EPA-American Lung Association: Axis of Junk Science

JunkScience.com broke the story that the EPA has paid the American Lung Association $20 million over the past 10 years and, in turn, the ALA has agitated on behalf of the agency.

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Now, thanks to the Freedom of Information Act, the public can get a glimpse into their chummy, symbiotic relationship. On February 8, 2011, the ALA is eager to please Master EPA by alerting EPA administrator Lisa Jackson to the public release of a letter to Congress supposedly signed by 1,882 health professionals against "any efforts" to limit EPA's power under the Clean Air Act. Then on March 8, 2011, the ALA issued a report entitled, "Toxic Air: The Case for Cleaning Up Coal-fired Power Plants." On March 10, EPA air chief e-mails (below) the ALA's chief lobbyist, Paul Billings, and invites the ALA to "stand at the podium [with EPA] to reinforce the public health message… [as it]seems to be such great timing on the heels of [the ALA] report. This public health charade was then concluded on March 16, 2011, when the EPA and ALA held a joint press conference to announce the utility toxics rule. Q[uid pro quo]ED.