Oil and Gas Watch

Brendan Gibbons

September 4, 2025

Louisiana officials want to displace a majority Black community to make room for industrial 'MegaPark'

State and local officials envision Modeste, a small community in Ascension Parish, not as a tight-knit residential community but as the “RiverPlex Megapark,” a 17,000-acre industrial site home to multiple industries. If all goes according to plan, dozens of residents would leave to make room for a steel plant by Korean automaker Hyundai. State officials are offering Hyundai $2.4 billion in incentives, including a $1.2 billion in local property and sales tax breaks.

August 28, 2025

During a dark time for clean energy, carbon capture for the oil industry gets a boost

The past several years have seen a flurry of carbon capture projects, with at least 270 proposed across the U.S. -- many buoyed by billions in subsidies from the Biden Administration meant to fight climate change. But so far, only a tiny fraction of these carbon capture projects are actually operating, and only four are “permanently” burying carbon without directly subsidizing the oil and gas industry. Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" recently increased incentives for using captured carbon to produce more oil and gas.

Brendan Gibbons

August 21, 2025

Trump Administration tries to slash funding for chemical disaster oversight

The White House has proposed eliminating funding by 2026 for the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, an independent agency that investigates chemical disasters, issues plain-language reports on their causes, and recommends reforms to prevent similar disasters. In addition to targeting the agency, Trump’s EPA has also signaled that it would roll back a rule finalized in 2024 meant to require better planning for chemical disasters.

Alexandra Shaykevich

August 14, 2025

Dubious claims of chemical plastics ‘recycling’ industry run into reality

At least 38 projects involving the use of heat or chemicals to break down plastic waste have been proposed across the country, and three plants are currently under construction, two in Georgia and one in West Virginia. But the future of these projects is highly uncertain, as companies struggle with high costs, low output, and the loss of government subsidies. Only 9 chemical recycling plants are operating in the U.S. today after four facilities shut down because of technical and financial troubles.

Louisiana LNG terminal plans massive expansion – and neighbors are fearful

On July 15, the Arlington, Virginia-based Venture Global Capital announced plans to roughly double the size of Plaquemines LNG, asking FERC to approve an expansion to as much as 52 million metric tons per year, making it one of the largest LNG terminals in the world. The more than doubling of the plant’s capacity could more than double its pollution impact. Since the rise of the hydraulic fracturing boom in the U.S., eight LNG export terminals have been built, four more are under construction, and 28 more projects to build or expand export facilities are proposed.

Brendan Gibbons

Facing gag order, Louisiana scientist resigned in protest. The support came pouring in.

Facing a gag order imposed on her by university leadership because her study on racial discrimination in petrochemical industry jobs reportedly angered Louisiana’s governor, Dr. Kimberly Terrell of Tulane University’s Environmental Law Clinic could remain silent and sacrifice her scientific integrity. Or she could resign in protest, speaking out publicly about an important issue and shining a light on the pressure campaign to keep her silent. She chose the second option.