Impact

Background

Energy extraction’s impact on air quality, water supply, and community infrastructure.

Latest Posts

Follow this topic

May 28, 2013

General Electric Bets Billions on Oil and Gas

The Associated Press reports industry giant General Electric has been investing heavily in oil and gas development, hoping to help maximize corporate profits while mitigating environmental risks: General Electric Co. is opening a new laboratory in Oklahoma, buying up related companies, and placing a big bet that cutting-edge science will improve profits for clients and [...]

Known For Being ‘Green’, Allegheny College Weighs Fracking

PublicSource profiles the debate going on at Allegheny College, a private liberal-arts school in Western Pennsylvania, which is known nationally for its “green” initiatives. The college is now considering leasing land for natural gas drilling. From PublicSource: Even more surprising is that the most likely place is in the Bousson Environmental Research Reserve, 283 acres of [...]

May 24, 2013

DEP’s Fracking Record-Keeping Blocks Transparency

Here’s a key question amid Pennsylvania’s natural gas drilling boom: How is drilling affecting residential water wells? Researchers say data on that core question is spotty. But one Pennsylvania agency could hold the key to answering questions from both residents and scientists. The problem is, the state Department of Environmental Protection says it organizes its [...]

EPA Fines Western PA Treatment Plants For Marcellus Wastewater Violations

The Pittsburgh Post Gazette reports the federal Environmental Protection Agency has settled water pollution violations for three wastewater treatment facilities in Western Pennsylvania. EPA is assessing the plants (which formed a new company called Fluid Recovery Services LLC) $83,000 in penalties. The violations relate to discharges of Marcellus Shale drilling wastewater into the Allegheny River watershed in between February 2007 and [...]

May 23, 2013

Corbett Touts Pennsylvania’s Shale Boom on CNBC

Governor Corbett appeared on CNBC’s Kudlow Report last night to talk about Pennsylvania’s natural gas boom. Among the questions he faced were how much the state’s economy has benefited, and how Pennsylvania has managed to “beat the environmental groups.” Corbett touted the jobs brought by the industry, and said fracking technology has been demonstrated to [...]

May 22, 2013

Lawmaker Proposes to Clarify Doctor “Gag Rule”

State Rep. Greg Vitali, (D-Delaware County), says he’ll be introducing a bill to amend Act 13 public health provisions. One of the most controversial provisions of the state’s new drilling law requires doctors to sign non-disclosure forms in order to get information on chemical exposures to treat patients. The language of the law is vague, [...]

DCNR Sets Date For Public Hearing on Drilling in Loyalsock Forest

After facing mounting public pressure regarding the possibility of expanding natural gas drilling in the Loyalsock State Forest, the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has agreed to hold a public meeting on the issue. “DCNR is responding to requests that the public be given the chance to provide the department with information and [...]

May 20, 2013

Lovers of Pa.’s Loyalsock Forest Fight to Limit Drilling There

Deep in the Loyalsock State Forest, where no cell phone signal reaches, the sounds of rushing waterfalls and forest birds are suddenly interrupted by the sound of a helicopter. Paul Zeph of the Pennsylvania Audubon Society says the noise could be related to gas drilling. Drillers will often drop seismic testing equipment into remote areas [...]

May 16, 2013

Pair of Coal Plants Closing in Pennsylvania, New Jersey

More bad news for coal. Last week Bloomberg reported U.S. demand for coal has dropped to a 63-year low. This week, NRG Energy announced it’s closing two coal-fired plants in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, according to the Patriot-News: NRG announced that it would cease operations at its Titus Station power plant in Cumru Twp., Berks [...]

May 15, 2013

Does Pennsylvania’s Shale Gas Have Too Much Radon In It?

It’s no secret many people in New York oppose fracking. The latest concern from some New York City residents is that the shale gas they receive from Pennsylvania contains higher levels of radon — an odorless, colorless, radioactive gas, that’s responsible for more than 20,000 lung cancer deaths every year. A group called Occupy the Pipeline recently [...]