Friends for Environmental Justice

05/11/2026

Historically speaking...

🌎 25 years of exposing environmental issues. 25 impact stories to share! We're kicking off a weekly hashtag series to share these stories as part of our 25th anniversary celebration 🎉

💥 On April 20, 2010, an explosion aboard the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico triggered what would become the largest accidental marine oil spill in history.

🛢️The rig’s owner, BP, and government officials initially claimed the well was leaking at a rate of 1,000 barrels per day. SkyTruth's analysis painted a dramatically different picture, estimating the true rate to be over 20 times that.

📊 SkyTruth challenged official narratives with data-driven analysis, and helped ensure BP would be held accountable for the true magnitude of the disaster.

💧Under the Clean Water Act, BP faced penalties of $1,000 to $4,300 for every barrel of oil spilled, potentially totaling $13.7 billion. The incident also highlighted gaps in oil spill monitoring and reporting protocols, leading to reforms for offshore drilling regulation and how the volume of spills is calculated.

🗺️ SkyTruth's accessible visualizations helped the public see the scale of the disaster in ways that numbers alone could not convey. During the first ten days of June 2010, our blog received more than 70,000 visits, including 25,000 in a single day, from people seeking a better understanding of the disaster.

🔗 Read more on our website. Link in the comments below!

📸 : U.S. Coast Guard

05/06/2026

04/20/2026

Just ask AI about those data centers... And it is not pretty.

[Data centers significantly impact nearby communities through high water consumption for cooling, increased air pollution from backup generators, and strain on local energy grids. These facilities can consume millions of gallons of water daily, straining local resources, while emitting noise and pollutants (NOx, PM2.5) that threaten local air quality.
Gradient LLC
Gradient LLC
+3
Key Environmental and Community Impacts:
Water Scarcity and Contamination: Data centers often use evaporative cooling, which can consume over a million gallons of water daily, equivalent to a small town. This "data drain" can reduce local water supplies, with Texas data centers projected to use 49 billion gallons in 2025. Furthermore, risks of leaks from cooling systems can contaminate local groundwater and soil.
Air Pollution and Health Risks: Diesel backup generators, tested regularly, release high levels of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and fine particulate matter, contributing to asthma and respiratory diseases in neighboring areas. Some facilities even use continuous natural gas, worsening air quality.
Energy Grid Strain and Higher Costs: Data centers are massive energy consumers, which can lead to higher utility rates for residents, as noted by the Science, Technology and Public Policy (STPP). Their energy demands also encourage the continued use of fossil fuel power plants, hindering the transition to renewable energy.
Noise Pollution: Cooling fans and generators generate significant, persistent noise, particularly during emergency backup tests, impacting the quality of life for nearby residents.
Land Use and Heat Islands: Large-scale construction consumes land, leading to habitat loss, while massive heat emission from operations can create "heat islands," increasing local temperatures.
Science, Technology and Public Policy (STPP)
Science, Technology and Public Policy (STPP)
+9
Disproportionate Impact:
These facilities are frequently sited in lower-income communities or communities of color, exacerbating existing health and environmental inequities, as reported by Environmental Data and Governance Initiative and The University of Alabama at Birmingham. The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy highlights how these impacts represent a significant, overlooked consequence of the AI boom.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
+4
To help you with more specific information, could you tell me:
Are you asking about a specific, proposed, or existing data center in your area? (Knowing the region, e.g., Northern Virginia, Texas, helps identify specific issues).
What is your primary concern? (e.g., water usage, air quality, noise, or rising energy costs).
Are you a concerned resident, local official, or researcher? (Helps me provide the most relevant, actionable information).]

04/16/2026

03/02/2026

https://communitiesunitedbywater.org/blog/urgent-construction-on-the-wisconsin-line-5-reroute-has-begun

ASHLAND, WI — The Line 5 reroute is a 41 mile segment of oil pipeline around Mashkiiziibii (Bad River Reservation). Michels Corporation is the lead contractor for construction with offices in Wausau, Minneapolis, Chicago and Detroit. After years of legal proceedings and an appeals process, Enbridg...

02/13/2026

Some problems will not just not go away. This is one of those problems.

As rumors swirled online about the proposal, community members began raising concerns about the implications of the decision and its impact on the people of Pike County.

01/14/2026

STORYTIME...Part One History Indian Ridge
As told by the Indian Ridge Storyteller

Meet my friend and Appalachian Roots historian Hilda Mitros They call her the "Indian Ridge Runner,"
a steward on the lands of her ancestors.

Couple years back I had the opportunity to travel with an amazing Storyteller. We 4 wheeled and hiked up and down the backroads and hollers off Indian Ridge in McDowell and Wyoming counties, SW West Virginia. We followed the runoff and extractionlsites from Bluestone Resources down the Guyandotte and Tug Fork watersheds. This is a story to be told.

Hilda spent decades on the frontlines in coalfield communities trying to find justice for the many violations and down right theft of her lands and natural resources.. That is decades of her life sacrificing her health and resources. These stories must be told.

Elaine Tanner

Shared album · Tap to view!

12/31/2025

What can you do?

https://www.facebook.com/share/1aTWQz1WYk/

12/30/2025

The future of the Mississippi valley is unknown. So as we have grown to know Mother has the last word.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1APzDnrj3m/

The Mississippi River Is Moving — And It Could Reshape America 😱

The Mississippi River looks eternal. Massive. Unchangeable.
But beneath the surface, something alarming is happening:

The Mississippi is slowly trying to change its course.

If it succeeds, the economic and geographic impact could be historic.

A Giant That Refuses to Stay Still

Flowing over 2,300 miles from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi River drains water from 31 U.S. states. It’s one of the most powerful river systems on Earth.

And rivers like power.

Naturally, the Mississippi wants to take the shortest, steepest path to the sea. Right now, that path isn’t through New Orleans—it’s toward the Atchafalaya River in Louisiana.

The Near-Disaster Nobody Talks About

In the 1950s, engineers realized the Mississippi was dangerously close to abandoning its current channel. If that happened, the main flow would rush into the Atchafalaya Basin—leaving cities like Baton Rouge and New Orleans high and dry.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers stepped in, building the Old River Control Structure, a massive system designed to force the Mississippi to stay put.

Since then, the river has tried—again and again—to break free.

Why a Course Change Would Be Catastrophic

If the Mississippi successfully changed course:

Major ports would lose deep-water access

Billions in shipping and trade would collapse

Oil refineries and pipelines could be stranded

Coastal Louisiana would erode even faster

This single river supports nearly 60% of U.S. grain exports. A shift could disrupt global food markets.

A Battle Between Nature and Engineering

Every major flood tests the control structures. In 1973 and again in 2011, engineers came dangerously close to losing control.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: Humans are fighting physics.

The Mississippi carries so much sediment and water that controlling it forever may be impossible.

Climate Change Raises the Stakes

Heavier rains mean stronger floods. Rising seas slow the river’s exit into the Gulf. Sediment that once built land now gets trapped behind levees.

The result? Louisiana is losing land at a shocking rate—a football field every hour.

The Future of the Mississippi

For now, the river stays in place—because we force it to.

But experts quietly admit that one day, the Mississippi may win.

When it does, America’s map, economy, and coastline could change faster than anyone expects.

💬 Should humans keep controlling the Mississippi at all costs—or let nature reshape the land?
Tell us what you think in the comments 👇

12/24/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BaZdrrFSU/

A 2025 academic analysis by Alex de Vries-Gao estimates that AI-related water consumption could be incredibly large, perhaps as high as hundreds of billions of liters per year. Water used in the production of electricity needed to power and cool the data centers that run AI systems is the culprit. This amount rivals the volume of water consumed worldwide in bottled water annually.