Exposure Points: Episode One – Chemicals, Control, Data

In this first episode of Exposure Points, Stuart Day unpacks three stories shaping the future of energy, industry, and community health:

🔹 Chemours & PFAS – A new federal injunction orders Chemours to stop unlawful discharges of "forever chemicals" into the Ohio River. We trace this fight back to DuPont, Parkersburg, and the landmark C8 lawsuit.
🔹 Pennsylvania HB 502 – A proposed state bill that centralizes siting authority for large energy projects. What does it mean for local democracy, rural communities, and the future of renewable energy?
🔹 Data Centers – With AI driving explosive growth, data centers are projected to consume up to 12% of U.S. electricity by 2028. Millions of gallons of water, massive land footprints, and unsustainable heat loads raise questions few policymakers are asking.

At the heart of each story is the same theme: extraction disguised as progress.

Timestamps:
0:00 – Intro: What is Exposure Points?
2:35 – Chemours lawsuit & the legacy of DuPont
11:50 – Pennsylvania HB 502 and the fight over local authority
20:45 – Data centers and the limits of digital growth
30:30 – Closing: Why environmentalists have been right all along

Citations & Sources:
[Link to your citations blog page or doc]

About the Series
Exposure Points is a weekly solo series from Stuart Day, co-host of the Exposure podcast. Each week, we take 30–40 minutes to dig into the headlines around oil, gas, petrochemicals, energy, agriculture, and extractive industries—connecting dots, exposing contradictions, and asking what real sustainability would look like.

👉 Subscribe for more: [channel link]
📌 Follow the full Exposure podcast: [podcast link]
📌 Learn more about Ohio Valley Allies: ohiovalleyallies.org

Disclaimer:

Exposure is an editorial and investigative journalism platform produced by Ohio Valley Allies. The views and opinions expressed by hosts and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the organization or its affiliates.

Our mission is to investigate and document the impacts of extractive industries—including oil, gas, petrochemicals, and plastics—through in-depth interviews, research, and storytelling. We aim to expose the truth behind these industries' operations and consequences using good-faith inquiry, verified sources, and the protections afforded to journalists under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.

The content presented in this podcast is intended for informational, educational, and documentary purposes only. It should not be construed as legal advice, a call to action, or an endorsement of any specific viewpoint, protest, or organization.

We do not knowingly publish false or defamatory statements. All claims are based on publicly available information, firsthand accounts, expert interviews, or journalistic analysis. Where allegations or critical claims are made, we strive to provide context and sourcing.

We are committed to correcting material errors. If you believe a factual inaccuracy has occurred, please contact us at info@ohiovalleyallies.org for timely review and, if warranted, correction.

While Exposure covers controversial and high-stakes topics, we do so as journalists seeking transparency, accountability, and the free exchange of ideas—not as advocates for any political party, protest strategy, or legal action.

The Bhopal Disaster: A Corporate Crime That Never Ended

Nearly 40 years after the 1984 Bhopal gas disaster, survivors are still fighting for justice, clean water, and recognition. In this episode of Exposure, Jill and Stuart share first-hand accounts from survivors and draw chilling parallels to today's disasters, including the East Palestine train derailment.

This story is not just about a single night—it's about corporate impunity, regulatory capture, and the resilience of communities forced to defend themselves.

📖 Full blog + complete list of citations: [LINK TO BLOG]

🔹 Clarification Notes

00:01:28 – "the worst example of a petrochemical facility accident"
MIC is technically an intermediate chemical, but the Union Carbide plant was part of the petrochemical supply chain.

00:02:49 – "they've never really, truly gotten restitution"
Survivors did receive ~$500 payouts, but these have been widely criticized as inadequate.

00:06:10 – "The dangers of the gas were never really communicated to the community"
Amnesty International, ICJB, and ICMR confirm no effective community warning or emergency plan existed.

00:21:33–00:22:20 – "He fled India as soon as this happened…" (Warren Anderson)
Anderson was not in India when the disaster occurred; he flew in days later, was arrested, bailed, and left the country. He never returned.

00:22:20–00:22:52 – "He was quoted as saying that the people of Bhopal were being hypochondriacs"
Reported in The New Yorker (1986), citing the Wall Street Journal.

00:58:30 – "decisions that contributed to the murder of 15–25,000 people"
Safer phrasing: "contributed to the deaths of 15,000–25,000 people." Estimates come from ICMR and Amnesty International.

⚠️ Disclaimer

This episode is based on first-hand survivor testimony and our research into an event that occurred nearly 40 years ago in another country. While we have done our best to verify claims and ground the conversation in reliable sources, there are inherent limitations.

The Bhopal tragedy has generated an enormous volume of reporting and conflicting accounts over decades. The opinions expressed should be understood in this context.

Our goal is to amplify survivor voices, highlight well-documented facts, and explore broader patterns of industrial harm that remain relevant today.

Exposure is an editorial and investigative journalism platform produced by Ohio Valley Allies. The views and opinions expressed by hosts and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the organization or its affiliates.

Our mission is to investigate and document the impacts of extractive industries—including oil, gas, petrochemicals, and plastics—through in-depth interviews, research, and storytelling. We aim to expose the truth behind these industries' operations and consequences using good-faith inquiry, verified sources, and the protections afforded to journalists under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.

The content presented in this podcast is intended for informational, educational, and documentary purposes only. It should not be construed as legal advice, a call to action, or an endorsement of any specific viewpoint, protest, or organization.

We do not knowingly publish false or defamatory statements. All claims are based on publicly available information, firsthand accounts, expert interviews, or journalistic analysis. Where allegations or critical claims are made, we strive to provide context and sourcing.

We are committed to correcting material errors. If you believe a factual inaccuracy has occurred, please contact us at info@ohiovalleyallies.org for timely review and, if warranted, correction.

While Exposure covers controversial and high-stakes topics, we do so as journalists seeking transparency, accountability, and the free exchange of ideas.

In this episode of Exposure, Stuart and Jill talk with Brooke Christy, Equal Justice Works Fellow at Fair Shake Environmental Legal Services, about one of the most dangerous tools industries use to silence critics: SLAPP suits (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation).

Brooke explains how these lawsuits—often baseless—are designed to intimidate and bankrupt activists, journalists, and nonprofits by burying them in endless litigation. We explore high-profile cases, like HBO's John Oliver being sued by a coal executive, and the chilling effect these tactics have on free speech in Appalachia and beyond.

Fair Shake provides sliding-scale and pro-bono legal aid to communities across Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia, helping them defend their rights, review oil and gas leases, and engage in public processes before harm occurs.

This episode is both a warning and a guide: how to speak truth to power safely, how to document evidence, and why collective advocacy is the best defense.

👉 Learn more or seek help: fairshake-els.org

#SLAPPsuit #FreeSpeech #FairShake #ExposurePodcast #EnvironmentalJustice

Disclaimer:
Exposure is an editorial and investigative journalism platform produced by Ohio Valley Allies. The views and opinions expressed by hosts and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the organization or its affiliates.
Our mission is to investigate and document the impacts of extractive industries—including oil, gas, petrochemicals, and plastics—through in-depth interviews, research, and storytelling. We aim to expose the truth behind these industries' operations and consequences using good-faith inquiry, verified sources, and the protections afforded to journalists under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
The content presented in this podcast is intended for informational, educational, and documentary purposes only. It should not be construed as legal advice, a call to action, or an endorsement of any specific viewpoint, protest, or organization.
We do not knowingly publish false or defamatory statements. All claims are based on publicly available information, firsthand accounts, expert interviews, or journalistic analysis. Where allegations or critical claims are made, we strive to provide context and sourcing.
We are committed to correcting material errors. If you believe a factual inaccuracy has occurred, please contact us at info@ohiovalleyallies.org for timely review and, if warranted, correction.
While Exposure covers controversial and high-stakes topics, we do so as journalists seeking transparency, accountability, and the free exchange of ideas—not as advocates for any political party, protest strategy, or legal action.