American Energy Partners LP, the oil and natural gas venture helmed by Aubrey McClendon, is in a legal battle with an Ohio-based coal miner over the use of the name “American Energy.”

McClendon’s company filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Oklahoma City after American Energy Corp. sued over the use of the name. The mining company owns and operates the Century Mine, which has more than 1,500 employees in southeastern Ohio. Century is owned by Clairsville, OH’s Murray Energy Corp., the largest privately owned U.S. coal mining company.

The mining outfit claims it was forced to litigate because of McClendon’s use of “American Energy” to market his business. American Energy Corp. claims the use of the name is a violation of the Ohio Deceptive Trade Practices Act and the Ohio Common Law of Unfair Competition.

American Energy Corp., incorporated in 1993, also filed a letter to the court with its lawsuit. “It is our understanding that it is the purpose of American Energy Partners LP to directly compete with coal in the same marketplace and for the same customers, through the development of Utica Shale gas,” the letter says.

After American Energy Partners LP countersued to have its name stand, Murray Energy Corp. CEO Robert Murray issued a statement on Friday directed at McClendon.

“Clearly, Mr. McClendon, who was ousted from his prior post at Chesapeake Energy, is attempting to cause confusion in the marketplace and further his goal of eliminating the use of coal in America,” the miner said. “We will take all legal actions necessary to protect our goodwill and reputation from the damages caused by Mr. McClendon’s use of an identical trade name and the nefarious reputation that he has earned in our operating and marketing areas.”

Murray alleges that McClendon donated “at least $51.5 million to the Sierra Club and American Lung Association to eliminate the use of coal…”

Murray has been involved in a number of lawsuits in the past, and its founder and CEO has not shied from publicity. Robert Murray has been an outspoken critic of President Obama’s stance on coal, particularly the president’s decision to crack down on carbon emissions, particularly from coal-fired power plants to “prepare our nation for the unavoidable impact of climate change.”

Last year some Murray employees claimed that they were forced to give up pay to attend a rally in Beallsville, OH, for presidential contender Mitt Romney. The company admitted that the employees weren’t paid for the day that the rally was held but said no one was forced to attend the event. However, the CEO told a television station that having employees attend the Romney event “was in the best interest of anyone that’s related to the coal industry in this area or the entire country.”

Last year Oxford Oil Co. was given permission by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to drill gas wells through coal seams at the Century Mine. After Murray objected claiming safety reasons, regulators didn’t allow the drilling to proceed.

In addition to American Energy Partners LP, McClendon and associates earlier this year formed American Energy-Utica LLC and American Energy-Ohio LLC. American Energy Partners LP also has registered the entities American Energy-Marcellus LLC, American Energy-Anadarko LLC and American Energy Anadarko Holdings LLC, according to the Oklahoma secretary of state’s office.