Ohio River Valley Institute
@ohiorivvalleyinst.bsky.social
Sound research for a more prosperous, sustainable, and equitable Appalachia.
A slew of fracked gas pipeline projects in the Midwest could open the valve of Appalachia gas even wider, fueling the buildout of gas-fired power plants and power-hungry data centers across the region.
More: https://ow.ly/V9tm50Xx0Bx
More: https://ow.ly/V9tm50Xx0Bx
December 5, 2025 at 6:00 PM
A slew of fracked gas pipeline projects in the Midwest could open the valve of Appalachia gas even wider, fueling the buildout of gas-fired power plants and power-hungry data centers across the region.
More: https://ow.ly/V9tm50Xx0Bx
More: https://ow.ly/V9tm50Xx0Bx
Splashy data center announcements from Meta and other tech companies tend to be short on details, making them difficult to assess and hard to believe: https://publicgood.substack.com/p/zuckerbergs-hot-mic-and-big-commitment
December 2, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Splashy data center announcements from Meta and other tech companies tend to be short on details, making them difficult to assess and hard to believe: https://publicgood.substack.com/p/zuckerbergs-hot-mic-and-big-commitment
New analysis of public records shows Shell has sold tens of millions of dollars worth of tax credits intended to support local petrochemical growth to out-of-state insurance firms. https://ohiorivervalleyinstitute.org/shell-desperately-seeking-an-exit/
November 28, 2025 at 6:01 PM
New analysis of public records shows Shell has sold tens of millions of dollars worth of tax credits intended to support local petrochemical growth to out-of-state insurance firms. https://ohiorivervalleyinstitute.org/shell-desperately-seeking-an-exit/
Senior Researcher Sean O'Leary's latest blog explores why data centers will be economic duds.
“It's hard not to notice that the number of workers per establishment, rather than growing as data centers have gotten larger, has actually declined by half since 2015.” https://ow.ly/MRUB50Xu33J
“It's hard not to notice that the number of workers per establishment, rather than growing as data centers have gotten larger, has actually declined by half since 2015.” https://ow.ly/MRUB50Xu33J
November 21, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Senior Researcher Sean O'Leary's latest blog explores why data centers will be economic duds.
“It's hard not to notice that the number of workers per establishment, rather than growing as data centers have gotten larger, has actually declined by half since 2015.” https://ow.ly/MRUB50Xu33J
“It's hard not to notice that the number of workers per establishment, rather than growing as data centers have gotten larger, has actually declined by half since 2015.” https://ow.ly/MRUB50Xu33J
Nine in ten western Pennsylvanians say modernizing the steel industry is “very” or “somewhat” important, our recent Audience Understanding Survey finds.
November 20, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Nine in ten western Pennsylvanians say modernizing the steel industry is “very” or “somewhat” important, our recent Audience Understanding Survey finds.
Global market shifts have coincided with a sharp decline in US steel & iron employment.
Without large-scale investment & political will, the opportunity for a US steelmaking renaissance—driven in part by decarbonization investments—may be slipping away: https://ow.ly/LEQa50XpwpH
Without large-scale investment & political will, the opportunity for a US steelmaking renaissance—driven in part by decarbonization investments—may be slipping away: https://ow.ly/LEQa50XpwpH
November 14, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Global market shifts have coincided with a sharp decline in US steel & iron employment.
Without large-scale investment & political will, the opportunity for a US steelmaking renaissance—driven in part by decarbonization investments—may be slipping away: https://ow.ly/LEQa50XpwpH
Without large-scale investment & political will, the opportunity for a US steelmaking renaissance—driven in part by decarbonization investments—may be slipping away: https://ow.ly/LEQa50XpwpH
Ohio House Bill 170 would pave the way for companies to pump waste carbon dioxide from industrial plants and hydrogen production deep underground as a way to lower their emissions.
Watch our recent webinar to learn more: https://youtu.be/JyALvmsN668?si=NlqR7mokXdtwHAiQ
Watch our recent webinar to learn more: https://youtu.be/JyALvmsN668?si=NlqR7mokXdtwHAiQ
November 12, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Ohio House Bill 170 would pave the way for companies to pump waste carbon dioxide from industrial plants and hydrogen production deep underground as a way to lower their emissions.
Watch our recent webinar to learn more: https://youtu.be/JyALvmsN668?si=NlqR7mokXdtwHAiQ
Watch our recent webinar to learn more: https://youtu.be/JyALvmsN668?si=NlqR7mokXdtwHAiQ
In 2022, Diversified claimed its aging wells would continue producing for decades and could be plugged at a fraction of industry norms. These assumptions helped shave hundreds of millions of dollars in liabilities from the company's financial statements: https://ow.ly/i3Qk50XmrgI
November 7, 2025 at 1:50 PM
In 2022, Diversified claimed its aging wells would continue producing for decades and could be plugged at a fraction of industry norms. These assumptions helped shave hundreds of millions of dollars in liabilities from the company's financial statements: https://ow.ly/i3Qk50XmrgI
Oil & gas lobbying groups drafted and advanced legislation to pave the way for carbon capture and storage (CCS) development in Ohio. Join us on Thursday, Nov. 6 to learn more about House Bill 170: http://bit.ly/new-wild-west
November 5, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Oil & gas lobbying groups drafted and advanced legislation to pave the way for carbon capture and storage (CCS) development in Ohio. Join us on Thursday, Nov. 6 to learn more about House Bill 170: http://bit.ly/new-wild-west
On Thursday, Nov. 6, join Fieldnotes, Buckeye Environmental Network, and the Ohio River Valley Institute for a webinar and Q&A on the oil & gas industry’s push to fast-track carbon capture and storage development in Ohio. Register: http://bit.ly/new-wild-west
October 31, 2025 at 5:05 PM
On Thursday, Nov. 6, join Fieldnotes, Buckeye Environmental Network, and the Ohio River Valley Institute for a webinar and Q&A on the oil & gas industry’s push to fast-track carbon capture and storage development in Ohio. Register: http://bit.ly/new-wild-west
The Methane Emissions Reduction Program (MERP) was an important part of the Inflation Reduction Act aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and pollution from oil & gas operations. But in recent months, most aspects of the program have been rolled back, delayed, or dissolved:
October 31, 2025 at 1:05 PM
The Methane Emissions Reduction Program (MERP) was an important part of the Inflation Reduction Act aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and pollution from oil & gas operations. But in recent months, most aspects of the program have been rolled back, delayed, or dissolved:
As the global market continues to decarbonize, the US primary steel industry risks falling further behind absent a large-scale transition to green steelmaking, according to our new report. Join us next Thursday, Nov. 6 to learn more: http://bit.ly/falling-further-behind
October 30, 2025 at 6:32 PM
As the global market continues to decarbonize, the US primary steel industry risks falling further behind absent a large-scale transition to green steelmaking, according to our new report. Join us next Thursday, Nov. 6 to learn more: http://bit.ly/falling-further-behind
Over the last twenty years, most of the electricity generated in and around Appalachia has been—and continues to be—carbon-intensive, even as the region's transition from coal to natural gas cuts down on net emissions. https://ow.ly/yIAx50Xf00v
October 24, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Over the last twenty years, most of the electricity generated in and around Appalachia has been—and continues to be—carbon-intensive, even as the region's transition from coal to natural gas cuts down on net emissions. https://ow.ly/yIAx50Xf00v
Scientists have documented “significant contamination” from fracking activity in a Pennsylvania town’s water supplies, bolstering a resident-led lawsuit against EQT. Plaintiffs say a drilling fluid rupture in 2022 rendered residential water wells in New Freeport unusable. https://ow.ly/hElK50XbJ1T
October 20, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Scientists have documented “significant contamination” from fracking activity in a Pennsylvania town’s water supplies, bolstering a resident-led lawsuit against EQT. Plaintiffs say a drilling fluid rupture in 2022 rendered residential water wells in New Freeport unusable. https://ow.ly/hElK50XbJ1T
IMPLAN modeling suggests Empire Diversified Energy’s plastics pyrolysis project & associated downstream economic activity in Follansbee, West Virginia could support 38 direct jobs and fewer than 63 total jobs. https://ow.ly/FSEy50XbJcZ
October 17, 2025 at 1:00 PM
IMPLAN modeling suggests Empire Diversified Energy’s plastics pyrolysis project & associated downstream economic activity in Follansbee, West Virginia could support 38 direct jobs and fewer than 63 total jobs. https://ow.ly/FSEy50XbJcZ
"I feel like we’re getting the raw deal here," Ogden said of Tenaska's proposed carbon storage wells. “We're asked to be the dumping grounds...I’m really worried about it. I think it’s unproven technology with a lot of wells, mineshafts." https://ow.ly/i9wE50X72Yx
October 13, 2025 at 1:30 PM
"I feel like we’re getting the raw deal here," Ogden said of Tenaska's proposed carbon storage wells. “We're asked to be the dumping grounds...I’m really worried about it. I think it’s unproven technology with a lot of wells, mineshafts." https://ow.ly/i9wE50X72Yx
It’s not just Beaver County. As Shell looks to offload its struggling Monaca plastics plant, the company’s entire chemical sector saw revenue fall by 43% from 2021 to 2024.
IEEFA North America covers Shell's petrochemical underperformance:
https://ow.ly/zA3j50X73Ce
IEEFA North America covers Shell's petrochemical underperformance:
https://ow.ly/zA3j50X73Ce
October 10, 2025 at 1:45 PM
It’s not just Beaver County. As Shell looks to offload its struggling Monaca plastics plant, the company’s entire chemical sector saw revenue fall by 43% from 2021 to 2024.
IEEFA North America covers Shell's petrochemical underperformance:
https://ow.ly/zA3j50X73Ce
IEEFA North America covers Shell's petrochemical underperformance:
https://ow.ly/zA3j50X73Ce
Monthly electricity costs have risen 267% in areas near significant data center activity, according to data analyzed by Bloomberg. https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2025-ai-data-centers-electricity-prices/?embedded-checkout=true
October 9, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Monthly electricity costs have risen 267% in areas near significant data center activity, according to data analyzed by Bloomberg. https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2025-ai-data-centers-electricity-prices/?embedded-checkout=true
Nine ammonia & hydrogen projects have been canceled or paused since July, when Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” shortened the eligibility window for lucrative hydrogen tax credits: https://ohiorivervalleyinstitute.org/the-ammonia-industry-begins-to-falter/
October 8, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Nine ammonia & hydrogen projects have been canceled or paused since July, when Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” shortened the eligibility window for lucrative hydrogen tax credits: https://ohiorivervalleyinstitute.org/the-ammonia-industry-begins-to-falter/
To cut expenses, farmer Dwight Ely installed a solar array years ago. The system now powers most of the farm & sends surplus electricity back to the grid.
More stories from Evergreen Action & PPRI:
https://evergreenaction.com/blog/protecting-property-rights-powering-rural-economies/
More stories from Evergreen Action & PPRI:
https://evergreenaction.com/blog/protecting-property-rights-powering-rural-economies/
October 6, 2025 at 12:00 PM
To cut expenses, farmer Dwight Ely installed a solar array years ago. The system now powers most of the farm & sends surplus electricity back to the grid.
More stories from Evergreen Action & PPRI:
https://evergreenaction.com/blog/protecting-property-rights-powering-rural-economies/
More stories from Evergreen Action & PPRI:
https://evergreenaction.com/blog/protecting-property-rights-powering-rural-economies/
Pennsylvania was a trailblazer on renewables before natural gas, billed as a “bridge” from dirtier coal, derailed the state’s energy transition, Kiley Bense and Dan Gearino report for Inside Climate News: https://insideclimatenews.org/news/22092025/pennsylvania-derailed-renewable-energy-transition/
October 3, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Pennsylvania was a trailblazer on renewables before natural gas, billed as a “bridge” from dirtier coal, derailed the state’s energy transition, Kiley Bense and Dan Gearino report for Inside Climate News: https://insideclimatenews.org/news/22092025/pennsylvania-derailed-renewable-energy-transition/
Blair Twp. official Jacob Wible praises solar’s benefits, including lower rates & US energy independence. More stories from Evergreen Action & PPRI: https://evergreenaction.com/blog/protecting-property-rights-powering-rural-economies?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=rural_siting
October 2, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Blair Twp. official Jacob Wible praises solar’s benefits, including lower rates & US energy independence. More stories from Evergreen Action & PPRI: https://evergreenaction.com/blog/protecting-property-rights-powering-rural-economies?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=rural_siting
A new study from the Univ. of Pittsburgh & Duquesne demonstrates a "probable link" between contaminated water wells and nearby fracking activity in Freeport Twp., PA: https://www.heraldstandard.com/news/local_news/2025/sep/25/study-shows-probable-link-between-freeport-twp-contamination-and-fracking/
September 26, 2025 at 2:45 PM
A new study from the Univ. of Pittsburgh & Duquesne demonstrates a "probable link" between contaminated water wells and nearby fracking activity in Freeport Twp., PA: https://www.heraldstandard.com/news/local_news/2025/sep/25/study-shows-probable-link-between-freeport-twp-contamination-and-fracking/