Eyes on Pollution Reporting Hotline

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FracTracker Mobile App Toolkit

BCMAC’s Eyes on Pollution Campaign

This toolkit helps residents understand and use the FracTracker mobile app to report pollution, explore nearby oil and gas infrastructure, and hold polluters accountable. You can check out BCMAC's Eyes on Pollution campaign here.

What is the FracTracker App?

The FracTracker app is a free tool that allows users to:

  • View oil and gas infrastructure near them
  • Upload and submit pollution reports (photos, videos, notes)
  • Send those reports directly to regulators like the PA-DEP
  • Track patterns and community-submitted incidents to build pressure for action

📽️ Watch the video intro

How to Access the App

What Does the Map Show?

FracTracker’s map includes:

  • Oil & gas wells
  • Compressor stations
  • Pipelines 
  • Ethylene cracker plants
  • Disposal sites 
  • Ports, terminals, and more

It also includes user-submitted reports—you can explore your neighbors’ concerns and contribute your own.

How to Submit a Report

  1. Click “Submit a Report”
  2. Add the incident’s date, location, and description
  3. Attach photos or videos if possible (Reports with documentation have greater impact!)
  4. Select the appropriate industry category
  5. IMPORTANT: In the dropdown, select
    “Yes, file report to regulators” to send your report straight to PA-DEP

Industry Category Guide 

When you’re asked what industry your report is related to, use this category guide to find the right fit:

COMPRESSOR STATIONS

These are categorized under Compressor Stations because they pressurize natural gas to keep it moving through pipelines – a key part of fracking infrastructure:

  • Pike Compressor Station (ETC Northeast / Energy Transfer): Part of the Revolution Pipeline system; located in New Sewickley Township and permitted for air emissions under Pennsylvania’s Title V program.
  • Energy Transfer Compressor Station: Also tied to the Revolution Pipeline; located on Freedom-Crider Road in New Sewickley Township, built to move gas toward a Washington County processing plant.
  • EGTS Compressor Station (Eastern Gas Transmission & Storage): Located in North Sewickley Township and part of a larger system transporting fracked gas across state lines.

DISPOSAL SITES

These are categorized under Disposal Sites because they store, treat, or dispose of industrial waste, hazardous materials, or fossil fuel byproducts:

  • Brunner Landfill: Located in New Sewickley Township, this site accepts municipal, construction, and industrial waste – including some from the oil and gas industry.
  • Little Blue Run Coal Ash Impoundment: This massive unlined coal ash pond straddles Greene Township in Beaver County, PA, and Hancock County, WV. It was used for decades to store toxic waste from FirstEnergy’s Bruce Mansfield coal-fired power plant. Though it stopped receiving waste in 2016, the site continues to pose a threat to groundwater, air quality, and nearby residents due to contamination and ongoing closure challenges.
  • Arcwood Environmental (formerly Heritage Thermal): Located just across the river in East Liverpool, Ohio, this commercial hazardous waste incinerator has a long history of burning toxic industrial waste – including from the oil, gas, and plastics industries. The facility has come under fire for burning aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), a firefighting foam that contains PFAS (forever chemicals) known to cause serious health problems. Today, the facility continues to burn PFAS waste, raising concerns about toxic air pollution drifting into nearby communities – including those in Beaver County.

PETROCHEMICAL PLANTS

These facilities are all considered Petrochemical Plants because their pollution comes from making chemicals or plastics using fossil fuel-based ingredients:

  • Shell Plastics Plant: Turns fracked gas into plastic pellets – a major petrochemical operation.
  • Styropek: Makes polystyrene foam from petrochemicals like styrene.
  • BASF: Produces chemical additives used in plastics and industrial materials.
  • VEKA: Manufactures vinyl window frames using PVC, which releases fumes during processing.
  • Sherwin-Williams: Makes paints and coatings using petrochemical-based solvents.

PIPELINES

These are categorized under Pipelines because they transport natural gas liquids (NGLs) from fracking sites to processing plants or export terminals:

  • Falcon Pipeline: Built by Shell to carry ethane from fracked gas wells directly to the Shell plastics plant in Potter Township.
  • Mariner East Pipeline System: Transports NGLs like ethane, propane, and butane across the state to a shipping hub near Philadelphia.
  • Revolution Pipeline: Carries natural gas and NGLs through Beaver County to a processing plant – it exploded in 2018, destroying homes and raising serious safety concerns.

These facilities are categorized under Pipelines because they make parts used in oil and gas infrastructure – like drilling sites, pipelines, and petrochemical plants:

  • Tenaris Koppel: Makes steel pipes used to transport oil and gas.
  • Swagelok Processing Co: Makes valves, fittings, and tubing used in fracking sites, refineries, and petrochemical plants.

POWER PLANTS

This is categorized under Power Plants because it generates electricity using nuclear energy – which doesn’t burn fossil fuels but carries its own risks:

  • Beaver Valley Nuclear Power Station: Located in Shippingport, this plant uses nuclear fission to generate nearly 2,000 megawatts of electricity. It doesn’t emit greenhouse gases, but it produces radioactive waste and poses long-term safety concerns for surrounding communities.

TRANSPORTATION

These should be categorized under Transportation because they involve the movement of hazardous materials – like petrochemicals and liquefied natural gas – by rail, truck, or barge through and around Beaver County:

  • Railroad Incidents: Trains carrying flammable and toxic chemicals pass through Beaver County daily. These shipments pose major risks in the event of a derailment, spill, or explosion – especially in areas near schools, homes, and rivers.
  • Truck Incidents: Tanker trucks transport petrochemical products on local roads and highways, increasing the risk of crashes, spills, and chemical exposure along heavily trafficked routes.
  • Barge Incidents: Barges carry oil, gas, and petrochemicals on the Ohio River, posing threats to drinking water, aquatic ecosystems, and riverfront towns if a spill or collision occurs.
  • East Palestine Train Derailment: In 2023, a Norfolk Southern train carrying toxic chemicals – including vinyl chloride – derailed and caught fire just across the border in East Palestine, Ohio. If you’re still experiencing impacts or have unresolved complaints related to the derailment, you can submit a report under “Transportation.”

Troubleshooting

  • Can’t see a facility? Try zooming in or checking back later—data is updated frequently.
  • App not working? Make sure your internet connection is stable. Still stuck? Email: support@fractracker.org