Nicholas Kusnetz was a reporting fellow at ProPublica. He has written for The Nation, Miller-McCune, The New York Times and other publications. He is a graduate of UC Berkeleyâs Graduate School of Journalism.
Nicholas Kusnetz
Reporting Fellow
Critics Find Gaps in State Laws to Disclose Hydrofracking Chemicals
Five states have adopted rules requiring drilling companies to disclose what’s in hydraulic fracturing fluids, but critics say they don’t go far enough to protect public health and the environment.
Exxon Ad Makes Gas Drilling Seem Simpler—and Safer—Than It Really Is
Exxon's full-page ad illustrates how well pipes are protected with casings of steel and cement. But the picture's not as pretty as the company paints it.
Reports Detail More Drug Industry Ties to Medical Societies
Recommendations made by two medical societies give at least the appearance of a conflict of interest.
PA Officials Issue Largest Fine Ever to Gas Driller
Chesapeake Energy is fined more than $1 million after contaminating water supplies in Bradford County.
Despite Rhetoric, Cutting Oil Subsidies Would Have Little Effect on Gas Prices
Congress is once again debating the pros and cons of cutting tax subsidies for oil and gas companies.
PA Oil and Gas Inspectors Free to Issue Violations Without Approval From Top, Enviro Chief Says
Officials say oil and gas inspectors do not need approval from DEP Secretary Michael Krancer to issue violations to companies drilling for gas in the Marcellus Shale, contradicting earlier reports and leaked emails.
Response to Pa. Gas Well Accident Took 13 Hours Despite State Plan for Quick Action
A Texas emergency response team was flown in to deal with a recent Pennsylvania gas well accident, even though the state arranged last year for a local team to be available.
Fracking Chemicals Cited in Congressional Report Stay Underground
A new report by congressional Democrats lists 750 chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing, including 14 known or possible carcinogens. Drawn from industry sources, the report provides the most comprehensive listing to date of the chemicals and compounds drillers are injecting underground.
PA Senate Confirms Controversial Job Czar Nominee
C. Alan Walker, a former coal baron and prominent Republican donor, gained unanimous support to oversee the PA's Department of Community and Economic Development.
Deteriorating Oil and Gas Wells Threaten Drinking Water, Homes Across the Country
Oil, gas and tainted water can seep through abandoned gas and oil wells into drinking water sources and sometimes into septic systems. But most states don't have enough money to plug them.
Charting the Human Cost of Different Types of Energy
With recent coal, oil, and nuclear disasters, how do the risks of different types of energy compare?
PA Governor Gives Energy Executive Supreme Authority Over Environmental Permitting
Pennsylvania’s governor has appointed an energy industry executive to oversee the state’s job creation effort and wants to give him unusual authority to streamline state permits, including for gas drilling.
John Hanger, PA's Former Environmental Chief, Talks About Challenges of Keeping Gas Drilling Safe
The former head of Pennsylvania's environmental agency defends his department, but says more work is needed to protect the state's natural resources from gas drilling.
EPA Wants to Look at Full Lifecycle of Fracking in New Study
An EPA study would be the most comprehensive investigation yet of whether hydraulic fracturing risks polluting drinking water near oil and gas wells across the nation.
Anatomy of a Gas Well: What Happened When a Well Was Drilled in a National Forest
A U.S. Forest Service report chronicles the damage done by a gas well in the Monongahela National Forest, deep in the mountains of West Virginia.
Many PA Gas Wells Go Unreported for Months
With Pennsylvania not enforcing reporting rules, regulators may lack details on some wells until months after they are drilled.
What Role Have Multinationals Played in Egypt’s Communication Shutdown?
When the Egyptian government shut down Internet and cell service last week, telecom countries agreed to it. The legalities of the situation, and international implications for the future, are complex.
The ‘Italian Job’ and Other Highlights From U.S.’s Rendition Program With Egypt
A look at the U.S.’s spotted history of snatching suspected terrorists and sending them to Egypt.
In Symbolic Move, Philadelphia Calls for Gas Drilling Ban
Philadelphia officials recommended holding off on drilling in the watershed that provides the city’s drinking water until an EPA fracking study is finished. The city is the latest of several local governments to call for drilling bans.
As Pennsylvania Implements New Wastewater Rules, Some State Waterways Still Face Problems
Many of Pennsylvania’s waterways suffer from high levels of contaminants found in gas drilling wastewater. New state regulations are supposed to help, but their immediate effects are hard to gauge.
