Fracking
Gas Drilling’s Environmental Threat
Vast deposits of natural gas have brought a drilling boom across much of the country, but the technique being used, called hydraulic fracturing, is suspected of causing hundreds of cases of water contamination. Now environmentalists and lawmakers are pushing for closer oversight of the gas industry, which is pushing back.
EPA Concludes Fracking a Threat to U.S. Water Supplies
The EPA’s finding, endorsed by environmentalists, comes as the Trump administration prepares to rethink regulation of the gas drilling industry.
Federal Report Appears to Undercut EPA Assurances on Water Safety In Pennsylvania
Dimock, one of many places where gas drilling boomed in Pennsylvania, gets a sobering take on the quality of its drinking water.
Progress and Controversy Arrive With New Rules for Fracking on Public Lands
An initial review of rules issued by the Interior Department shows the federal government has taken important steps to protect drinking water resources, while not adopting the strictest regulations in place in some states.
New York State Bans Fracking
After years of delays and debate, Gov. Andrew Cuomo decides risks outweigh rewards.
New York State of Fracking: A ProPublica Explainer
Court cases. A governor’s moratorium. Pending health study. A quick guide to the state of fracking in New York.
California Halts Injection of Fracking Waste, Warning it May Be Contaminating Aquifers
State’s drought has forced farmers to rely on groundwater, even as California aquifers have been intentionally polluted due to exemptions for oil industry.
Aggressive Tactic on the Fracking Front
A Pennsylvania gas company offers residents cash to buy protection from any claims of harm.
In Fracking Hotbed, a Muted Approach to Regulation
In Ohio, where gas drilling is booming and toxic waste abundant, legislators acted modestly to address concerns about public safety.
In Fracking Fight, a Worry About How Best to Measure Health Threats
In Pennsylvania, opponents of gas drilling say regulators are slow and unprepared in responding to air quality complaints.
Chesapeake Energy’s $5 Billion Shuffle
The energy giant raised the cash it needed to survive by slashing royalties it paid property owners to drill on their land.
Drilling for Certainty: The Latest in Fracking Health Studies
ProPublica surveys some recent research on potential health implications of hydro fracking.
Unfair Share: How Oil and Gas Drillers Avoid Paying Royalties
Income from oil and gas production doesn’t always trickle down to landowners, as companies find ways to minimize the share they pay in royalties.
New Study Finds High Levels of Arsenic in Groundwater Near Fracking Sites
A Q&A with Brian Fontenot, whose research gives the latest indication that fracking may be tied to arsenic contamination.
EPA’s Abandoned Wyoming Fracking Study One Retreat of Many
When the Environmental Protection Agency abruptly retreated on its investigation into water contamination in a central Wyoming natural gas field recently, it shocked environmentalists and energy industry supporters alike. Industry advocates see the EPA’s turnabout as an overdue recognition that it had over-reached on fracking. Environmentalists see an agency systematically disengaging from any research into the safety of drilling.
Another Layer to Rendell’s Fracking Connections
Ed Rendell, the former Pennsylvania governor who oversaw a boom in the state's natural gas business, is special counsel to a Philadelphia firm deeply involved in the controversial fracking trade.
More Than a Matter of Opinion: Ed Rendell’s Plea for Fracking Fails to Disclose Industry Ties
Rendell, who supported fracking when he was governor of Pennsylvania, urged Andrew Cuomo of New York to get behind the industry in a strongly worded newspaper piece. He left a few details out.
Land Grab Cheats North Dakota Tribes Out of $1 Billion, Suits Allege
Native Americans on an oil-rich reservation have been cheated out of more than $1 billion by schemes to buy drilling rights for lowball prices — and the federal government failed in its legal obligation to ensure a fair deal, lawsuits claim.
Update: State Oil and Gas Regulators Still Spread Thin
ProPublica updates its database of regulatory oversight in oil and gas producing states, adding data on agency budgets and wells used to inject waste.
New Study: Fluids From Marcellus Shale Likely Seeping Into PA Drinking Water
Researchers show natural fluids are migrating from thousands of feet underground and reaching drinking water supplies, raising concerns that man-made chemicals and waste could do the same.
