Earthworks

10/22/2026

The Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act (S. 5653) would gut protections for people and the environment. Under the proposed legislation, oil, gas, and mining projects could avoid environmental review, silence input from Tribes, sidestep protections for historic places and public lands, and cut the public out of the process.

Earthworks opposes this bill and is calling on the Senate to preserve science, public input, Tribal consultation, and meaningful mining reforms. Read our latest blog to learn what's at stake for communities, Tribes, public lands, and environmental protections.

🔗 Read the blog: https://bit.ly/Permitting-Bill-Text

By Aaron Mintzes, Deputy Policy Director and Senior Policy Counsel, and Allison Woolverton, Campaign Manager and Policy Advocate. Last week, a group of

10/22/2026

Wherever oil and gas activity exists, flaring is likely to exist for one reason or another, even if the flames are hidden from plain sight.

And, that flaring is a source of pollution NO MATTER WHAT.

Read more in our blog about the issue: https://bit.ly/FlaringInPlainSight

10/20/2026

🚨VIP: Very Important Problem!🚨

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, trapping ~80% more heat than CO2. Yet, 100s of 1000s of abandoned oil&gas wells around the country leak methane, harming communities.

In Pennsylvania, dense forests hide a sobering reality: low-producing and abandoned wells sit mere feet away from homes, schools, and other structures. Plugging them can be expensive, costing $100K on average. Tackling the problem of abandoned wells is not only expensive, it can be contentious.

As one impacted resident said, “I don’t want to slam anybody’s livelihood, but I also don’t want my health and my children’s health to be in jeopardy.”

WATCH: https://bit.ly/3YCyT2F

Via PBS NewsHour

States work to track down and cap dangerous methane leaks from abandoned oil and gas wells

10/16/2026

Your weekly dose of "wait, really?" has arrived! Wild Guess is our new environmental trivia series, with two chances a week to play along. Bring your best guess and a little curiosity. 🌿

From what's in the air to what goes into everyday products, we're exploring the connections behind cleaner air, safer water, and how materials are made. What should we put on the board next: air, water, or everyday materials? Tell us below. 💡

10/15/2026

Almost all mined gold ends up in jewelry and bank vaults. But Equinox Gold wants to use outdated studies to get quick permission to look for more gold in a biodiverse and sacred California desert. 🌄

🔗 Take action now!

Tell the Imperial County Planning Commission why it should require a new environmental review for the Rainbow East gold exploration project.

10/15/2026

Northwestern New Mexico stretches beneath an endless sky, with rust-colored mesas, sagebrush, juniper, and red sandstone cliffs.

This is Indigenous land, rich with history, prayer, and resilience. Yet beneath its stark beauty, fracking has left scars on the land and the communities that call it home.

Explore our StoryMap, a tool full of information about the harms of oil and gas pollution to Navajo air, water, and culture – and what Earthworks is doing to help.

➡️

Explore the impact of oil and gas development across the Navajo Nation of New Mexico through an interactive map highlighting affected communities, landscapes, and areas of concern.

10/15/2026

"Advanced recycling" sounds like progress. But what does it actually involve? Some technologies marketed as chemical or advanced recycling use heat or solvents to break down plastic waste. These processes can produce hazardous byproducts and additional pollution. 🤔

Earthworks has raised concerns about the risks these facilities pose to nearby communities, especially when they're promoted as solutions to the plastics crisis. Reducing plastic pollution requires addressing how plastics are produced, not just what happens after they're thrown away. 🌎

Read more: https://bit.ly/Chemical-Advanced-Recycling

By anaïs Peterson For years we’ve been told that plastics recycling is the solution to the plastics pollution problem. We’re told to rinse it, throw it in

10/14/2026

ICYMI: Activists rally in Harrisburg around 6th Anniversary of Shapiro setbacks report:

"Katie Weber lives in Hanover Township, Washington County and went to Harrisburg because she’s concerned about plans to build a large cluster of data centers powered by an on-site natural gas plant near her home.

'We are united and our message is clear,' Weber said. 'We do not want data centers, and we do not want fracking anywhere near our homes, our schools or our daycares.'

The day before, activists argued for a three-year moratorium on data centers in another rally at the capitol."

Read more:

Concerned about surging energy demand fueled by data centers, environmental groups urge state regulators to increase minimum protective buffer distances around gas wells.

10/14/2026

Let's clear the air… about cow farts. How do cows release most of their methane: laughs, burps, or sneezes? Lock in your guess before the reveal. 🐄

Cows aren't the only methane story. Oil and gas operations release it too, and cutting those emissions can slow warming. Different sources, same heat-trapping gas. What's your pick: A, B, or C? Tell us below. 💬

10/13/2026

Just because you can't see pollution doesn't mean it isn't there. Oil and gas facilities can release methane and other harmful pollutants that are invisible to the naked eye. But with optical gas imaging cameras, Earthworks investigators can document emissions that might otherwise go unnoticed. 👀

That evidence helps highlight pollution affecting communities near oil and gas operations. Because protecting clean air starts with knowing what's being released. Learn more about Earthworks' field investigations at the link in our bio. 📹