The Better Path Coalition is hosting an April 19 Virtual Brown Bag Briefing with author Justin Nobel on his new book-- Petroleum-238: Big Oil’s Dangerous Secret and the Grassroots Fight to Stop It-- from Noon to 1:00 p.m.

Nobel’s book explores the question of where all of the toxic, radioactive waste the oil and  gas industry produces goes.

His seven-year investigation took him across the United States where he found that the waste had been spilled, spread, injected, dumped, and freely emitted by an industry shielded by a system of lax regulations and legal loopholes.

Justin Nobel writes on science and environment for US magazines, investigative sites, and literary journals.

His 2020 Rolling Stone magazine story, "America's Radioactive Secret," won an award from the National Association of Science Writers and inspired his latest book, "Petroleum-238: Big Oil's Dangerous Secret and the Grassroots Fight to Stop It."

Justin's writing has helped lead to lawsuits, public dialogue, academic research and been taught at Harvard's School of Public Health.

Click Here to register for this special program.

You can view past briefings online.

Visit the Better Path Coalition website to learn more about its programs and initiatives.  Better Path is a statewide coalition forging a better path to a clean renewable energy future and a government that is responsive to its people.

Resource Links - Radioactive Oil & Gas Waste:

-- DEP: Potential For Environmental Impacts From Spills Or Leaks Of Radioactive Oil & Gas Waste Materials Is Real; Health Dept. Not Aware Of All Chemicals In Oil & Gas Wastewater Making Risk Assessment Difficult  [PaEN]

-- Shale Gas & Public Health Conference: We've Got Enough Compelling Evidence To Enact Health Protective Policies For Families Now  [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - June 24 to 30 - Radiation Levels Prompt Shale Gas Wastewater Tank Decontamination; Replugging Conventional, Shale Gas Wells  [PaEN]

-- DEP Reports Shale Gas Operations Sent Over 138,000 Cubic Feet Of Radioactive TENORM Waste To Low-Level Radioactive Waste Facilities For Disposal In 2022 - Over 911,000 Cubic Feet Since 2017   [PaEN]

-- Republican Rep. Krupa Introduces HB 1656 To Ban Oil, Gas Wastewater Injection Wells To Protect The Public From Radioactive, Toxic Materials  [PaEN]

-- DEP Issued Air Quality Permit For Leachate Evaporation System At Westmoreland Landfill With Special Radiation Monitoring Due To The Disposal Of Shale Gas Drilling Waste   [PaEN]

-- DEP Releases Final Guidance On Handling Radioactive Waste From Unconventional Shale Gas Drilling Operations   [PaEN]

-- Liberty Twp., Citizens Group Appeal EHB Decision On Permit For Tri-County Landfill In Mercer County Over Threats Posed By Birds, Radioactive Oil & Gas Waste   [PaEN]

-- EPA, West Virginia Officials Working To Secure Fairmount Oil & Gas Wastewater Processing Facility To Prevent Release Of Radioactive, Hazardous Materials   [PaEN]

-- Earthworks: Rolling Stone Article Links Oil & Gas Waste Radioactivity To Worker Cancers, Wastewater Trucks Operating Illegally   [PaEN]

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - April 6 to 12 - Rain Causes Multiple Landslides; Ignored Request To Clean Up Spill; Venting Gas  [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - April 13 [PaEN]

-- DEP Invites Comments On Proposed CNX Midstream Double 24-Inch, 14 Mile Long Gas Pipelines In Westmoreland County  [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 63 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In April 13 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]

Related Articles This Week - Gas:

-- DEP Issues $1.1 Million Civil Penalty To Equitrans For Violations Related To The Uncontrolled Venting Of 1.1 Billion Cubic Feet Of Gas From The Rager Mountain Gas Storage Area In Cambria County  [PaEN]

-- New Penn State Study Shows Continuous Radioactive Radium Exposure From Oil & Gas Wastewater Poses A Threat To Aquatic, Human Health As It Accumulates In Aquatic Species  [PaEN]

-- Westmoreland County-Based Protect PT Calls For Ban On Road Dumping Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater; CAC Member Asks For DEP Response  [PaEN]

-- Environmental Hearing Board Allows 2nd Appeal Of Tri-County Landfill Permit To Move Forward Over Threats Posed By Birds, Radioactive Oil & Gas Waste [PaEN]

-- Better Path Coalition Hosts April 19 Virtual Brown Bag Briefing With Justin Nobel On His New Book About Radioactive Waste From The Oil & Gas Industry  [PaEN]

-- The Derrick: State Intervenes In Venango Water Case [Fallout Continues From Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill]  [PaEN]

-- Marcellus Shale Gas Coalition Official Joins Pittsburgh-based EQT In Saying We Have A 'Duty’ To Provide LNG Gas To China, Our Economic, Military Competitor  [PaEN]

-- CNX Completing $20 Million Fresh Water Pipeline To Serve Future Shale Gas Drilling, And Potentially Local Communities As An Alternative To The Westmoreland Municipal Authority  [PaEN]

-- CNX Expands Air Pollution Monitoring To More Shale Gas Well Pads, Compressor Stations Under The Collaborative Agreement With State  [PaEN] 

-- Act 14: Little Known State Law Gives Municipalities, Counties First Chance To Comment On DEP Permits Before Applications Are Submitted; Critical First Step In Public Involvement  [PaEN]

NewsClips - Gas:

-- The Energy Age Blog: Gas Profiteers: It’s Our ‘Duty’ To Provide Gas To China

-- Marcellus Drilling News: PA Fracking Industry Has Opportunity To Defeat Biden In 2024

-- WHYY: Philadelphia Gas Commission Approves $19 Million In New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure; Activists Say The Plan Conflicts With City’s Climate Goals

-- Warren Times: Residents In Conewango Twp. Complain About Noise From Allshouse Oil Well Compressor

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Carbon Credits Are A Promising Option To Fund Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Well Plugging

-- Bucks County Herald: Elementary Schools Win $5,000 From PECO’s Natural Gas Safety Challenge

-- Fox News: West Virginia State Treasurer Banned 4 Major Banks From Entering Into State Contracts Over Their Environmental Policies: ‘We Are Absolutely Going To Stand By… Fossil Fuels’

​​-- AP: Oklahoma’s Republican Attorney General Sues Natural Gas Companies Over Price Spikes During 2021 Winter Storm

-- Utility Dive Guest Essay: Regulators: Don’t Panic And Rush To Gas Amid Cries We’re Out Of Power

-- Bloomberg: Proposals For New US Power Plants Jump 90% On Surging Demand; Gas, Coal Plants Make Up Just 3% Of New Planned Capacity

-- Bloomberg: Russia Attacks Ukraine Gas Storage Sites, Driving Prices Higher

-- Bloomberg: European Natural Gas Prices Rise Thru Next Year On Persistent War Risks

-- Bloomberg: PetroChina To Build Up Its LNG Gas Fleet, Expand Global Trade

-- OilPrice.com: Gas Glut? Not For Long As LNG Gas Demand Grows [Watch For Price Spikes]

-- Reuters: Oil Funds Turn Bullish As Mideast Conflict Intensifies

-- Fortune: Supply Shocks Are Threatening To Push Oil To $100/Barrel Ahead Of US Summer Driving Season

-- Reuters: Despite $90 Crude Oil, US Oil Output Capped By Weak Natural Gas Prices

[Posted: April 9, 2024]

4/15/2024