Energy Reporter

Reid R. Frazier covers energy for The Allegheny Front. His work has taken him as far away as Texas and Louisiana to report on the petrochemical industry and as close to home as Greene County, Pennsylvania to cover the shale gas boom. His award-winning work has also aired on NPR, Marketplace and other outlets. Reid recently received a fellowship from MIT's Environmental Solutions Initiative.

Reid Frazier

A plume of dark smoke and towers at the US Steel Clairton Coke Works

U.S. Steel’s ‘ineffective’ safety procedures led to explosion that killed two, federal chemical safety board concludes

Reid Frazier·August 10, 2026

U.S. Steel failed to follow industry guidelines that could have prevented or reduced the severity of the explosion, a federal agency found.

Economy Energy U.S. Steel Explosion

A sign for Edgar Thomson Works in front of the plant on a hazy day.

U.S. Steel shows off its newest investment to a community divided

Reid Frazier·July 24, 2026

U.S. Steel says its new hot strip mill in Braddock will improve its environmental performance and productivity by replacing an aging operation.

Carbon-Free Steel Economy Environmental Justice Latest Stories Pollution

Energy Transfer's Revolution gas processing plant

Energy Transfer seeks to expand gas plant with history of problems in Washington County

Reid Frazier·July 17, 2026

The processing station has had multiple violations since beginning operations in 2020, and is trying to expand operations.

Energy Environmental Justice Latest Stories Pollution

What a court ruling on upholding a Biden-era air quality standard means for Pennsylvania

Reid Frazier·July 8, 2026

A federal appeals court upheld a Biden-era air quality standard for soot. Allegheny County and other areas in PA could be out of compliance with the new standard.

Health Latest Stories Trump 2.0

A large industrial facility along a river on a sunny day.

Groups say Nippon Steel investments will perpetuate coal and air pollution in the Mon Valley

Reid Frazier·June 25, 2026

They say upgrades don’t incorporate newer technologies but instead are "stopgap things to make U.S. Steel profitable in the short term."

Carbon-Free Steel Climate Change Energy Latest Stories Pollution

A sign for the mine, with vegetation behind it.

New coal mine could dump 2.8M gallons treated wastewater into Laurel Highlands trout stream

Reid Frazier·June 17, 2026

The Pennsylvania DEP is accepting comments on the mine's wastewater discharge permit that advocates worry could change the ecology of the stream.

Energy Latest Stories Water

Thoreau documentary is a lesson for the modern era

Reid Frazier·June 10, 2026

Directors Erik and Chris Ewers say Walden Pond taught Thoreau the "essence of nature isn't in the supreme vistas at the top of mountains... it's over your shoulder."

Conservation Culture Latest Stories Politics

a smoke stack with dark gray smoke coming out of it

How Trump’s $700M to the coal industry could impact Pennsylvania

Reid Frazier·June 8, 2026

Pennsylvania could see increased coal mining and more air pollution coming from neighboring states.

Climate Change Energy Health Latest Stories Trump 2.0

A vile with an insect in it is held in a person's hand while standing outside.

Scientists test aquatic organisms for ‘forever chemicals’ in Montour Run near Pittsburgh International Airport

Reid Frazier·May 29, 2026

For decades, the airport used PFAS-containing firefighting foam. Now, the stream that captures the airport’s runoff has the "forever chemicals."

Conservation Health Pollution Recreation Water

An industrial facility with a sign that reads: USS

Trump rollbacks keep new clean air rules out of Pittsburgh’s Mon Valley

Reid Frazier·May 22, 2026

New air pollution rules for steel plants including the Clairton Coke Works have been paused for at least two years.

Health Pollution Trump 2.0

1 2 3 … 56

Username
Password
Prove your humanity 5 + 9 =
	Remember Me Lost your password?

Full Episodes

Episode for August 7, 2026

Episode for July 31, 2026

Episode for July 24, 2026