Fracking company CNX Resources awarded federal funding for environmental justice

CNX Resources, a natural gas company based in Pittsburgh, has been awarded federal funding for an environmental monitoring project as part of the Justice40 initiative, which aims to direct benefits to environmental justice communities. The project, named 'Radical Transparency,' involves monitoring air and water quality at 14 fracking facilities and disclosing the chemicals used in the fracking process. Despite these efforts, CNX has a troubling history, with over 2,000 environmental violations reported since 2004 and a no-contest plea to criminal charges for misreporting air emissions in 2021. Critics argue that the monitoring project selectively focuses on new wells while ignoring existing ones, and it fails to address public health concerns adequately. Environmental advocates have expressed skepticism about the company's claims of safety, citing a lack of peer-reviewed studies supporting the assertion that shale gas development can be conducted without health impacts. The project has also faced backlash for excluding community input in its planning and execution. Governor Josh Shapiro's support for the initiative has raised eyebrows, especially given his previous role in initiating criminal charges against CNX for environmental violations. The ongoing planning for hydrogen hubs across the country, including the Appalachian hydrogen hub, is expected to be completed by 2029, with concerns that increased natural gas use may exacerbate pollution in already burdened communities. As the project moves forward, the implications for environmental justice communities remain uncertain, with advocates calling for more stringent oversight and accountability from CNX Resources. The situation highlights the tension between energy development and environmental protection in regions heavily impacted by the oil and gas industry.