Gulf Coast

Port Arthur pollution fight shows how Texas blocks citizen protests

A local activist went before a judge, arguing for lower pollution limits on two new liquified natural gas facilities. The judge sided with him, but the state environmental agency sided with the companies.

Gulf Coast

The nonprofits cleaning up the oil and gas industry’s ‘dirty little secret’

These organizations are tackling the vast problem of orphaned wells.

Gulf Coast

The cost to capture carbon? More water and electricity

Cleco wants to capture its climate emissions, raising concerns about impacts on the state’s water supplies.

Gulf Coast

Abandoned 'dry hole' oil wells are polluting Texas farms, ranches and groundwater. The state won’t fix them.

Wildcatters drilled thousands of wells looking for oil and abandoned the dry holes. Some are spewing contaminated water.

Gulf Coast

Losing ground: How one New Orleans community is sinking

While land is subsiding throughout the city, industry water use has exacerbated the problem in one predominantly Black and Vietnamese area.

Gulf Coast

What hinders Louisiana’s shift toward renewable energy? Voters say their congressional leaders

Despite generally liking renewable energy, the majority of Louisiana voters oppose efforts to shift the state away from oil and gas.

Power Play

Leaked: US power companies secretly spending millions to protect profits and fight clean energy

Leaked: U.S. power companies secretly spending millions to protect profits and fight clean energy One industry consulting firm has influenced politics across Florida, Alabama and at least six other states.

Power Play

Firm working for FPL took control of news site, let execs influence coverage, records show

Political consulting firm Matrix also considered purchasing or creating other news sites, records show.

International

How a conservative US network undermined Indigenous energy rights in Canada

Internal documents explain why oil and gas interests would benefit from a key Indigenous declaration being ‘defeated’.

LNG

How the gas industry aims to rebrand as ‘clean’ energy to appeal to Black and Latino voters

Pipeline companies facing opposition in blue states have launched a $10m PR campaign targeting the Democratic base.

Power Play

A Florida power company didn’t like a journalist’s commentary. Its consultants had him followed

Consultants for Florida Power & Light, the largest electric utility in the US, conducted surveillance on a Jacksonville journalist

Gulf Coast

Industrial water use threatens Louisiana capital’s drinking water

Unchecked water use by companies like Exxon risks saltwater intrusion and undrinkable tap water.

Utilities

Why is eco-conscious California spending millions to support natural gas?

A Los Angeles-area air board faces questions over grant spending amid some of the worst air pollution in the US.

Gulf Coast

Louisiana legislator pushes bills benefiting the oil and gas industry — and her husband

Internal emails show Louisiana state senator Sharon Hewitt worked on a bill with a company that had financial ties to her spouse.

Gulf Coast

Texas stumbles in its effort to punish green financial firms

Fossil fuels power the Texas economy, accounting for some 14% of gross state product between 2019 and 2020. Now, Texas is the first state in the nation to pass anti-divestment laws for fossil fuels.

Utilities

The $287 million pipeline no one needed? How Spire's ambitions almost left St. Louis without heat

The gas company sowed panic in a bare-knuckle marketing campaign after a court ordered the shutdown of its STL pipeline.