News Briefs

April 2, 2026
Federal panel exempts Gulf of Mexico drilling from Endangered Species Act

A committee of federal officials voted this week to exempt oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico from laws meant to protect species like the vulnerable Rice’s whale from extinction.

April 2, 2026
Food prices could rise as Iran war leads to natural gas-based fertilizer price hike

Prices for all eight of the major types of fertilizers critical to farmers have increased over the past month following the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, according to the Progressive Farmer.

April 2, 2026
U.S. natural gas boom spawned wave of new plants to make methanol

A new wave of methanol projects across the U.S. could dramatically expand production capacity, according to a new fact sheet by the Environmental Integrity Project.

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News Articles

Ari Phillips
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March 26, 2026

New York denies ‘zombie’ pipeline again as Trump Admin threatens to revoke authority to block polluting projects

In late January, the New York Department of Environmental Conservation filed its opposition to the Constitution Pipeline, which would run 124 miles from the Marcellus shale gas fields in Pennsylvania to Albany, New York, where the gas would be distributed mainly to power generators across New England. Williams resuscitated the long-contested Constitution Pipeline in late 2025 a decade after New York regulators first denied the pipeline the water quality permit.

Brendan Gibbons
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March 19, 2026

The U.S. has never produced more oil, so why is war with Iran still spiking gasoline prices?

The Trump Administration’s war in Iran has proven that Americans are still vulnerable to shocks to Middle Eastern oil supplies, even though U.S. production is at a record high and the country has become one of the world’s largest oil exporters. Average U.S. gasoline prices rose from $2.94 on Feb. 23 to $3.72 as of March 16, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Average diesel prices shot up even more—rising more than $1 per gallon from $3.81 to $5.07 during that time.

Ari Phillips
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March 12, 2026

Virginia, a magnet for data centers, is hit with environmental lawsuit after approving large new gas power plant

In a state experiencing a rise in electricity demand because of a boom in data centers, Virginia’s Dominion Energy is planning to build a 944-megawatt gas-fired power plant at the site of a former coal plant in Chesterfield, just south of Richmond. Environmental groups are pushing back in court, arguing that the project violates 2020 state laws requiring renewable energy and environmental justice.

Brendan Gibbons
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March 5, 2026

Power grab for Musk AI data center in Memphis sparks environmental justice fight

Over the past two years, billionaire Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company has turned South Memphis into ground zero for one of the most contentious energy and environmental battles in the country. The fight involves gas turbines for a data center operated without a permit, threats to the region's drinking water supply, and a scandal over the company's Grok chatbot generating sexualized images of women and minors. 

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