Oil and Gas Watch

October 1, 2026

Controversial West Virginia chemical plastics ‘recycling’ plant gets permit over local objections

In response to lobbying by the industry, 24 states, including West Virginia, have passed legislation reclassifying chemical plastics "recycling" not as waste incineration but as a kind of manufacturing, which requires less strict environmental standards. The Trump Administration is working to exempt these plants from being subjected to Clean Air Act limits for cancer-causing air pollution.

Brendan Gibbons

In East Texas, organizers fight massive oil export pipeline planned for popular fishing grounds

Energy Transfer Partners, one of the nation’s largest pipeline companies, plans to build a pipeline to carry oil from the northern U.S. and Canada to a terminal near Port Arthur, TX, where ships could carry that oil abroad. The project is part of an explosive growth in U.S. oil exports, which rose from an average of 42,000 barrels per day in 2010 to 3.3 million barrels per day in 2022.

Alexandra Shaykevich

The market can't handle fast-tracking LNG. Neither can the climate.

In response to Russia’s war on Ukraine and soaring fuel prices, some U.S. politicians have been advocating for faster environmental review and approval of permits for liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminals. But there is no need to rush. Neither the market nor the climate can handle a glut of LNG. And building all 20 LNG projects already authorized in the U.S. would consume 37 percent of U.S. natural gas, worsening gas prices and inflation for Americans.

Brendan Gibbons

At least 20 major oil and gas plants proposed in flood zones

Despite the growing risk of flooding due to climate change and rising sea levels, a review of new energy projects shows that energy companies are proposing to build major facilities in flood-prone areas. At least 20 upcoming oil- and gas-related projects are planned in floodplains, many along the Gulf Coast.

Welcome to Oil & Gas Watch News

Greenhouse gases are driving profound changes to the Earth’s climate, contributing to record-breaking heat waves and millions of acres of wildfires, among many other problems. Some industry advocates have tried to position natural gas as a “bridge fuel” to a green future. Oil & Gas Watch News examines the data and public records and sets the record straight.