pittsburgh
Top Story
commons.wikimedia.org
Appalachian groups express frustration over first $30 million in federal hydrogen hub funding
“This award represents a continued commitment to invest in a natural gas industry that has added to the pollution and health burdens in the region.”
PITTSBURGH — On July 31, the federal government announced $30 million of funding for the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub, or ARCH2, which plans to create hydrogen from natural gas and other sources.
ARCH2 is one of seven planned, federally funded hydrogen hubs across the country, and one of two (along with the Gulf Coast hub) that will rely primarily on fossil fuel sources rather than renewables to create hydrogen.
The $30 million award represents the first round of funding for ARCH2, with a total of $925 million available for this project over the next seven to twelve years. In total, the seven planned hydrogen hub projects are slated to receive $7 billion in federal funding.
The $30 million will be used to “solidify planning, development, and design activities around site selection, technology deployment, community benefits and engagement, labor partnerships, and workforce training,” according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
The announcement comes just weeks after Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro signed into law a controversial bill allowing carbon capture and storage in the state, which will be required for the development of the hydrogen hub.
The award announcement frustrated local environmental and community advocates, who say the DOE has not been transparent about the details of the project, its climate and economic benefits, or its potential to add pollution and cause health harms in environmental justice communities that are already overburdened with existing pollution sources.
“This award represents a continued commitment to invest in a natural gas industry that has added to the pollution and health burdens in the region while failing to deliver any measurable growth in jobs, income and population,” Sean O’Leary, senior researcher with the Ohio River Valley Institute, a progressive think tank, said in a statement.
Earlier this year, the Ohio River Valley Institute delivered a letter to the DOE on behalf of 54 Appalachian organizations and community groups calling for the suspension of ARCH2. The letter called on the DOE to release additional information about the projects and offer impacted communities more meaningful opportunities for engagement prior to awarding additional funds — neither of which has happened, according to the organizations that signed the letter.
“Affected communities know little about the proposed projects and their impacts,” the No False Solutions PA Coalition said in a separate statement about the award. “Nevertheless, millions of dollars are being awarded to projects that will surely impact our health and environment BEFORE affected communities have had a chance to weigh in.”
Critics of the ARCH2 project say that carbon capture and storage technology hasn’t yet proven effective as a climate solution and it remains unclear whether hydrogen energy will abate or worsen climate change.
“There’s been a lot of talk about how hydrogen will be a cleaner energy source, but that overlooks the entire picture which includes reliance on the natural gas industry, which we know pollutes and harms communities and drives climate change with methane leaks,” Talor Musil, a field manager with the Environmental Health Project, a public health nonprofit, told EHN.
Keep reading...Show less
Credit: Brad Weaver/Unsplash
Pittsburgh's primary showcases progressive stance on fracking
In Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district, Rep. Summer Lee's campaign gains momentum with robust backing from environmental groups amid a primary battle that underscores the region's shifting priorities toward sustainable practices.
Keerti Gopal and Kiley Bense report for Inside Climate News.
In short:
- With the Democratic primary approaching, U.S. Rep. Summer Lee gains significant support from environmental groups, contrasting with her opponent Bhavini Patel.
- The endorsements focus on Lee's commitment to environmental justice, a shift from foreign policy issues to local environmental concerns.
- Edith Abeyta, a local environmental justice organizer, supports Lee for her consistent advocacy for communities affected by industrial pollution.
Key quote:
"For me, it’s this intersectionality that Lee upholds within her district. She represents a lot of people that live in environmental justice zones and frontline communities, and I think she gets it…she’s a voice for the people."
— Edith Abeyta, environmental justice organizer
Why this matters:
Progressive politicians and activists generally advocate for stricter regulations or outright bans on fracking, citing environmental degradation, health risks, and contributions to climate change. This emphasis on environmental justice and green jobs resonates with a district historically tied to heavy industry, suggesting a significant shift in voter priorities.
In late 2023, EHN reporter Kristina Marusic discussed new proposed fracking regulations in Pennsylvania on "Living on Earth.”
Keep reading...Show less
Top Story
Youngstown has a long industrial history and is still home to numerous sources of industrial pollution, including a steel plant and other metal fabricators, a concrete plant, and a hazardous waste processing facility. (Credit: Kristina Marusic for EHN)
Listen: Why communities in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia are fighting chemical recycling plants
EHN reporter Kristina Marusic discusses her new three-part series on the controversies surrounding chemical recycling.
PITTSBURGH — EHN reporter Kristina Marusic recently spoke with The Allegheny Front about three communities in the Ohio River Valley that are fighting proposed chemical recycling plants.
Chemical recycling is an umbrella term for processes that use heat, chemicals or both to break down plastic waste into component parts for reuse as plastic feedstocks or as fuel. The industry says chemical recycling could help solve the plastic waste crisis, but some environmental health advocates say chemical recycling facilities worsen climate change and emit toxic chemicals.
Marusic recently wrote about community fights to stop proposed advanced recycling facilities in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Listen to her interview with The Allegheny Frontbelow.
Keep reading...Show less
Vandergrift-area, Pittsburgh companies get millions in federal funding for clean energy expansion
Two companies in Southwestern Pennsylvania will get millions of dollars in federal funding to expand the manufacturing of clean energy technologies in the region.
Photo by Brad Weaver on Unsplash
Pa. natural gas volumes fall for first time since boom
Drillers produced 7.5 trillion cubic feet of gas in 2022, down from 7.6 trillion cubic feet in 2021.
Photo by Brad Weaver on Unsplash
Tour of fracking sites connects activists from Appalachia and the Gulf Coast
An art collective brought together Appalachian and Gulf Coast residents to compare notes and build solidarity.
Newsletter
Credit: Kristina Marusic for Environmental Health News
EHN reporter discusses new proposed fracking regulations in Pennsylvania on "Living on Earth"
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro directed regulatory agencies in Pennsylvania to draft new regulations that would improve the disclosure of the chemicals used during fracking.
PITTSBURGH — Environmental Health News reporter Kristina Marusic joined NPR's "Living on Earth" to discuss whether newly proposed fracking regulations in Pennsylvania could improve transparency about the chemicals used by the industry.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro recently announced that he has directed regulatory agencies in Pennsylvania to draft new regulations that would improve the disclosure of the chemicals used during fracking, better control methane emissions, and create stronger protections related to waste products from fracking, among other new protections.
Marusic has previously reported on how the industry's methane emissions are higher than reported, and on how regulatory loopholes allow fracking companies to withhold information about what chemicals are used during the drilling process from both the public and regulators. Marusic's previous reporting has also revealed that families who live near fracking wells in Pennsylvania are being exposed to potentially harmful chemicals like benzene, toluene, and PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a.k.a. "forever chemicals").
"If people living near fracking wells start experiencing health issues, it's really important that they and their doctors know what chemicals they may have been exposed to when trying to figure out what's going on," Marusic said during the Living On Earth interview. "And it's important for regulators to know too, so that if there's suspected contamination, they know what to look for if they're testing water and soil."
The interview is available at Living on Earth, on Spotify, and below.
Keep reading...Show less
ORIGINAL REPORTING
MOST POPULAR
CLIMATE
