridge Inc.-led Sabal Trail natural gas pipeline in the U.S. Southeast and TransCanada Corp.'s Keystone XL oil pipeline that had been blocked at the U.S.-Canada border by the Obama administration, the report said. Similar posts linked to Russia targeted fossil fuel use in general, with captioned images and comics that encouraged abandoning fossil fuels in favor of renewable sources of energy.

In September 2017, Smith sent letters to Twitter and Facebook, asking the social media giants to release information related to Russian entities buying "anti-U.S. energy" advertisements. Based on the findings, Smith said it is clear that Russia was attempting to influence U.S. energy policy by swaying public sentiment.

"U.S. energy exports to European countries are increasing, which means they will have less reason to rely upon Russia for their energy needs. This, in turn, will reduce Russia's influence on Europe to Russia's detriment and Europe's benefit," Smith said in a March 1 news release announcing the report. "That's why Russian agents attempted to manipulate Americans' opinions about pipelines, fossil fuels, fracking and climate change."

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The Russian-backed Internet Research Agency also targeted hydraulic fracturing, a technique used by U.S. shale gas producers.

Source: U.S. House Science, Space, and Technology Committee majority staff report

Since the U.S. began exporting natural gas in the form of LNG, more than 80 Bcf of U.S. natural gas has been sent to European countries, according to U.S. government data through December 2017. Policymakers and industry advocates have often touted U.S. LNG exports to Europe as a geopolitical tool to lessen allies' dependence on Russia. The country's state-run Gazprom, however, has held on to its market share in the region, with Russian gas exports to Europe reaching a record in 2017.