News Briefs

March 26, 2026
Suspicious oil trades came minutes before Trump Iran post

Industry experts are sounding the alarm about possible insider trading after a flurry of oil trades that took place minutes before a post by President Donald Trump about the war in Iran.

March 26, 2026
Explosion at Valero refinery in Texas felt 11 miles away

Valero has begun restarting its oil refinery in Port Arthur after a massive explosion that led to shelter in place warnings.

March 26, 2026
Company pushing more natural gas in Puerto Rico splits to avoid bankruptcy

New Fortress Energy, which began operating Puerto Rico’s power plants after a devastating 2017 hurricane, is now unable to pay its debts.

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News Articles

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. 

Tom Pelton
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February 26, 2026

Growing use of secrecy agreements between developers and local governments troubles advocates of open government

Developers and local governments across the U.S. that want to avoid public debates with local residents about controversial projects – from data centers to solar farms and chemical plants – in recent years have increasingly employed nondisclosure agreements as a tactic to keep things quiet and out of the press until deals are complete. For example, when local elected officials in Ascension Parish, Louisiana, began negotiating to remove an historically Black community beside the Mississippi River for a 17,000-acre industrial complex, the officials signed what amount to gag orders promising to “protect the secrecy” of the project.

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