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| Message From the Editor As Bill Torbett and his colleagues went about their work, handling the sloppy radioactive detritus of oilfields in a cavernous building in eastern Ohio, their skin and clothing often became smothered in sludge. “We were literally ankle-deep in sludge and a lot of times knee-deep in different spots,” says Torbett, a 51-year-old former employee of Austin Master Services, a radioactive oilfield waste facility in Martins Ferry, Ohio. “You’re saturated in it, your hands are covered in it, the denim of your uniform would hold it, and the moisture would soak right through your under-clothes and into your skin.” Torbett was one of two former employees at Austin Master Services who are speaking out, as Justin Nobel reported in his latest investigation into the alarming conditions at the facility. According to Torbett, while he worked there, he knew the waste "came from frack sites" but "there was no discussion of the material and its radioactivity." A second former worker covertly had his boots, headlamp, and hardhat (pictured above) tested. The results showed the radioactive element radium in the sludge on the boots at levels 15 times the federal cleanup limits for the nation’s worst toxic waste sites. Earlier this year, "excessive" levels of radium were also found in soil samples taken outside the facility. Local activists sent a letter to EPA administrator Michael Regan in July, asking the agency to "intervene to protect the community surrounding the Austin Master Services (AMS) facility." Officials from EPA Region 5 toured the area last month, but what will happen next is unclear — the EPA “does not regulate radioactivity in oil and gas production” as a spokesperson explained. We hope you’ll read and share widely this powerful story of environmental justice on the line and workers and a community fighting back. Have a story tip or feedback? Get in touch: editor@desmog.com. Keep up with news from across the pond with our UK newsletter! Thanks, Executive Director Image credit: Marco Kaltofen Radioactive Waste ‘Everywhere’ at Ohio Oilfield Facility, Says Former Worker— By Justin Nobel (15 min. read) —As Bill Torbett and his colleagues went about their work, handling the sloppy radioactive detritus of oilfields in a cavernous building in eastern Ohio, their skin and clothing often became smothered in sludge. Waste was splattered on the floor and walls, even around the electrical panels. At the end of their shifts, they typically left their uniforms in the company washing machine, which didn’t always work, and left their sludge-caked boots and hard hats in the company locker room. But when the men arrived home after a long day, the job came with them too. READ MOREThe Economic Case for ‘Blue Hydrogen’ Is Getting Worse. Cue the Lobbyists.— By Justin Mikulka (9 min. read) —The push to sell “blue hydrogen” as a clean energy fuel — which experts have called a misleading rebrand of fossil fuels — hit another setback this month. Climate provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 are bringing new economic headwinds to the gas-derived hydrogen fuel’s prospects. However, many companies invested in the continued existence of the natural gas industry are not giving up on the effort, presumably because blue hydrogen promises to extend the life of natural gas producers. READ MOREHouse Committee Poised for Potential Subpoena of PR Firm for Climate Disinformation— By Nick Cunningham (7 min. read) —A powerful Washington, D.C., consulting and PR firm, with a long history of waging influence campaigns for fossil fuel corporations, is under scrutiny by a congressional committee as part of a broader investigation into the decades-long efforts by the oil industry and its allies to block action on the climate crisis. FTI Consulting, a billion-dollar firm that has a global presence, is not a household name. But it has been instrumental in an array of oil industry campaigns meant to sow doubt about climate change, attack climate scientists, and play up the benefits of fossil fuels. READ MORETalkTV’s Climate Expert Accused UN of Using ‘Nazi Methods’ to Back Green Action— By Adam Barnett (4 min. read) —A climate pundit favoured by TalkTV has previously accused the United Nations and green campaigners of using the “methods of the Nazis” to impose a “Marxist dystopia”. Brian Catt, a business consultant with a bachelor’s degree in physics, appeared at least three times this month on the Rupert Murdoch-owned channel, where he was described as an expert on climate science. READ MOREThanks to Manchin, IRA’s Methane Fee on Big Oil Is Riddled With Massive Holes— By Jake Johnson, Common Dreams (3 min. read) —The newly enacted Inflation Reduction Act contains the world’s first-ever fee on methane, a powerful greenhouse gas believed to be responsible for roughly 30 percent of global temperature rise since the Industrial Revolution. But analysts and climate advocates fear that the fee, which is aimed at incentivizing U.S. fossil fuel companies to stop deliberately spewing the gas into the atmosphere, will have a muted impact on rapidly rising methane emissions given that 60 percent of the oil and gas industry is exempt from the penalty. READ MOREFrom the Climate Disinformation Database: Patrick J. MichaelsPatrick J. Michaels was a senior fellow in the Center for Energy and Environment at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. Michaels is a regular commentator on climate change issues on Fox News and other conservative news outlets. Mother Jones magazine reported in 2010 that “Michaels’ credibility on climate is called into question by a trove of documents from a 2007 court case that attracted almost no scrutiny at the time. Those documents show that Michaels has financial ties to big energy interests—ties that he’s worked hard to keep secret.” He died on July 15, 2022.
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