Abrahm Lustgarten is an American investigative reporter, author, filmmaker and public speaker specializing in human adaptation to climate change, and an educator training journalists in cross-disciplinary communication about the climate crisis. He writes on staff for ProPublica and has worked with the New York Times Magazine.
Anecdotal evidence has been criticized by Gas Industry advocates in the debate over the inadequately funded EPA study. There have been many anecdotal reports of fouled wells and air pollution, unknown risks to chemical exposure and hydrogen sulfide, and methane leaking from gas compressors captured on infrared film.
Source: YouTube (2009) Read More
For the first time, a scientific study, has linked natural gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing with a pattern of drinking water contamination so severe that some faucets can be lit on fire.
Source: OnEarth Magazine (2011) Read More
Grumbles ponders the criticism leveled at the 2004 study and suggests that it’s now time for Congress and the EPA to take another look at hydraulic fracturing.
Source: ProPublica (2011) Read More
Members of Congress initiated investigations into gas drilling practices, requesting documents and testimony related to environmental impacts and regulatory compliance. When congressional oversight activates, the technical mechanics of fracking move into public record.
Source: ProPublica (2010) Read More
The Interior Department wades into controversy as it mulls whether to require drilling companies to disclose the chemicals they use to frack wells drilled on public lands.
Source: ProPublica (2011) Read More
As the EPA widened its inquiry into hydraulic fracturing’s impact on drinking water, industry voices warned of regulatory overreach. Environmental advocates countered that only a comprehensive study could address long-standing concerns about chemical disclosure, groundwater contamination, and cumulative risk. The debate signaled a turning point: fracking was no longer a regional issue but a national policy flashpoint.
Source: ProPublica (2010) Read More
After three chemical spills in nine days, Pennsylvania regulators ordered Cabot Oil and Gas to suspend hydraulic fracturing operations in Susquehanna County pending review. The Department of Environmental Protection cited ongoing environmental concerns and prior violations. The temporary halt signaled escalating tension between state oversight and aggressive shale development, as communities pressed for stronger enforcement amid a surge in drilling activity.
Source: ProPublica (2009) Read More
Pennsylvania environmental officials were racing to contain up to 8,000 gallons of hazardous drilling fluid after a series of spills at a natural gas site near Dimock. The incident, in a community already shadowed by water contamination fears, reignited scrutiny of high-volume fracking practices and regulatory oversight. As cleanup crews worked, residents questioned whether enforcement could keep pace with the accelerating Marcellus Shale boom.
Source: ProPublica (2009) Read More
ProPublica examined the unanswered scientific questions surrounding fracking’s long-term impacts. With limited federal oversight and patchwork state regulation, researchers and residents alike confronted a troubling reality: large-scale shale development was advancing faster than independent study could verify its safety.
Source: ProPublica (2009) Read More
Investigative reporter Abrahm Lustgarten examined whether hydraulic fracturing posed risks to underground water supplies long assumed safe. Internal documents, field reports, and federal hesitations suggested a murkier picture than public assurances implied. At stake: aquifers serving millions. The promise of cleaner-burning fuel collided with a quieter question — what happens if the contamination is slow, invisible, and hard to prove?
Source: ProPublica (2008) Read More
Cabot Oil & Gas signaled plans to slow Marcellus drilling activity amid market pressures and regulatory scrutiny. Production decisions reflect more than geology — they respond to commodity prices, infrastructure constraints, and public controversy. Even major operators adjust course when conditions shift.
Source: ProPublica (2010) Read More