A blue water source with trees along the edge and polluted orange water on the other side of the trees.

EPA considers expanding oilfield wastewater discharge in eastern states

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is weighing changes that would allow treated fracking wastewater to be discharged into rivers and reused for industrial and agricultural purposes, raising alarm among environmental health experts.

Martha Pskowski and Kiley Bense report for Inside Climate News.


In short:

  • The EPA may relax rules on how oil and gas companies handle toxic "produced water," potentially allowing discharges in states east of the 98th meridian, including Pennsylvania.
  • The proposal builds on a 2020 Trump-era report and cites improvements in treatment technologies, though many contaminants remain unregulated and poorly understood.
  • Critics say the move prioritizes industry convenience over public safety, especially in regions with radioactive wastewater, weak oversight, or a history of pollution mismanagement.

Key quote:

“The regulations were subpar before, and now what’s going to happen is the government is allowing the public to be poisoned without any kind of consent or knowledge.”

— Katie Muth, Pennsylvania state senator

Why this matters:

Fracking wastewater — often called “produced water” — isn’t just salty; it can contain a toxic mix of cancer-causing chemicals, heavy metals, and even naturally occurring radioactive materials. In states like Pennsylvania, where fracking is widespread, past attempts to dispose of this waste have left a troubling legacy: radioactive sludge in treatment plants, polluted rivers, and growing concern among residents about long-term health effects. The challenge isn’t just the volume of the waste, but the mystery of what exactly is in it, as energy companies aren’t always required to disclose the full list of chemicals they use.

The EPA is now considering loosening rules to allow more of this water to be discharged into rivers and streams. The agency calls it “flexibility,” but environmental groups warn that without national safety standards, the U.S. is heading toward a fragmented system where states with strong oil and gas ties may undercut protections. That could have ripple effects not just on drinking water but also on farmland and aquatic ecosystems that are already under pressure from climate change and industrial runoff.

Read more: Texas firms plan to release treated wastewater into the Pecos River

Books on an outdoor bookshelf shaped like a house, with trees in background.
Credit: Gigi/Unsplash

Our annual summer reading list, 2025 edition

Happy 4th of July! Here's what our staff is reading this summer.

Welcome to summer, everyone! Each 4th of July, our staff share a memorable book that they’ve recently read, and this year, like every year, has produced an eclectic, thought-provoking mix. We hope our picks inspire some new additions to your own lists.

Keep reading...Show less
Silhouette of a person on a hill in front of a setting sun.

Major climate change reports vanish from US federal websites, raising transparency concerns

Federal climate reports that help communities plan for extreme weather and rising seas have quietly disappeared from public websites, with little explanation from the Trump administration.

Seth Borenstein reports for The Associated Press.

Keep reading...Show less
a scale with the words Truth/Facts and fake news on it

UN official calls for criminal penalties for fossil fuel disinformation and lobbying bans

The United Nations’ top climate and human rights expert urged governments to criminalize fossil fuel disinformation, ban industry lobbying and ads, and phase out oil, gas, and coal by 2030 to meet their legal obligations under international law.

Nina Lakhani reports for The Guardian.

Keep reading...Show less
A ship near an iceberg.

EPA staffer’s offhand remark on climate funds fuels political firestorm after secret video sting

A midlevel U.S. Environmental Protection Agency employee was secretly recorded on a Tinder date by a Project Veritas operative, triggering political attacks and agency rollbacks based on a misrepresented comment about clean energy funding.

Lisa Friedman reports for The New York Times.

Keep reading...Show less
silver and black electric oscillating fan in close up photography.
Credit: Roy Muz/Unsplash

Coal use drives sharp rise in U.S. power plant emissions amid summer heat

U.S. power plant emissions have surged to a three-year high, driven by a spike in coal use as utilities scramble to meet rising electricity demand during record summer heat and elevated natural gas prices.

Gavin Maguire reports for Reuters.

Keep reading...Show less
building with vegetation wall.

Cities are quietly outpacing nations in climate progress

Cities worldwide are cutting emissions, greening streets, and adapting to climate threats faster than national governments, according to a new international report.

Matt Simon reports for Grist.

Keep reading...Show less
a herd of cows standing next to each other in a barn, confined in individual metal stalls.

California residents challenge methane policy they say pollutes under the guise of clean energy

Residents in California’s Central Valley are pushing back against a state-backed program that incentivizes methane digesters at industrial dairies, arguing it locks in pollution and worsens environmental health in Latino communities.

Ray Levy Uyeda reports for Prism.

Keep reading...Show less
From our Newsroom
Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

silhouette of people holding hands by a lake at sunset

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.