Pennsylvania Shell ethylene cracker plant

Shell Monaca Gets New Air Quality Approval — Weeks After $15 Million Pollution Settlement

Sep 26th, 2026
by John Donovan.
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Shell Monaca Gets New Air Quality Approval — Weeks After $15 Million Pollution Settlement

Shell’s giant plastics complex in Pennsylvania has received another significant environmental approval — just weeks after the company agreed to a $15 million settlement over air-quality violations at the same facility.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has issued Air Quality Plan Approval PA-04-00740D for Shell Polymers Monaca, the huge ethane-cracker and polyethylene complex in Beaver County.

On its face, this is a permit story.

Placed alongside the plant’s recent history, however, it becomes rather more interesting. read more

*This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan - more information here. There is also a Wikipedia segment, the Shell DPA Files, "Shell and the Spies", the Shell Leaks files, as well as books written and published by John Donovan - Kindle eBooks. Timeline of the Donovan Shell Feud. Toxic History of Royal Dutch Shell Group. Shell and the Donovans: The Full Media Record — 550+ Articles, 110 Books, 40 Years. *All created and supported by internet wizz, Nick Gill.

Shell’s $95 Million Monaca Explosion: US Safety Board Finds Preventable Hazards Behind Furnace Blas

Sep 16th, 2026
by John Donovan.
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The US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) has completed its investigation into the June 4, 2025 explosion and fire at Shell Polymers Monaca in Pennsylvania, an incident that caused extensive damage to the giant petrochemical complex and could, under slightly different circumstances, have had far more serious consequences.

The central finding is troubling: a known potentially catastrophic hazard was being controlled largely through procedures and human intervention when an engineered safeguard could have provided a stronger line of defence. read more

*This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan - more information here. There is also a Wikipedia segment, the Shell DPA Files, "Shell and the Spies", the Shell Leaks files, as well as books written and published by John Donovan - Kindle eBooks. Timeline of the Donovan Shell Feud. Toxic History of Royal Dutch Shell Group. Shell and the Donovans: The Full Media Record — 550+ Articles, 110 Books, 40 Years. *All created and supported by internet wizz, Nick Gill.

Shell’s $15 Billion Plastic Dream: Emissions Data Suggests Pennsylvania’s Mega-Cracker Is Still Belching Trouble

Mar 8th, 2026
by admin.
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Shell’s flagship petrochemical complex in western Pennsylvania was supposed to be a triumph — a $15-billion monument to America’s shale-gas renaissance, turning cheap fracked ethane into the plastic pellets that fill everything from shampoo bottles to supermarket packaging.

Instead, the plant has become something closer to an industrial case study in how difficult it is to run one of the largest plastics factories in the United States without repeatedly running afoul of emissions rules, regulatory scrutiny, and increasingly irritated neighbours. read more

*This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan - more information here. There is also a Wikipedia segment, the Shell DPA Files, "Shell and the Spies", the Shell Leaks files, as well as books written and published by John Donovan - Kindle eBooks. Timeline of the Donovan Shell Feud. Toxic History of Royal Dutch Shell Group. Shell and the Donovans: The Full Media Record — 550+ Articles, 110 Books, 40 Years. *All created and supported by internet wizz, Nick Gill.

Shell’s Plastic Palace: Beaver County Gets the Smog, Investors Get the Bill

Oct 2nd, 2025
by John Donovan.
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Shell once promised its $14 billion petrochemical plant in Monaca, Pennsylvania would transform Beaver County into a growth engine. The reality? An economic lemon wrapped in a PR puff piece.

The Hype Machine

In local press, Shell amplified claims that Beaver County’s population was rebounding thanks to its shiny new “cracker” plant. Trouble is, those claims came from cherry-picked data with “no statistical reliability”, according to Times Online.

The truth: Beaver County has lost 9% of its residents since 1980. Shell’s arrival hasn’t changed the trend. What has grown? Plastic pellets, truck traffic, and community scepticism.

The Financial Meltdown

The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) lays it bare: read more

*This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan - more information here. There is also a Wikipedia segment, the Shell DPA Files, "Shell and the Spies", the Shell Leaks files, as well as books written and published by John Donovan - Kindle eBooks. Timeline of the Donovan Shell Feud. Toxic History of Royal Dutch Shell Group. Shell and the Donovans: The Full Media Record — 550+ Articles, 110 Books, 40 Years. *All created and supported by internet wizz, Nick Gill.

Shell’s Plastic-Fueled Pollution Parade: Toxic Air, Missing Fines, and Deafening Silence

Aug 6th, 2025
by admin.
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Six fresh Clean Air Act violations and nearly 50 since 2022, but hey—no worries! Shell’s just too busy torching plastic profits and ignoring your lungs.

Oh look—Shell’s back at it again. This time, not with an oil spill, a reserve scandal, or yet another shareholder payday funded by planetary collapse. No, this time the royal court jester of fossil capitalism is serving up a toxic buffet of formaldehyde, benzene, nitrogen oxides, toluene, and everyone’s favourite: fine particulate matter. All courtesy of its shiny new ethane cracker plant in Beaver County, Pennsylvania.

Yes, Shell Polymers Monaca—built to turn fracked gas from the Marcellus Shale into billions of plastic pellets that the ocean will never digest—is exceeding Clean Air Act limits like it’s a competitive sport. Six high-priority violations already this year. That’s right—high-priority, according to the actual U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, meaning Shell’s antics are so egregious they warrant special scrutiny. But you wouldn’t know it if you lived nearby. read more

*This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan - more information here. There is also a Wikipedia segment, the Shell DPA Files, "Shell and the Spies", the Shell Leaks files, as well as books written and published by John Donovan - Kindle eBooks. Timeline of the Donovan Shell Feud. Toxic History of Royal Dutch Shell Group. Shell and the Donovans: The Full Media Record — 550+ Articles, 110 Books, 40 Years. *All created and supported by internet wizz, Nick Gill.

How Shell Showed Contempt for the Planet – and Got Tax Breaks for It

Jun 11th, 2025
by admin.
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Behold the Shell Pennsylvania Petrochemicals Complex: a billion-dollar plastic-spewing behemoth where climate pledges come to die, and carcinogens go to party. Nestled in the rolling green of Potter Township, this petrochemical monster—cheerily dubbed “Shell Polymers Monaca”—is Shell’s love letter to deregulation, tax holidays, and fossil-fueled hypocrisy.

Built with the subtlety of a Bond villain lair and $1.65 billion in public subsidies (yes, you read that right), the plant turns fracked gas from the Marcellus Shale into over a million tons of plastic pellets per year. Because when Shell talks about “the energy transition,” what they really mean is transitioning the planet into a floating garbage patch. read more

*This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan - more information here. There is also a Wikipedia segment, the Shell DPA Files, "Shell and the Spies", the Shell Leaks files, as well as books written and published by John Donovan - Kindle eBooks. Timeline of the Donovan Shell Feud. Toxic History of Royal Dutch Shell Group. Shell and the Donovans: The Full Media Record — 550+ Articles, 110 Books, 40 Years. *All created and supported by internet wizz, Nick Gill.

Shell Games: When Explosions, Carcinogens, and Tax Breaks Are Just Business as Usual

Jun 6th, 2025
by admin.
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By The Fossil-Fuel Files Editorial Team

Stop the presses—but not the pollution. Shell, that gentle guardian of our planet’s health (sarcasm so thick it’s practically a fossil fuel), has once again blessed us with a “minor incident” at its Pennsylvania ethane cracker, because what’s a little benzene and 1,3-butadiene between friends?

On June 4th, at approximately 2:20 p.m., Shell’s Potter Township petrochemical playground went boom. Smoke billowed from furnace unit number five, sending plumes of “nothing to worry about” into the atmosphere. Shell, of course, handled the matter with all the calm precision of a fire brigade at an arsonists’ convention. They evacuated 15 employees, reported one heat-related injury, and called it a day. read more

*This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan - more information here. There is also a Wikipedia segment, the Shell DPA Files, "Shell and the Spies", the Shell Leaks files, as well as books written and published by John Donovan - Kindle eBooks. Timeline of the Donovan Shell Feud. Toxic History of Royal Dutch Shell Group. Shell and the Donovans: The Full Media Record — 550+ Articles, 110 Books, 40 Years. *All created and supported by internet wizz, Nick Gill.

Shell’s Plastic Palace of Lies: Welcome to the Cocoon of Corporate Greed

Apr 8th, 2025
by admin.
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Pennsylvania Got a Toxic Temple Instead of Jobs — But Hey, BlackRock’s Still Cashing Dividends

Somewhere along the Ohio River, Shell built its shining monument to climate denial and capitalist overkill: an ethane cracker plant that turns fracked gas into plastic — because what the world clearly needs right now is more plastic.

Locals were promised an economic renaissance. What they got instead?

Foul air, poisoned water, 33 environmental violations, and the scent of yet another Shell masterclass in corporate betrayal.

“I have to live in a cocoon year-round,”

said local resident Nadine Luci, who probably didn’t envision her American Dream involving respiratory issues, constant dread, and chemically laced air fresheners. read more

*This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan - more information here. There is also a Wikipedia segment, the Shell DPA Files, "Shell and the Spies", the Shell Leaks files, as well as books written and published by John Donovan - Kindle eBooks. Timeline of the Donovan Shell Feud. Toxic History of Royal Dutch Shell Group. Shell and the Donovans: The Full Media Record — 550+ Articles, 110 Books, 40 Years. *All created and supported by internet wizz, Nick Gill.

Shell’s Toxic Playground: Pennsylvania’s Lucky Residents Get a Front-Row Seat to Pollution

Mar 3rd, 2025
by admin.
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Who Needs Clean Air When You Can Have Plastic?

Great news, everyone! If you live near Shell’s monstrous petrochemical complex in western Pennsylvania, you now have a fun new website to track the toxins floating through your air! That’s right—thanks to Shell repeatedly violating its air pollution permit (because following basic environmental laws is just too much to ask), a local advocacy group has launched a real-time air monitoring project to let residents know exactly what kind of filth they’re breathing in.

The Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community (BCMAC) has introduced “Eyes on Air”, a website displaying data from five new air monitors placed near Shell’s plastic-churning nightmare in Monaca, Pennsylvania. The monitors continuously track particulate matter, benzene, toluene, and other delightful air pollutants, giving residents real-time insights on whether it’s safe to step outside—or if today’s air is best enjoyed through a gas mask. read more

*This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan - more information here. There is also a Wikipedia segment, the Shell DPA Files, "Shell and the Spies", the Shell Leaks files, as well as books written and published by John Donovan - Kindle eBooks. Timeline of the Donovan Shell Feud. Toxic History of Royal Dutch Shell Group. Shell and the Donovans: The Full Media Record — 550+ Articles, 110 Books, 40 Years. *All created and supported by internet wizz, Nick Gill.

Shell’s Petrochemical Wonderland: Where Headaches and Noxious Fumes Are on the House!

Sep 7th, 2024
by John Donovan.
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…the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has received an avalanche of calls from other residents who are tired of headaches, choking fumes, and lights so bright they could signal aliens from space.

Posted by John Donovan: 7 Sept 2024

Shell is back at it again—this time, delighting the residents of Monaca, Pennsylvania, with the gift of “noxious odors” and toxic dust wafting in from their well-maintained petrochemical plant. Nothing says “neighborly” like a little ethane cracker plant next door, churning out ethylene for plastics, resins, and whatever else Shell can sell, all while making life hell for those within sniffing distance.

In a lawsuit filed by Flynn, a local resident, it seems Shell’s operation has turned the neighborhood into a dystopian nightmare of foul smells, migraine-inducing noise, and flaring lights that rival a Vegas casino—except, here, the jackpot is pollution. According to the amended 20-page complaint, Shell has been about as good at controlling emissions as they are at pretending to care about the environment. The suit claims that since the Monaca plant opened in 2019, it’s been a festival of failures, with Shell regularly releasing clouds of contaminant-laced gases into the air. Neighbors have had to suffer through “odiferous” smells so bad they make the garbage dump down the road smell like a lavender field. read more

*This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan - more information here. There is also a Wikipedia segment, the Shell DPA Files, "Shell and the Spies", the Shell Leaks files, as well as books written and published by John Donovan - Kindle eBooks. Timeline of the Donovan Shell Feud. Toxic History of Royal Dutch Shell Group. Shell and the Donovans: The Full Media Record — 550+ Articles, 110 Books, 40 Years. *All created and supported by internet wizz, Nick Gill.

Shell’s $15 Billion Toxic Playground: Polluting, Malfunctioning, and Gaslighting All in a Day’s Work!

Aug 13th, 2024
by John Donovan.
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Let’s not forget, folks, that Shell is the poster child of a “sin stock”—a term lovingly reserved for companies that make their money from ethically questionable industries. Oil, tobacco, gambling—you get the picture. But unlike the other players in this moral cesspool, Shell manages to wrap its environmental crimes in a veneer of corporate social responsibility.

Posted by John Donovan: 13 August 2024

Ah, Shell. The global behemoth known for its relentless pursuit of profit at the expense of our environment and, let’s face it, basic human decency. Their latest misadventure? A shiny new $15 billion petrochemical plant in Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Now, you’d think when you drop that kind of cash on a plant, you’d at least make sure the damn thing works, right? But nope! Shell, in its infinite wisdom, decided to kick off operations with a flurry of equipment malfunctions and emissions that would make even the most hardened polluters blush. read more

*This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan - more information here. There is also a Wikipedia segment, the Shell DPA Files, "Shell and the Spies", the Shell Leaks files, as well as books written and published by John Donovan - Kindle eBooks. Timeline of the Donovan Shell Feud. Toxic History of Royal Dutch Shell Group. Shell and the Donovans: The Full Media Record — 550+ Articles, 110 Books, 40 Years. *All created and supported by internet wizz, Nick Gill.

Shell’s New Hell Factory in Pennsylvania: Residents Basking in the Glow of Deadly Carcinogens

Jun 28th, 2024
by John Donovan.
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Posted by John Donovan: 28 June 2024

Welcome to Beaver County, Pennsylvania, where Shell’s ethane cracker plant has turned the community into a living nightmare. Residents are now basking in the glow of carcinogens and other delightful chemicals that can cause blood disorders, convulsions, and breathing problems. Some folks have even fled the area.

Well, well, well, what do we have here? Shell, the beloved corporate villain, has once again proven that it’s never too late to outdo itself in the race to the bottom. Welcome to Beaver County, Pennsylvania, where Shell’s ethane cracker plant has turned the community into a living nightmare. Who could’ve guessed? Oh, wait – everyone.

What’s Happening?

In a dazzling display of corporate gaslighting, Shell promised Beaver County that its ethane cracker plant would be a magical land of employment, tax revenue, and economic bliss. So, Pennsylvania, in its infinite wisdom, handed Shell a cool $1.65 billion to set up shop. Fast forward two years, and surprise! The plant has racked up 23 violations of air quality and clean water standards, like a delinquent teenager collecting detention slips. read more

*This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan - more information here. There is also a Wikipedia segment, the Shell DPA Files, "Shell and the Spies", the Shell Leaks files, as well as books written and published by John Donovan - Kindle eBooks. Timeline of the Donovan Shell Feud. Toxic History of Royal Dutch Shell Group. Shell and the Donovans: The Full Media Record — 550+ Articles, 110 Books, 40 Years. *All created and supported by internet wizz, Nick Gill.

Shell’s Generosity: Funding Air Monitors to Track Their Own Pollution

Jun 7th, 2024
by John Donovan.
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Posted 7 June 2024 by John Donovan

Pennsylvania Shell ethylene cracker plant

In a stunning display of corporate altruism, Shell, the benevolent oil giant known for its tender care of the environment, has graciously agreed to part with over $630,000. This sum, a mere trifle from the $10 million in penalties they’ve amassed, will be used by environmental watchdog groups to install five real-time air monitors throughout Beaver County. Because, you know, it’s easier just to keep track of how much pollution you’re breathing in rather than stop polluting.

The Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community (BCMAC) is partnering with the Environmental Health Project to deploy these monitors. According to a Monday news release, the goal is to “analyze, visualize and interpret the data collected from these monitors to help community members understand where the air pollution is coming from and what health outcomes they may expect.” Translation: “Let’s help you pinpoint exactly how Shell’s pollution is killing you.”

BCMAC will also “provide community education about air pollution and the health impacts associated with exposure to emissions from petrochemical facilities.” This initiative stems from activists’ long-standing demand for increased monitoring near Shell’s ethane cracker plant, which started operations in late 2022. Ah yes, education – because knowing you’re being poisoned is half the battle. read more

*This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan - more information here. There is also a Wikipedia segment, the Shell DPA Files, "Shell and the Spies", the Shell Leaks files, as well as books written and published by John Donovan - Kindle eBooks. Timeline of the Donovan Shell Feud. Toxic History of Royal Dutch Shell Group. Shell and the Donovans: The Full Media Record — 550+ Articles, 110 Books, 40 Years. *All created and supported by internet wizz, Nick Gill.

Shell Shovels Plastic into Pittsburgh’s Rivers!

May 16th, 2024
by John Donovan.
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The Shell plant sits on a site oozing with legacy contaminants like zinc, thallium, and aluminium. These nasties are happily leaching into the Ohio River.

POSTED BY JOHN DONOVAN: 16 MAY 2024

Once a month for nearly two years, Evan Clark, the Waterkeeper at Three Rivers Waterkeeper, has heroically boated along the Ohio River to Shell’s monstrous new plastics plant in Beaver County. This beast of a facility cranks out up to 1.6 million tons of plastic per year, thanks to the magic of fracked gas. Clark’s mission? To spot the devilish little plastic pellets known as nurdles and keep tabs on the plant’s wastewater outfalls. Spoiler alert: It’s not pretty.

Since the plant’s grand debut in the fall of 2022, Clark has detected strong chemical odours at the outfalls—red flags for contaminants like volatile organic compounds (VOCs). And the nurdles? He’s found them by the truckload. These tiny plastic fiends, used to make everything from soda bottles to car parts, are flooding the riverbanks. read more

*This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan - more information here. There is also a Wikipedia segment, the Shell DPA Files, "Shell and the Spies", the Shell Leaks files, as well as books written and published by John Donovan - Kindle eBooks. Timeline of the Donovan Shell Feud. Toxic History of Royal Dutch Shell Group. Shell and the Donovans: The Full Media Record — 550+ Articles, 110 Books, 40 Years. *All created and supported by internet wizz, Nick Gill.

Shell’s Latest Masterpiece: The Monaca Meltdown

May 16th, 2024
by John Donovan.
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As Shell continues its relentless pollution, the true cost of their operations becomes clearer. The $12 million in fines they’ve paid so far is a mere drop in the ocean for a company that raked in $28 billion in profits in 2023. For Shell, pollution fines are just the cost of doing business—a cost that’s far too easy to pay.

Posted by John Donovan: 16 May 2024

Shell’s Monaca Monster: Beaver County’s New Worst Neighbour

When Jackie Shock-Stewart and her husband Matt Stewart moved to Beaver County, Pennsylvania in 2014, they were blissfully unaware that a petrochemical apocalypse was looming over their picturesque suburban paradise. Fast forward to 2016, and Shell decided to gift the county with a shiny new ethane cracker plant—a monstrous facility dedicated to churning out millions of tons of plastic and polluting the Ohio River. What a delightful surprise! read more

*This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan - more information here. There is also a Wikipedia segment, the Shell DPA Files, "Shell and the Spies", the Shell Leaks files, as well as books written and published by John Donovan - Kindle eBooks. Timeline of the Donovan Shell Feud. Toxic History of Royal Dutch Shell Group. Shell and the Donovans: The Full Media Record — 550+ Articles, 110 Books, 40 Years. *All created and supported by internet wizz, Nick Gill.

Shell’s Falcon Pipeline: A Symphony of Environmental Disregard Hits Sour Note with Pennsylvania AG

Apr 23rd, 2024
by John Donovan.
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Former employees spilled the beans faster than Shell spills drilling mud. One brave soul, Sean Larson, dared to speak up and got shown the door quicker than you can say “transparency.”

Posted by John Donovan: 23 April 2024

Pennsylvania’s Attorney General has had it up to here with Shell Pipeline Co.’s shenanigans. They’ve been charged not once, not twice, but a whopping 13 times with violating Pennsylvania’s Clean Streams Law. Why? Oh, just for repeatedly treating our precious environment like a trash can during the construction of their precious Falcon Pipeline.

Attorney General Michelle Henry isn’t mincing her words, folks. She’s dropping those charges faster than you can say “environmental catastrophe.” Shell apparently had a grand old time “forgetting” to mention all those pesky spills of industrial waste during their little construction project. You know, just your typical “whoopsie daisy” moments where drilling mud—yeah, the stuff they use to keep things slippery—somehow found its way into streams and wetlands. But hey, who cares about wetlands, right? read more

*This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan - more information here. There is also a Wikipedia segment, the Shell DPA Files, "Shell and the Spies", the Shell Leaks files, as well as books written and published by John Donovan - Kindle eBooks. Timeline of the Donovan Shell Feud. Toxic History of Royal Dutch Shell Group. Shell and the Donovans: The Full Media Record — 550+ Articles, 110 Books, 40 Years. *All created and supported by internet wizz, Nick Gill.
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