Floodlight
@floodlightnews.org
Investigating the powers stalling climate action
The U.S. universities that have taken the most money from fossil fuel companies: UC Berkeley: $154,302,577 U Illinois Urbana-Champaign: $108,221,802 George Mason: $63,935,218 Stanford: $56,622,194 UT Austin: $45,421,866 LSU: $44,211,304
Fueling Knowledge: Oil and gas money shapes research, creates ‘echo chamber’ in higher education
Louisiana’s flagship university is looking to partner more closely with petrochemical industries in the state
floodlightnews.org
One company's refinery in California continuously monitors 18 pollutants. Its refinery in Louisiana monitors just one. Our latest investigation explores how Louisiana's air monitoring rules leave nearby communities with far less information about what they're breathing:
Louisiana communities are left in the dark on toxic air — and industry helped keep it that way
The state’s air monitors are often miles from its biggest polluters and residents have little way of knowing what they’re breathing. That’s no accident.
floodlightnews.org
Data centers are quietly taking over Texas. An investigation from Floodlight and WIRED reveals how a regulatory loophole is allowing thousands of new fossil-fuel-burning power sources to be built across the state — leaving many residents blindsided.
This permit, common for dry cleaners, is now being used to build AI power plants
Texas regulators are allowing AI data centers across the state to start up thousands of new pollution sources with no public notice or environmental reviews.
floodlightnews.org
Louisiana's Isle de Jean Charles, once 22,000 acres, is now just 320. When rising waters consumed their homeland, the island's Indigenous residents moved to a new government-funded settlement. But their “safe” homes already leak, crack, and fail.
As millions face climate relocation, the nation’s first attempt sparks warnings and regret
Three years after a federally funded move, Indigenous residents of Louisiana’s Isle de Jean Charles report broken homes — and promises
floodlightnews.org
We used thermal drones to capture the heat pouring from OpenAI's Stargate data center. Then we dug into the records. Our findings: AI power plants in Texas are being built with air permits more commonly meant for dry cleaners than massive industrial facilities. floodlightnews.org/ai-data-cent...
Louisiana measures many toxic air pollutants just once every six days. On a fixed, publicly known schedule. That means industrial facilities know *exactly* when the air will be tested. Our latest investigation:
Louisiana communities are left in the dark on toxic air — and industry helped keep it that way
The state’s air monitors are often miles from its biggest polluters and residents have little way of knowing what they’re breathing. That’s no accident.
floodlightnews.org
“The loss of this access means a lot to me and everybody else... The fate of our public lands and our rights are in jeopardy right now.” How did the influence of a luxury resort lock the public out of Montana’s mountains?
Trump officials, billionaires and the quiet reshaping of America's public lands
A controversial land swap orchestrated by the megarich could be “a harbinger of what’s to come” for public lands under Trump.
floodlightnews.org
At least $1.1 million. That’s how much judges in Louisiana oil cases have made from oil-linked investments. Yes, you read that right: while profiting from oil firms, they were also hearing cases involving those same companies.
Judges overseeing Louisiana's landmark oil cases have financial stakes in defendants
Federal judges held stock, bonds and leased mineral rights to Exxon, Chevron and others while hearing cases against the companies alleging damage to the La. coast.
floodlightnews.org
Our latest investigation started with a simple question: Are Louisiana's air monitors actually monitoring the state's biggest polluters? After analyzing state and EPA data, we found major gaps in what gets measured — and uncovered how industry fought efforts to improve the system.
Louisiana communities are left in the dark on toxic air — and industry helped keep it that way
The state’s air monitors are often miles from its biggest polluters and residents have little way of knowing what they’re breathing. That’s no accident.
floodlightnews.org
Nine million border records. One global pattern: Climate disasters are reshaping migration to the U.S.
Flooding and droughts drove them from their homes. Now they’re seeking a safe haven in New York
Data analysis found higher than average migration growth to the US from areas in Guatemala, Bangladesh and Senegal hit by repeated climate disasters.
floodlightnews.org
This is the largest liquefied natural gas export terminal in the nation. Last year, the Trump administration gave the Louisiana-based company permission to expand, despite ongoing legal challenges. floodlightnews.org/trump-fueled...
"Regardless of how you feel about a.i. itself or the way that it's being rolled out, one thing is inescapable. Despite tech companies making promises about renewable energy and sustainable technology, much of this massive a.i. expansion is still being powered by fossil fuels."
Floodlight@floodlightnews.org · 6d agoIn collaboration with PBS, we investigated one of the world’s largest AI data centers, using thermal drone footage to reveal the hidden pollution powering the AI boom.
The EPA operates 26 stations across the U.S. that monitor toxic air pollutants. How many are in Louisiana and Texas, two of the states with the nation's largest toxic emissions? Zero.
Louisiana communities are left in the dark on toxic air — and industry helped keep it that way
The state’s air monitors are often miles from its biggest polluters and residents have little way of knowing what they’re breathing. That’s no accident.
floodlightnews.org
In collaboration with PBS, we investigated one of the world’s largest AI data centers, using thermal drone footage to reveal the hidden pollution powering the AI boom.
We Saw What AI Data Centers Don't Want You to See
We investigated one of the world’s largest AI data centers, using thermal drone footage to reveal the hidden pollution powering the AI boom. As companies race to build the future of artificial…
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The Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project would run 70 miles from a nuclear plant in Pennsylvania through Maryland — just to serve Virginia data centers. At risk is 4,000+ acres of forests, farmland, and wildlife habitat.
As AI drives up electricity demand, rural residents get caught in the middle
A proposed transmission line could run through thousands of acres of protected land in Maryland. Locals say they’re being forced to bear the costs of out-of-state tech.
floodlightnews.org
Louisiana residents often have no way of knowing what toxic pollution they're breathing. Our investigation found the state's air monitoring network leaves major blind spots—and that industry spent years fighting efforts to fix them.
Louisiana communities are left in the dark on toxic air — and industry helped keep it that way
The state’s air monitors are often miles from its biggest polluters and residents have little way of knowing what they’re breathing. That’s no accident.
floodlightnews.org
Impressively thorough, nuanced reporting from @nytimes.com, @typeinvestigations.org and @floodlightnews.org: www.nytimes.com/2026/07/27/t...
How Meta Got Everything It Wanted in a Secret Louisiana Data Center Deal (Gift Article)
A Times examination details how the Silicon Valley giant used private talks with local officials to start a project big enough to cover nearly six square miles.
nytimes.com
At least 3,650 acres. That’s how large Meta’s Hyperion data center is expected to be in rural Louisiana. A Floodlight investigation found that one of the project’s biggest political supporters, State Sen. Jay Morris, was also making land deals around the development as it moved forward.
Louisiana senator helped secure Meta's largest data center. Then he sold the land beside it.
State senator John “Jay” Morris helped bring Meta’s Hyperion project to Richland Parish. Here’s what he did with his land — before and after Meta’s announcement.
floodlightnews.org
If you live near a Louisiana chemical plant, how do you know what you're breathing? We analyzed the state's air monitoring network and found major blind spots: • 10 of the biggest polluters have no nearby monitor. • Some of the most dangerous chemicals aren't measured at all.
‘A public health emergency waiting to occur’: how US industry groups spent years fighting who gets to measure toxic air
Air polluters try to ensure toxic emissions happen far from monitors – but the people who live nearby still feel it
theguardian.com
what a must-read piece. also, shout out to @gulfstatesnewsroom.bsky.social @typeinvestigations.org and @floodlightnews.org, credited by the NYT for the work they did on this topic well before this published
Brian Lyman@brianlyman.bsky.social · last wk.A lot of what-the-hell moments in this story, but building a data center in a floodplain in Louisiana is inviting the wrath of Poseidon.
In our collaboration with WIRED, Floodlight's Evan Simon reveals how Texas regulators are allowing AI data centers across the state to start up thousands of new pollution sources with no public notice or environmental reviews.
This permit, common for dry cleaners, is now being used to build AI power plants
Texas regulators are allowing AI data centers across the state to start up thousands of new pollution sources with no public notice or environmental reviews.
floodlightnews.org
One of Louisiana's biggest chemical plants emits a known carcinogen and chemicals that can damage the nervous system. The nearest air monitoring station doesn't test for any of them.
Louisiana communities are left in the dark on toxic air — and industry helped keep it that way
The state’s air monitors are often miles from its biggest polluters and residents have little way of knowing what they’re breathing. That’s no accident.
floodlightnews.org
This is Louisiana’s Isle de Jean Charles, a community lost to rising seas. 3 years after residents had to leave as part of America's first federally-funded climate relocation, they say the promised new homes have fallen short. Read more: floodlightnews.org/isle-de-jean...
We analyzed Louisiana's air monitoring system to see whether it's tracking pollution from the state's biggest industrial facilities. We found: 🏭 Major polluters with NO nearby public monitors ☣️ Dangerous chemicals the state doesn't measure 🏛️ Years of industry efforts to weaken public oversight
Louisiana communities are left in the dark on toxic air — and industry helped keep it that way
The state’s air monitors are often miles from its biggest polluters and residents have little way of knowing what they’re breathing. That’s no accident.
floodlightnews.org
A Louisiana state senator helped pave the way for Meta’s massive Hyperion project. At the same time, he and his business partners were buying and selling land around it.
Louisiana senator helped secure Meta's largest data center. Then he sold the land beside it.
State senator John “Jay” Morris helped bring Meta’s Hyperion project to Richland Parish. Here’s what he did with his land — before and after Meta’s announcement.
floodlightnews.org
If you live next to one of Louisiana's biggest polluters, there's a good chance no one is measuring what you're breathing. In a new collaboration with The Guardian and the Louisiana Illuminator, Floodlight investigates gaps in the state's air monitoring system:
‘A public health emergency waiting to occur’: how US industry groups spent years fighting who gets to measure toxic air
Air polluters try to ensure toxic emissions happen far from monitors – but the people who live nearby still feel it
theguardian.com
Louisiana has some of the highest toxic air pollution in the country. So why isn't it being properly measured? We analyzed the state's air monitoring network and found major gaps — then uncovered how the petrochemical industry fought efforts to close them.
Louisiana communities are left in the dark on toxic air — and industry helped keep it that way
The state’s air monitors are often miles from its biggest polluters and residents have little way of knowing what they’re breathing. That’s no accident.
floodlightnews.org
🧵 “I shut my mouth like they wanted me to,” said Kimbrelle Kyereh, who lives just a few hundred feet from the massive chemical storage tanks in St Rose, in south-eastern Louisiana. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
‘A public health emergency waiting to occur’: how US industry groups spent years fighting who gets to measure toxic air
Air polluters try to ensure toxic emissions happen far from monitors – but the people who live nearby still feel it
theguardian.com
A growing body of research reveals that America’s obsession with corn carries a steep price, contributing to a warming planet and widespread water contamination. Why? Because of how we grow it.
Corn’s clean-energy promise is clashing with its climate footprint
Corn dominates U.S. farmland and fuels the ethanol industry. But the fertilizer it relies on drives emissions and fouls drinking water.
floodlightnews.org
We rented a thermal drone to check whether Elon Musk’s AI company was following EPA rules. Here's what the camera picked up.
We Caught Elon Musk’s AI Data Center Defying Federal Law
Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company, xAI, is fueling its data centers with unpermitted gas turbines, according to a Floodlight visual investigation. Thermal drone footage captured in late…
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