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Susan Phillips

Susan Phillips tells stories about the consequences of political decisions on people's every day lives. She has worked as a reporter for WHYY since 2004. Susan's coverage of the 2008 Presidential election resulted in a story on the front page of the New York Times. In 2010 she traveled to Haiti to cover the earthquake. That same year she produced an award-winning series on Pennsylvania's natural gas rush called "The Shale Game." She received a 2013 Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Journalism Award for her work covering natural gas drilling in Pennsylvania. She has also won several Edward R. Murrow awards for her work with StateImpact. In 2013/14 she spent a year at MIT as a Knight Science Journalism Fellow. She has also been a Metcalf Fellow, an MBL Logan Science Journalism Fellow and reported from Marrakech on the 2016 climate talks as an International Reporting Project Fellow. A graduate of Columbia School of Journalism, she earned her Bachelor's degree in International Relations from George Washington University.

Latest by Susan Phillips


Fracking in Pennsylvania hasn’t gone as well as some may think

With all the talk of fracking in Pennsylvania during this presidential race, it’s worth looking at what is at stake for workers, leaseholders and residents who live near oil and gas operations.

One quick but important reality check — a president cannot ban fracking in Pennsylvania. Only an act of Congress can prohibit fracking on a national level on private and state land, which is where fracking occurs in Pennsylvania.

By Susan Phillips

Updated: May 9, 2024 | 11:10 am

Green hydrogen: A climate change solution or fossil fuel bait and switch?

To help solve the climate crisis, $750 million could flow to the Philadelphia region to create a hydrogen economy. But some say it’s a deceit to help the fossil fuel industry.
By Susan Phillips

Environmentalists clash with Gov. Shapiro at hydrogen energy meeting in Northeast Philly

The Delaware Riverkeeper Network and other groups objected to the fact that the public meeting was being held at the steamfitters union hall.
By Susan Phillips

Marsh Creek State Park once again the site of cleanup due to Mariner East pipeline construction

Mariner East pipeline builder Energy Transfer is back at the area near Marsh Creek State Park to clean up more drilling mud.

By Susan Phillips

New sinkhole forms along Mariner East pipeline in Chester County

The sinkhole occurred in the area of Lisa Drive, West Whiteland Township, where multiple sinkholes first appeared during construction of the pipeline in March 2018.

By Susan Phillips

Pennsylvania’s largest coal plant, and one of its largest polluters, to shut down

The switch to natural gas from coal has some predicting a similar shift in the coming decades when new natural gas plants begin to age.

By Susan Phillips

Pennsylvania sets drinking water standards on two ‘forever chemical’ PFAS compounds

There are no federal maximum contaminant levels for PFAS. Pennsylvania joins others states that have set their own.

By Susan Phillips

Postal Service commits to 100 percent electric vehicle replacement beginning in 2026

The Biden Administration provided $3 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act to help make the purchase, which is expected to cost $9.6 billion in total.

By Susan Phillips

Vanguard pulls out of international climate initiative, angering environmentalists

The Sunrise Project is part of the global Vanguard S.O.S. campaign aimed at pressuring the company to disinvest in fossil fuels.

By Susan Phillips

Updated: 2022-12-13 16:36:01

‘Gasland’ driller will pay millions for new water system in Dimock

The no-contest plea to multiple criminal charges marks the first time Cabot Oil and Gas has taken responsibility for destroying drinking water supplies. 

By Susan Phillips
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