A few months ago, The Guardian did a five-month investigation into “carbon bombs,” or fossil fuel projects that would, over the course of their life, emit over one billion tons of carbon. They found that there are 195 planned oil and gas carbon bombs around the world, and if they proceed as planned, these projects alone would blow past internationally agreed upon climate targets. One project site is the Haynesville Shale: a sedimentary gas play that lies more than 10,000 feet underground in parts of northwestern Louisiana, southwestern Arkansas, and eastern Texas. Given how far underground it is, the Haynesville Shale never became popular until the fracking boom in 2008. Now, it accounts for almost 13% of natural gas production in the United States. But for all the prosperity Haynesville brought to the region, it also has brought a number of climate, water, health, and justice challenges. Today, we explore why the Haynesville Shale is so special, what issues it has exacerbated, and what a fair and sensible path forward might look like for this significant fossil fuel site. With special guest Keith Hall: Nesser Family Chair in Energy Law at Louisiana State University.
The Sweaty Penguin is presented by Peril and Promise: a public media initiative from The WNET Group in New York, reporting on the issues and solutions around climate change. You can learn more at pbs.org/perilandpromise.
Support the show and unlock exclusive merch, bonus content, and more for as little as $5/month at patreon.com/thesweatypenguin.
CREDITS
Writers: Isabel Plower, Maddy Schmidt, Ethan Brown
Editor: Will Andronico
Producers: Ethan Brown, Shannon Damiano
Ad Voiceover: Will Andronico
Music: Brett Sawka
The opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the host and guests. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of Peril and Promise or The WNET Group.