Entries by FracTracker Alliance

FracTracker in the Field: Building a Live Virtual Map

  August 19, 2020 Update: The virtual story map is live! In this special one-day fundraiser event, two intrepid FracTracker teams will build and share a live virtual map as we travel throughout the Ohio River Valley Region documenting oil, gas, and its effects on our health, climate, and environment. How many sites can we […]

Industry Targets Peaceful Protest via “Critical Infrastructure” Legislation

By Ted Auch, PhD, Great Lakes Program Coordinator and Shannon Smith, Manager of Communications & Development The oil and gas industry continues to use rhetoric focusing on national security and energy independence in order to advocate for legislation to criminalize climate activists. Backlash against protestors and environmental stewards has only increased since the onset of COVID-19, […]

FracTracker Receives Cornell Douglas Pearl Award

The team at FracTracker Alliance is honored and humbled to accept the 2020 Jean and Leslie Douglas Pearl Award from the Cornell Douglas Foundation. This award reflects the Foundation’s mission to provide support to organizations like FracTracker that advocate for environmental health, justice, and sustainability. We accept this award alongside two illustrious organizations: the Center […]

A successful 2019 Community Sentinel Award Reception- a full summary

There are many courageous and determined individuals to be grateful for within the environmental movement. At the 2019 Community Sentinel Awards for Environmental Stewardship, we were graced with the presence of many such leaders, and celebrated four in particular as this year’s award winners. From those fighting LNG export terminals on the West Coast, to […]

Announcing the 2019 Sentinel Award Winners

Congratulations to the winners of this year’s Community Sentinel Award for Environmental Stewardship! After being nominated by peers this summer, recipients were selected by a committee of five community defense leaders and environmental champions from around the country. Read brief descriptions of these inspiring individuals below, and make sure to register to reserve your seat […]

Who Pays? Health and Economic Impacts of Fracking in Pennsylvania

Since the advent of unconventional shale gas drilling, some effects have been immediate, some have emerged over time, and some are just becoming apparent. Two reports recently published by the Delaware Riverkeeper Network advance our understanding of the breadth of the impacts of fracking in Pennsylvania. The first report, written by FracTracker, reviews research on […]

Falcon Pipeline Moves Forward Despite Unresolved Concerns

Pittsburgh, PA – Yesterday, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced their decision to issue a permit for the construction of Shell’s Falcon ethane pipeline project in southwest PA. FracTracker Alliance is extremely disappointed that DEP is allowing this project to proceed despite heavy opposition from the public and unaddressed concerns for the safety and well-being […]

A Sincere Thank You, 2018 Community Sentinel Award Recipients

Reflecting back on the Community Sentinel award reception, held on November 26th, I can’t help but be in awe of the raw grit and determination that filled the room. It was a cold, blustery day in Pittsburgh – and yet the hall felt warm from the passion each of the Community Sentinels awardees exuded. FracTracker […]

Four environmental stewards receive the 2018 Community Sentinel Award

WASHINGTON, DC – As oil and gas representatives descend on Pittsburgh this week for the annual Shale Insight conference, four advocates working to protect their communities from the harms of oil and gas development have been selected to receive the 2018 Community Sentinel Award for Environmental Stewardship, coordinated by FracTracker Alliance: Ellen Gerhart – Pennsylvania […]

Supporting accessible oil and gas lease data in Allegheny County

New bill introduces public O&G lease registry PITTSBURGH, PA – At last night’s County Council meeting, Councilwoman Anita Prizio unveiled a new bill to create an oil and gas lease registry for Allegheny County, which would help the area’s residents and municipalities better plan for oil and gas development within their communities. The legislation, which […]