News: Media Center

NRDC: Dirty Fuels Have No Place in Bailout Deal
WASHINGTON (October 2, 2008) - Today, Karen Wayland, Legislative Director for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), issued the following statement regarding the inclusion of tax incentives for dirty fuels in the economic recovery package: "Dirty fuels -- like oil shale, tar sands and liquid coal -- have no business in a clean energy package, and they certainly don't belong in the economic bailout bill. Taxpayers are already paying a high price for the current economic crisis, and they shouldn't have to pay more to Big Oil and its allies. Despite important incentives for clean, renewable energy, Congress is taking a step backward by assisting the producers of dirty, expensive and inefficient fuels."

California Law Will Reduce Climate Pollution Through Better Transportation and Land Use
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (September 30, 2008) – California’s historic endeavor to solve global warming got a major boost today when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a landmark law to reduce vehicle pollution through better transportation and land use planning, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and California League of Conservation Voters (CLCV). The conservation groups, which co-sponsored the law, hailed SB 375 as the missing piece of the climate pollution puzzle.

Critical California Port Pollution Bill Vetoed
SACRAMENTO (October 1, 2008) – In a move leaving millions of Californians without a comprehensive solution for combating lethal port-induced air pollution, Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed Senate Bill 974 (Lowenthal), a bill that would have generated urgently needed revenue to reduce air pollution and alleviate congestion along port corridors.

Historic Clean Trucks Plans Roll Through Ports of LA and Long Beach
LOS ANGELES (October 1, 2008) – Today, more than 2,000 of the most polluting diesel trucks will no longer service the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach thanks to a five-year Clean Trucks Program to replace nearly 17,000 diesel trucks with an EPA 2007 compliant fleet.

NRDC: Setback to Clean Energy Future Must be Reversed
WASHINGTON (September 30, 2008) -- Today, the bans on offshore drilling and oil shale expire, the result of a Continuing Resolution that Congress passed last week. The moratoria include a 26-year ban on offshore drilling and a two-year moratorium on leasing land for oil shale production. Both will do nothing to advance a clean energy future for the United States, according to experts at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

Major Mercury Protection Law Passes Congress, Will Prevent Exports
WASHINGTON (September 29, 2008) -- Critical legislation that will help protect Americans and people around the world from mercury poisoning by banning the export of elemental mercury from the United States was passed by Congress today, according to scientists and policy experts at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

Landmark U.S. Global Warming Plan for Power Plants Launches
NEW YORK (September 25, 2008) – In a landmark move to build a clean energy economy and cut global warming pollution, Northeastern states today kicked off the world’s first emissions trading market that will promote efficiency and cut pollution from power plants. The new approach will reduce carbon dioxide pollution to a level 10 percent below current emissions by 2019, while rewarding smart companies that outperform new pollution limits and lowering energy costs for consumers.

NRDC Joins Aviation, Energy and Academic Leaders to Accelerate Development and Availability of Sustainable Biofuels
WASHINGTON (September 25, 2008) – The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has joined Boeing (NYSE:BA), some of the world’s leading airlines, and Honeywell’s UOP, a refining technology developer to establish a group that will accelerate the development and commercialization of sustainable new aviation fuels.

Keystone Pipeline Suit Shifts Towards Local Efforts and New Refineries
Washington, D.C. (September 23, 2008) – A lawsuit against the State Department over the environmental impacts of a proposed tar sand oil pipeline was modified in court filings this week as a pair of the original plaintiffs step away from the case. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) amended its complaint in the case, which challenges the validity of the legally-required environmental impact statement for the Keystone Pipeline.

NRDC Urges Governor to Sign Bills to Reduce Global Warming and Ports Pollution
SAN FRANCISCO (September 23, 2008) – With California’s record budget stalemate finally resolved, the governor has until September 30th to sign or veto this year’s environmental legislation. Particularly deserving of his signature are two groundbreaking bills championed by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) to reduce global warming pollution through better land use planning (SB 375) and to fund ports air pollution reductions through a fee on shipping containers (SB 974), according to NRDC.