Fracking Archives - EcoWatch (original) (raw)
Methane 101: Understanding the Second Most Important Greenhouse Gas
By Olivia Rosane and Cristen Hemingway Jaynes Quick Key Facts What Is Methane? What has no color or smell and is found in wetlands, cow burps and your basement furnace? The answer is methane — a powerful greenhouse gas that is the second most important contributor to the climate crisis after carbon dioxide (CO2). It […]
Methane Emissions Worldwide Rising at Fastest Pace in Decades, Study Finds
According to a new study, global methane emissions are “rising rapidly” — at the fastest pace in decades — with immediate action needed to help curtail a dangerous intensification of the climate crisis. The study outlines three “imperatives” for reducing methane emissions, as well as a new tool to assist nations with optimizing cost-effective methods […]
The United States Department of the Interior has announced a final rule to curb methane emissions from natural gas waste during oil and gas production on the country’s federal and Tribal lands. The updated regulation modernizes rules that are more than four decades old. It will require oil and gas companies to stop wasteful practices, […]
U.S. Has Produced More Oil Than Any Country in History for Six Consecutive Years
According to a new analysis by the Energy Information Administration (EIA), the United States has produced the most crude oil globally for six years in a row — more than any nation in history during that time. In 2023, the daily average crude oil production in the U.S. was a record 12.9 million barrels, a […]
Children Living Near Fracking Sites More Likely to Develop Lymphoma, Pennsylvania Studies Find
The University of Pittsburgh and and the Pennsylvania Department of Health have released the results of a project that studied three health concerns and natural gas development. Of the results, the studies found that children living within 1 mile of at least one natural gas well were five to seven times more likely to develop […]
Fracking Linked to Seismic Tremors in New Study
Hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as “fracking,” is a process where shale and other types of impermeable rock are blasted open with water, “fracking fluid” and sand in order to access and extract oil and natural gas. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, fracking fluid contains chemical additives, the identities of which have often been […]
Environmental Groups Sue to Block ‘Unconstitutional’ New Law Allowing Fracking in Ohio State Parks
Environmental and community groups in Ohio have filed a preliminary injunction to stop the leasing of public lands — including state parks — to the oil and gas industry. Ohio HB 507, which redefines methane gas as “green energy” and requires state parks to lease their lands for fracking, went into effect on April 7. […]
Fossil Fuels 101: Everything You Need to Know
Quick Key Facts What Are Fossil Fuels? Fossil fuels are fuels that literally come from fossils. Tens of millions of years ago, plants took energy from the sun and used it to turn carbon dioxide and water into carbon and hydrogen via photosynthesis. Animals ate those plants and stored the same elements in their bodies. […]
Environmental Toxins 101: Everything You Need to Know
What exactly are these environmental toxins, and how can we limit our exposure and who is helping to drive systems-level change?