Report: Russian trolls roiled Standing Rock pipeline fight
A Republican-led U.S. House committee says Russian agents tried to encourage Americans to protest oil pipeline construction — including the Dakota Access pipeline — for the benefit of Russia's energy sector as part of what's described as a massive social-media influence campaign.
Russian agents made over 9,000 social media posts on American energy and environmental issues between 2015 and 2017 over fears that the U.S. could surpass Russia's energy production, according to a report released Thursday by the U.S. House Science, Space, and Technology Committee.
"Russia benefits from stirring up controversy about U.S. energy production," committee chair Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, said in a statement. "U.S. energy exports to European countries are increasing, which means they will have less reason to rely upon Russia for their energy needs.
The report alleges that Kremlin-backed accounts specifically encouraged protest of under-construction energy infrastructure, like the Dakota Access pipeline.
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In 2016, protests of the Dakota Access pipeline at Standing Rock captured international attention and drew thousands of people to North Dakota to camp out in protest of the project.
The pipeline ultimately received government approval.
Other posts focused on stirring discord online over fossil fuels vs. renewable energy, and opinions on climate change.
"Numerous Russian posts focused on the ongoing debate about climate change by linking catastrophic weather events to climate change and divisively labeling one viewpoint as right and one as left," the report said.