The region spanning Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania is claiming a new name.
"Natural gas production in Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania exceeded total production in Texas for the first time," according to the introduction copy to an on-air broadcast of All Sides with Ann Fisher on WOSU.
"The region, dubbed the 'Shale Crescent' and rust belt, is being considered for a new name: The plastic belt," adds the intro.
The broadcast features a journalist, environmentalists, and industry representatives from the oil and plastics industry to discuss the impact of the region's growing industrial might.
FULL STORY: The Plastic Belt
Another Environmental Regulation Rollback Finalized by Trump Administration
A one-year suspension of an Obama-era rule to reduce methane emissions from oil and gas drilling on Federal and Indian lands will increase global warming and reduce federal revenue. Trump took action after Congress failed to repeal the rule.
Oil Boom Lays Waste to North Dakota's Air and Ground
A pair of articles in The New York Times look at two different kinds of waste generated from North Dakota's booming oil industry: natural gas from oil wells is burned due to the absence of pipelines, and the disposal of waste in landfills.
Renewable Energy Overtakes Coal for First Time
Solar and wind power generated close to a third of U.S. electricity supplies in 2024.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?
Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.
BLM To Rescind Public Lands Rule
The change will downgrade conservation, once again putting federal land at risk for mining and other extractive uses.
Indy Neighborhood Group Builds Temporary Multi-Use Path
Community members, aided in part by funding from the city, repurposed a vehicle lane to create a protected bike and pedestrian path for the summer season.
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