Topeka ? A Kansas University professor said Thursday he is upset about being used in an advertising campaign that criticizes the proposed coal-fired electric power plants in western Kansas.

Dr. Steven Simpson, an associate professor of pulmonology at KU Medical Center, said that when he agreed to allow his photograph and name to be used in the anticoal ad, he didn’t know that the ad was being paid for by a natural gas company.

“I would not have done that at the behest of a natural gas company,” Simpson said. “That’s a whole different ball of wax.”

The company – Chesapeake Energy Corp., headquartered in Oklahoma City – has launched a multimedia campaign criticizing coal-fired power plants, and specifically the ones proposed near Holcomb, whose permits were denied by the state last week.

The full-page newspaper ads and television ads and a Web site, www.knowyourpower.net, make no mention of Chesapeake, which could benefit if the rejection of the coal-burning plants stands.

Simpson said he agreed that coal-fired plants lead to health problems but that he didn’t want to get involved in a fight between coal interests and natural gas interests. “I don’t want to combat their competitor,” he said.

Simpson said he was asked to allow his picture to be used in the ad by the American Lung Association of Central States, and assumed the ad was sponsored by health groups.

Contacted by the Lawrence Journal-World, the American Lung Association of the Central States declined to comment on Simpson’s assertion. Instead it issued a statement, which said the association knew of Chesapeake’s support of the ads.

“We appreciate their strong support of this important public health issue,” it said.

Chesapeake has come under fire for running the ad campaign without mentioning its involvement.

“We’re not being dishonest,” said Michael Grimaldi, a communications consultant with Corporate Communications Group Inc., a firm hired to represent Chesapeake to the media.

He said Chesapeake has been truthful about its sponsorship of the ad campaign to anyone who has asked about it.

Last week, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius’ administration rejected Sunflower Electric Power Corp.’s two 700-megawatt power plants, citing concerns with coal-burning emissions of carbon dioxide.

Hays-based Sunflower has said it might file a lawsuit challenging the decision.