Nuclear reactors, abandoned industrial sites seen as part of the solution to accommodate data centers in rural America

    

An experimental nuclear reactor in rural Kansas will be
placed one mile underground, avoiding hulking facilities
like the one above. (Unsplash photo by Lucas Lahotsky)

The race to build data centers for artificial intelligence has caused a stir in rural communities across the nation. Companies hoping to build these massive facilities are facing debates in local government bodies about tax revenue and job creation, along with pushback from residents concerned with the potential for rising electric rates, water availability and noise pollution.

Now the debate has expanded to the use of nuclear power. The Wall Street Journal reports plans for a nuclear reactor to be installed a mile underground in the granite near tiny Parsons, Kansas, population 9,600. 

Deep Fission, a company founded by father and daughter entrepreneurs in California, created the experimental process and raised $150 million to make it happen. 

The project is one of many encouraged by the Trump administration to create more nuclear energy to satisfy the country’s “soaring electricity demand, much of it driven by data centers.” The innovation in the Parsons project is that the reactor is deep underground and can become operational fairly quickly.

According to the WSJ report, “The key to the plan is avoiding the need for hulking containment buildings. Instead, the mile-deep hole will provide the necessary pressure, cooling and containment.” A single reactor will serve about 12,000 homes, but the inventors are planning “100 or more,” producing enough power for a data center.

Developers of data centers are facing resistance from rural communities where hundreds of acres of pristine farmland are being proposed as sites. That has the industry looking for alternatives, like abandoned factories. And in Western Kentucky, a former nuclear power plant is being considered for a hyperscale data center.

The Kentucky Lantern reports that the Department of Energy plans to transform a portion of the site near Paducah into a “1.8 gigawatt data center” that is “part of a larger strategy by the Trump administration to turn former Cold-War era federal sites into hubs for data centers and energy production.”

The story by Liam Niemeyer also listed dormant industrial sites across the state being considered for data centers. The list includes a former aluminum smelter, an abandoned steel mill, an electrical transmission infrastructure from inactive coal mines, and industrial parks that have power built in but have not been able to recruit industry to use it.

The director of the Hancock County Industrial Foundation explained the situation there. “Manufacturing is what we’re hoping for (to replace the smelter),” said Mike Baker. He said in 2022, when the smelter closed and 600 jobs were lost, data centers were not on anyone’s radar. “I don’t think anybody even knew what a data center was.” But now, a former industrial site that still has power makes it an attractive possibility for the growing AI industry.

WSJ describes harvesting, production process of lettuce as cyclospora continues to spread in multiple states

   

Most lettuce consumed in the U.S. is produced domestically.
(Photo by Phuc Long on Sunsplash)

All eyes are on lettuce in supermarkets across the country as America deals with the virus known as cyclospora. Thousands of people in multiple states have suffered from the flu-like symptoms, especially severe diarrhea, as officials struggle to identify the source. Shredded iceberg lettuce sold by Taylor Farms to fast food restaurants like Taco Bell has been identified as one source, and health officials in New York City identified a cilantro as one problem there.

Most Americans likely don’t know where the lettuce they purchased came from, unless they have started frequenting farmer’s markets or roadside stands in their communities, avoiding the major chains like Kroger. And many also might assume the leafy green is imported from Mexico. But the Wall Street Journal reports that “the vast majority” of the 10 billion pounds of lettuce we consume is produced in the U.S. Most of that which is imported comes from Mexico because year-round farming is available. 

The Journal breaks down domestic production as 43% head lettuce with leaf and romaine accounting for most of the remainder. Because of the virus, we are being encouraged to be vigilant about peeling off the outer layer and carefully washing what we are about to eat. And the safest advice is to eat greens that are cooked to at least 158 degrees.

But The Journal report describes a harvesting and production process that includes cleaning prior to shipment. “On farms, harvest crews can start at 2 a.m. and work throughout the day. Since produce begins dying soon after harvest, greens are cooled to temperatures just above freezing within hours of being picked. Whole heads of lettuce are typically washed in a chlorine solution and packed in the field.” In facilities near the fields, the lettuce can be cut and blended, then triple-washed and spin dried. All of this happens quickly, with the lettuce shipped within a day.

Temperature-controlled trucks make delivery. Packed lettuce can have a shelf life of up to two weeks, the report states.

The cyclospora outbreak is now the largest ever, according to multiple reports, and links to specific sources continue to elude officials. 

Brookings calls for FEMA reforms to make disaster declaration, response easier for rural areas

   

Courtesy of the Library of Congress (Unsplash)

A recent analysis by the Brookings institution examines the challenges faced by rural communities after a disaster and makes recommendations for improvements in federal assistance. Rural counties were subject to a majority of major disaster declarations, the report said, while being home to just 14% of Americans.

The situation is complicated by a significant shortage of the same resources available to metropolitan areas. Small communities not only are financially strapped but lack the level of emergency preparedness and response necessary to recover. Often, responders serve in multiple roles in the community, like police, fire and ambulance services. Administrations have small staffs and lack experience dealing with complicated federal programs.

The report’s authors, Anthony F. Pipa and Julia Davatzes, point to other notable challenges. “The larger geographic areas of rural communities and lower population densities, for example, translate into longer evacuation times and longer distances for emergency personnel to travel to reach affected individuals. There are rural places that rely on a single egress or ingress route; if damaged, all transit to and from the community is interrupted.” Also, there are generally larger groups of the elderly and the disabled, along with a higher percentage of low-income residents.

In response to these needs, the report calls for reformation of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Pipa and Davatzes note that in the years between 2016 and 2025, “rural counties made up almost two-thirds” of those included in major U.S. disaster declarations. They make the following recommendations:

• Ensure new policies are implemented and will improve rural communities' ability to respond and recover from disasters;

• Update the disaster declaration process in consideration of rural assets;

• Adjust cost-share and reimbursement systems with rural capacities in mind;

• Provide additional technical assistance;

• Streamline grant and reporting requirements;

• Make sure rural areas have easy access to FEMA staff;

• Increase research and data transparency.

Medical schools try to fill the need for specialists in rural communities by creating programs with that aim

   

Some medical schools are looking for students willing to
locate in rural communities. (Javia Truba via Sunsplash)

Looking beyond the overall shortage of healthcare professionals in rural America, some medical schools are focusing on producing and placing specialists, reports Liz Carey in The Daily Yonder. The report notes that even in communities with a primary care physician, there is likely no cardiologist, surgeon, or even a dentist.

Medical schools serving those areas also recognize a growing elderly population, Carey reports. “Research has shown that rural areas already have more residents 65 and older (19%) than urban areas (15%), and that share is growing. Researchers expect the percentage of older people in rural communities to grow by more than 40% by 2034, making the disparities in care a larger concern.”

Medical schools from coast to coast are focused on addressing this issue. Carey’s report mentions the Quillen College of Medicine at East Tennessee State University, The University of Washington (with a program serving five states), The University of New Mexico School of Medicine, and the University of Minnesota Medical School, all of which have programs aimed at sending their graduates to rural, underserved areas.

Dr. Bill Block, dean of the Quillen College of Medicine at ETSU, told Carey: “Our surgical residency is designed specifically to prepare physicians for practice in rural and underserved communities, where access to subspecialists is often limited. … In rural areas, general surgeons must be prepared to manage a broader scope of cases independently.”

As much as the training needs to be focused on rural needs, funding is needed to provide incentives for students to go to rural areas. Some of the programs created by Congress for that purpose have expired, and new proposals have been stalled. And it is difficult to find students willing to locate in rural areas.

The Daily Yonder story cites a 2026 Medicus Firms survey: “Among physicians under 40, zero percent indicate a preference for rural practice,” the survey said, “while 12.5% of physicians age 60 and older express interest in rural settings. This generational gap is one of the most consequential physician recruitment challenges organizations face in 2026.”

Indiana creates nation’s first utility to provide electricity only to data centers; reaction is mixed among stakeholders

   

Power grids across rural America are facing the challenge
of serving data centers. (Andrew Metelev via Unsplash)

Rural Northwest Indiana has given the nod to what some think may be a solution to the power generation problem associated with data centers — a dedicated utility provider. Circle of Blue reports via RuralNewsNetwork.org that the idea is to “simultaneously protect ratepayers while continuing to embrace the industry’s growth.”

Christian Thorsberg writes about the boom of data centers in the region, “where nearly a dozen hyperscale data centers are planned, under construction or already operating.” Reaction to the first-of-its-kind utility has been mixed.

The region’s largest power producer, and the one with the highest rates, announced two years ago that because of inquiries from data center projects its power load was likely to quadruple over the next decade. That led to the company’s idea of creating a subsidiary to serve only data centers. Thorsberg explains that the proposal “was drawn up to shield regular ratepayers from extra costs of adding mega-users … to [the] network.” The subsidiary “would generate and sell electricity” wholesale to the parent company, “its only customer,” which would then sell it to data centers. “The buffer for resident’s rates would come from the mathematical accounting of these transactions, which in theory would remain separate from household bills.”

The plan received unanimous regulatory commission approval last fall, and it included exemptions for the subsidiary that speeds up the process. For example, the regulatory commission “does not need to approve all aspects of financing for projects,” and the subsidiary can “pick and choose” its customers.

The region appears to be bracing itself for the impact of this plan. Critics and experts are expressing concern about the effect on the environment, the grid’s efficiency, and whether the network can support the volume of electricity expected. “I’m not against the business model,” Jaoa Ferreira, acting director of the Center for Economic and Policy Studies at the University of Virginia, told Thorsberg. “One important thing for me is that this actually results in adding production to the grid, and not just splitting electricity from everyone else to just satisfy data centers.”

 

Farmers spent 63% more for diesel this year than last, and recent moves in wars have sent diesel futures up 20%

American farmers who planted corn, wheat, soybeans, cotton and rice this year spent 63 percent more on diesel fuel than they did last year, according to a report from the Democratic members of the Joint Economic Committee of Congress.

The study "calculated the increase in overall diesel spending by farmers across the U.S. using diesel price data from the American Automobile Association and the Energy Information Administration, estimates of average fuel use by crop and field operation from U.S. Department of Agriculture and Iowa State University Ag Decision Maker research, and USDA data on 2025 and 2026 acreage and planting windows for corn, soybeans, wheat, rice, and cotton," a news release said.

"When diesel prices were at their peak during the spring 2026 planting season, the average farmer spent $1500 more to refill their farm’s on-site fuel tank . . . compared to the same high point during the 2025 planting season. In addition, farmers spent hundreds more to fill up just one tank of diesel for common tractors and grain trucks compared to last planting season."

The report blames the price increase on the Iran war and the tightening of supplies. The recent increase in hostilities, and Russia's new ban on exports of diesel after Ukrainian attacks on its refineries, have driven diesel futures prices up 20 percent, The Wall Street Journal reports.

USDA is sounding the alarm regarding a nationwide shortage of veterinarians that is impacting rural America

    

Rising concerns about a nationwide veterinarian 
shortage is alarming rural communities.

(Photo by Michael on Unsplash)

A nationwide veterinarian shortage involving 243 areas across 46 states has been identified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The record shortage is hitting rural communities particularly hard. According to a report produced by Iowa PBS, “The list of disciplines in need is a long one and includes rural mixed-animal practices, food-animal and livestock medicine, USDA and public health veterinarians, and some positions in animal rescue shelters.”

The report blames the shortage on a pandemic pet-ownership surge, rising educational costs and debt, professional burnout, and the benefits of life in urban versus rural environments. Laurel Bower interviewed several professors and professionals for the Market to Market show on the station. The recruitment issues were the same as those often mentioned when recruiting doctors for humans: the desire for personal time, time with families, low pay, lifestyle, or generally “work life balance.”

Minnesota veterinarian Dr. Jessica Fox reminded viewers that vet school grads are just starting out in life, maybe getting married and starting a family, and usually they are living in a city. “So, even if you had ideas of moving back home, maybe your partner doesn’t want to,” she said.

The report offered the surprising statistic that the U.S. has lost 90% of its large-animal veterinarians since World War II. Dr. Jennifer Quammen, President of the American Veterinary Medical Association told Bower, “Having veterinarians as the primary health care authority is very important to all of us …” not only locally but globally, with a “giant” economic impact. According to the USDA, just 4% of graduates are looking toward a large-animal practice.

Dr. Dan Grooms, dean of the Iowa State University College of Vet Medicine, summed the problem up by saying there is “no magic bullet” and that a variety of stakeholders will have to come together, including colleges, communities and state departments of agriculture. “Each of them probably have a little piece of the solution,” he said.

A rising cancer rate blamed on water quality in rural, red Iowa has become a looming midterm campaign issue

A series of issues affecting rural America is giving hope to Democrats as the midterm elections approach, including data centers that are supported by President Trump but opposed by many communities, concerns about health care access, Medicaid cuts by Republicans that threaten the future of clinics and hospitals, housing shortages and inflation. Now in heavily red rural Iowa, Politico reports that a rising cancer rate blamed on water quality is        overshadowing other issues and is “changing Iowa politics.”

Photo by Shawn Schroeder on Unsplash

From the report by Tom Philpott and Nina B. Elkadi: “Iowa’s lakes and ponds are often murky and fetid from algae blooms fed by fertilizer runoff, a byproduct of the state’s vast agricultural industry’s reliance on farming chemicals … People are angry and worried about the quality of the state’s water, the health risks it poses and its increasingly undeniable tie to the state’s signature industry: agriculture.”

Politicians in Iowa have been hesitant to criticize the industry, Politico reports, but candidates in both parties are taking shots at the big companies and their use of chemicals and fertilizer that they claim has seeped into drinking water and has the state’s cancer rate rising dramatically.

The issue not only has raised the hopes of Democrats seeking statewide office in November, but appears to have delivered victories to Republicans who are bucking the establishment wing of the party.

Perhaps the best example of the strength of the issue is in the positions of the candidates for Iowa secretary of agriculture. The Democrat, Chris Jones, accuses the large farming operations of trying to control nature, “ … and what has controlling nature done for us?,” he asks. “It’s polluted all our water. It’s really destroyed a lot of Iowa.” 

Jones’ Republican opponent is the current secretary of agriculture, Mike Naig, who Politico observes, “can’t run on water.” Naig once worked for Monsanto, the producer of Roundup, a controversial herbicide. Naig thinks farming operations can be convinced to voluntarily pollute less, which is the current approach, and rejects the need for regulation. In a June press release, Naig said, “We have made tremendous progress working with farmers and landowners and hundreds of public and private partners to incorporate responsible farming practices, but there’s no finish line when it comes to conservation.”

Angry voters want results, and the election may come down to who they believe will deliver on water quality. Jones observed that, “Cancer doesn’t care what party you belong to. Republicans don’t like drinking poisonous water any more than Democrats do.”

'Harm' under Endangared Species Act now means direct harm, not indirect, such as habitat loss; many states object

Protection of northern spotted owls in the Pacific Northwest
under the Endangered Species Act led to the end of logging
in their habitat. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service photo by Tom Kogut)

"The Trump administration is removing protections from the key places where endangered species live, saying states can keep the areas safe, but experts say states aren’t equipped for the task," Alex Brown reports for Stateline.

On July 10, the administration finalized regulations redefinng the word "harm" in the Endangered Species Act, to make it cover only cases where endangered animals are directly harmed. That ruled out such actvities as "logging projects that would cut old-growth trees where owls build their nests, and agriculture operations that diverted water from streams where salmon return to spawn," Brown explains.

A 2019 study of animals added to the Endangered Species List from 1975 to 2017 "found that only 17 percent of them faced threats from direct killing, while 81 percent faced habitat loss," Brown reports. The change means “You can destroy the resources a species requires as long as you don’t do it when the species is at home,” Karrigan Börk, a law professor and director of the Center for Watershed Sciences at the University of California Davis Institute of the Environment, told Brown.

"In public comments after the rule was initially proposed, wildlife agency leaders from both liberal and conservative states said the change would be a blow to their conservation efforts," Brown reports. "Wildlife officials in Arizona, Georgia, Louisiana, New Mexico, New Jersey, Vermont and Wyoming also expressed concern about the loss of habitat protections, as did the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies, a nonprofit that represents state wildlife managers. Of the public comments reviewed by Stateline, only Alaska’s wildlife agency leader offered wholehearted support for the change. . . . Even if states were to pass laws and invest in programs to protect wildlife habitat, they would be unable to enforce those measures on federal land."

Federal officials said the change would let states "manage wildlife without burdensome federal regulations," Brown writes.  "But legal experts and wildlife veterans say that almost no states have endangered-species laws on the books that allow state officials to prevent habitat destruction in the name of saving wildlife. . . . Many wildlife experts also noted that state wildlife agencies are already underfunded as it is. Taking on the massive regulatory system that prevents developers and extractive industries from destroying critical habitat would require far more resources than those agencies have available. A coalition of environmental groups and tribal nations have filed lawsuits challenging the federal rollback."

Small communities, rural states are learning about housing development through a program that targets vacant lots

Empty lots like the one above present an opportunity 

to bring affordable housing to areas

 in need. (The Quiet Atlas, Unsplash.com)

Vacant lots across America have been left to grow out of control, collect trash thrown from cars driving by, to be used by neighborhood kids for pickup baseball, or just sit empty with the occasional for sale sign as decoration. But Andrew McKeever reports in The Daily Yonder about an initiative that seeks to use vacant lots toward solving the housing shortage in rural communities.

Housing officials in several states are studying a tool known as “Gentle Infill.” It helps develop partnerships between local non-profits, construction companies and regulators to build small, affordable housing that fits into the character of a neighborhood and avoids the common “Nimby” — not in my backyard — response.

The largely rural state of Vermont, McKeever reports, and other states, are taking a cue from the city of South Bend, IN, which has adopted the approach for several years. Tim Corcoran, director of planning and community resources in South Bend, said the effort has experienced more than just a little success. He said the city worked with small-scale builders and developers, guiding them through zoning and other problems, and even helping create a set of architectural designs.

“If you’re really genuine about helping address the housing crisis in your town,” Corcoran told McKeever,  “then you really need to look at the approval process very closely.” He said bringing together regulators and breaking down silos is key.

Vermont has a goal of building 30,000 homes by 2030. While there are obstacles, The Yonder reports, there is “near-universal agreement that more affordable workforce-missing middle housing is needed.” The statewide approach mirrors the one in South Bend. Teams have been scouring the state for three years looking for available lots, and they have adopted a plan called “Homes for All.” It streamlines approval processes for small-scale builders and developers and intends to offer pre-permitted designs in a variety of forms.

Ticks, including the dreaded lone star, becoming a concern over wider region of the country; season could last into fall

At top, the female lone star tick exhibits a “star” 

on her back (CDC image), and above, the male is 

black and red (Erik Kartis via Unsplash.com).

It’s tick season and public health officials are urging caution over a wider region of the country, particularly with respect to the lone star tick with a bite that can cause a red-meat allergy, or Alpha-Gal Syndrome. While the risk is still believed to be low, Maggie Astor reports in the New York Times that the spread of alpha-gal has increased in recent years due to a “warmer climate, land use changes and growing deer populations.”

Residents of the Northeast should be more concerned about blacklegged ticks and the spread of Lyme disease, Astor reports, but being aware is important still. The lone star is prevalent mainly in the South. Experts quoted in the story note the aggressive nature of lone star ticks, which “seek people out by sensing carbon dioxide … and may travel a few meters in pursuit.” Blacklegged ticks generally wait for contact.

For Stateline.org, Amanda Wartford reports an increase in emergency room visits for tick bites this year, based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: “This year’s current figures are preliminary and subject to change, but if they hold, this year’s rate may be the highest since 2017.” More states are increasing their monitoring of tick bites, so public health officials can make more accurate predictions.

Due to warmer weather across the country, tick season is expected to last into the fall.

Consumers turning to local growers for produce as investigators seek source of intestinal virus

Consumers are turning to produce from local farmers 

in light of a quickly spreading intestinal virus. (Shelly Paul, Unsplash.com)

The source of a virus quickly spreading throughout the United States has yet to be identified, though lettuce is believed to be a likely suspect. The Food and Drug Administration identifies Cyclosporiasis as an intestinal illness caused by parasites associated with all kinds of fresh produce. It occurs only in humans and the most common symptom is diarrhea. 

Produce farmers are facing scrutiny as investigators look into their methods and hygiene, and as consumers turn to trusted local growers, reports Austin Mirmina in CT Insider. Mirmina visited the DeFrancesco farm in Northford, CT, and learned that the farm’s produce stand has been very busy. “I noticed yesterday our lettuce cooler was completely cleared out,” said co-owner Mike DeFrancesco. “I’m seeing a lot of people buying three or four heads of lettuce at a time, when normally people would buy just one head.”

Sara Moniuszko reports in USA Today that as of July 15, 1,645 cases of the illness had been confirmed with more than 5,100 being investigated across 34 states. A cluster of cases in Kentucky, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia are likely linked, according to the CDC. The outbreak in those states is believed to be directly tied to shredded lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants and distributed by Taylor Farms.

Jamey Lee reports in Market Watch that the illness may have more than once source and might not end until August, and this outbreak appears to be the largest on record.

Bill to increase black lung benefits gets bipartisan local support, faces uphill climb in Congress

Black lung disease, as depicted in the above 

X-ray photo, has affected thousands of coal miners. 

Efforts to increase those benefits have been ongoing 

but have thus far failed. (Photo courtesy of Unsplash.com)

Efforts to increase benefits to coal miners suffering from pneumoconiosis, commonly known as “black lung disease,” have stalled in Congress despite bipartisan support at the local level across coal-producing states. Liam Niemeyer reports in the Kentucky Lantern that “dozens of county and city governments — comprised of both Republicans and Democratic leaders — across multiple Appalachian states have passed resolutions to urge an increase in benefits to support the approximately 25,000 recipients of black lung disability benefits.”

The Save Our Miners Act was introduced June 30. The Lantern story notes that it “would seek to increase benefits all the way back to the same funding level, relative to inflation, as miners received in 1969.” The average monthly benefit in 2026 is $794 or about two thirds of what the check would have been in 1970, adjusted for inflation. But while local officials from both parties sound the alarm, partisan ideologies on Capitol Hill have prevented change.

The trust fund pays miners when coal companies deemed responsible can’t be identified or have gone out of business. The revenue comes from a tax on mined coal. “That fund has taken on hundreds of millions of benefit liabilities because of coal mine bankruptcies, a larger trend seen with the rapid decline in the state’s coal mining industry,” Niemeyer reports.

Republicans are hesitant to support the increased spending, citing concerns about the solvency of the fund, and they accuse Democrats of waging a war on coal companies who pay into the fund. Democrats say their proposals would require only modest investment to provide the needed benefit increases.

The Save Our Miners Act is sponsored by Rep. Summer Lee (D-PA) and co-sponsored by Rep. Chris DeLuzio (D-PA) and Rep. Morgan McGarvey (D-KY). It goes next to the House Education and Workforce Committee.

Pending closure of community health center in Iowa evidences strength of healthcare as a midterms issue

Health care access has become a major issue approaching the midterm 

elections, no matter the political party. (Photo courtesy of Unsplash.com)

While Republicans tout Medicaid cuts as cost-saving and necessary to reduce fraud and waste, Democrats see the issue as an opportunity for gains in November. Rural voters have leaned reliably Republican for years but with the threat of hospital and clinic closures looming, and in the midst of an already existing crisis of access in many small communities, constituents are questioning the GOP’s strategy.

Reuters reporter Nathan Layne spoke to Shannon Gooden, a receptionist at the River Hills Community Health Center in Centerville, Iowa. The center is closing on July 31. Layne reports that even though the cuts have not been cited as the reason for the closure, it’s not a stretch to draw that conclusion. Layne quotes Gooden as evidence: “I was raised a Republican, and I’ve always voted Republican, but it’s gotten to the point now, more what are you going to do for us? … Something needs to change.”

Layne also cites a Reuters/Ipsos poll from June that showed healthcare costs at the top of all other issues that voters want Congress to address. In response, Republicans point to a $50 billion rural health fund established to help states prop up healthcare access in rural communities. The fund came in the wake of the Medicaid cuts that resulted from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and provides $10 billion in each of the next five years to qualifying states. But Democrats and some state officials claim the fund won’t solve the problem and offers little help to rural hospitals.

The Medicaid cuts go into effect in 2027. Some states and institutions already are making cuts in preparation.

A look back at fracking, from a leading reporter on the beat; environmental questions remain as industry shifts

Mike Soraghan started out with Energy and Environment News, which was bought by Politico, so now he writes for both. His latest opus is a look back at the history of horizontal hydraulic fracturing of deep shale, better known as "fracking," which has had a big impact on parts of rural America. Soragahn has covered it for more than a decade.

Mike Soraghan (Politico photo)

"Shale promised riches, and in some instances, it delivered, saving farms," he writes for Politico Magazine. "Fracking birthed tales of instant 'shale-ionnaires' and oilfield strippers tucking four-figure handfuls of cash in their garter belts for a night’s work. And it also fundamentally changed the United States’ position in the global energy economy, in ways that have been on prominent display over the first half of 2026.

"But a lot of the people you’d expect to profit from fracking . . . were instead crushed by it. And drilling wells could wreak environmental havoc, triggering earthquakes, ruining farmland, polluting airways and contaminating household water to the point it could catch fire. In short: Fracking rewrote the book on American energy, globally and domestically. . . . Today, even if you walk everywhere or drive an electric vehicle, fracking is responsible for keeping your grocery and electric bills down."

But now, "That tumultuous chapter is coming to an end, just as a war-driven energy crisis offers — or threatens — to rewrite the script once again. The irony is that the U.S. is outdoing the petro-kingdoms of the Middle East — just as the world is accelerating its turn toward renewable energy. The easy oil is getting harder to find. Even as production continues to climb, the rate of growth is slowing. Automation is replacing oil workers the way it did coal miners. Environmental protests have moved on to data centers. America’s wildcatters are again starting to scan the horizon for new discoveries abroad. Even Michael Steele, the former Republican Party chair who coined the term, 'Drill, Baby, Drill,' thinks the phrase has outlived its usefulness."

Environmental questions remain, especially "the long-term impact of pumping chemicals from the nearly 2 million fracked wells — questions that may not be answered for years or decades," Soraghan writes. Environmentalists are mostly against fracking shale, but Christopher Knittel, the associate dean for Climate and Stability at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, told Soraghan that greenhouse-gas emissions have been cut mainly by power plants’ switch from coal to natural gas. More broadly, Knittel worries that the U.S. backoff from electric vehicles means the American industry could be “islanded off” from the rest of the world. "Perhaps the model for the United States’ energy future isn’t Saudi Arabia, but an actual island," Soragahn concludes.