Friday, July 10, 2009 2:37 PM

Energy Industry Spends More on Lobbying

With the climate bill moving through Congress, energy-industry lobby expenditures were up more than 10 percent in the first quarter of 2009, according to an analysis of the companies that Common Cause lists as the top spenders.

The 34 top spenders in the oil, gas, and electric utilities industries spent almost $24 million in that time frame. Number 1on the list, Edison Electric Institute, dished out $2.5 million (up 14 percent), and American Petroleum Institute parted with $1.8 million (up 42 percent). American Electric Power, Norfolk Southern Corporation, Koch Companies Public Sector, and Duke Energy Corporation all broke the million-dollar mark as well.

The same companies spent more than $21 million on lobbying in the first quarter of 2008, when the cap-and-trade bill wasn't looming. And 12 of the companies that Common Cause lists actually spent less in the first quarter of this year, compared with their spending for the same period last year.

Comparatively, lobby expenditures by industries that stand to gain from climate-change legislation are low, and not listed by Common Cause. The alternative energy production and services sector spent just $7.2 million on lobbying in the first quarter of 2009, according to Center for Responsive Politics data. The largest spender in this category was American Wind Energy Association, shelling out $1.2 million. Environmental groups spent $4.7 million on lobbying for the same period, with the Environmental Defense Action Fund shelling out the most money: $300,000.

For its part, Common Cause spent $40,000 on lobbying in the first quarter of this year.