News & Commentary

Montanans Find Their Scenery More Precious Than Copper or Gold

August 15, 2018 DispatchMontanaLora Shinn

Environmentalists, the recreation industry, and lovers of the state’s great outdoors push back against new mine developments threatening their waters.

Court: EPA Must Regulate Harmful Runoff Pollution in L.A.

August 13, 2018 Expert BlogLos AngelesBecky Hammer

A federal district court in Los Angeles has ordered the EPA to regulate harmful runoff pollution from commercial, industrial, and institutional sites in two Southern California watersheds.

Court Sides with Science, Children’s Health on Chlorpyrifos

August 10, 2018 Expert BlogMiriam Rotkin-Ellman

After decades of advocacy and thousands of scientific studies, chlorpyrifos—the toxic pesticide linked to learning disabilities in children—may finally be headed to the history books, with a court ruling the EPA must finalize its proposed ban within 60 days.

Study: Pesticides May Pose Greater Risk to Marine Mammals

August 10, 2018 Expert BlogUnited StatesStacy Woods

A new publication in the journal Science shows manatees and other vulnerable marine and semi-aquatic mammals lack a critical line of biological defense against chlorpyrifos and other pesticides.

Victory! Court Orders the EPA to Finalize a Ban on Chlorpyrifos

August 9, 2018 Expert BlogNRDC

The agency broke the law by continuing to allow use of the toxic pesticide despite scientific proof that the chemical harms children’s developing brains.

What Would a Monsanto–Bayer Merger Really Grow?

August 6, 2018 Latest NewsUnited StatesCourtney Lindwall

It would boost our dependence on pesticides, seed costs for small farmers, grocery bills for American families, and population losses for butterflies and bees.

The Warning Lights Are Flashing for California’s Once-Glorious Salton Sea

August 6, 2018 DispatchCaliforniaStarre Vartan

Since this giant salty lake in the desert lost its water supply, its bird habitat has been shrinking and more toxic dust is wafting up from its dry lake bed. Can the Salton Sea be saved?

Hot Talk in 2018’s Climate Summer

August 3, 2018 Expert BlogJuanita Constible

Our summers are getting crazy hot. But we can minimize the health harms of heat by establishing safeguards for vulnerable groups and tackling the root cause of rising temperatures: carbon pollution.

Weakening Car Pollution Rules: This May Be Trump’s Dumbest Rollback Yet

August 3, 2018 Latest NewsUnited StatesJeff Turrentine

The president wants to relax national fuel efficiency standards and bully states into scuttling their own plans for lower emissions and cleaner air.

Will Shifting to Reusable Straws Really Make a Difference?

August 1, 2018 ExplainerUnited States, International

NRDC’s Eric Goldstein gives the scoop on the latest environmental villain and explains why plastic straws really are a big menace to our oceans.

It’s the 21st Century—Alabamans Shouldn’t Have to Worry About Hookworms

July 30, 2018 DispatchAlabamaNicole Greenfield

In Lowndes County, raw sewage is backing up into homes, flooding yards, and giving rise to long-eradicated parasites.

CA Finds Widespread Risk from Pesticide Toxic to Kids

July 30, 2018 Expert BlogMiriam Rotkin-Ellman

Today, California’s Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) added to the growing body of science raising the alarm about the dangers of the pesticide chlorpyrifos and took one step closer to getting it out of the state’s fields and orchards.

These New Jerseyans Want to Bring “Bomb Trains” to a Halt

July 23, 2018 DispatchNew JerseyNicole Greenfield

Trains carrying combustible crude oil barrel on rickety rails through the Garden State, threatening the safety of millions of people—and their drinking water—every single day.

We Could Do a Lot More to Regulate Fracking

July 18, 2018 ExplainerUnited States

Lax monitoring of the country’s fracking boom does little to allay concerns about the air, water, and health impacts of this oil and gas extraction method.

Three Ways Andrew Wheeler Can Help Restore the EPA’s Dignity and Mission

July 13, 2018 Latest NewsUnited StatesJeff Turrentine

Scott Pruitt is out—but can the new EPA chief escape Pruitt’s shadow of endless scandals, incompetence, and corruption?

California Hasn’t Come Clean About Its Water Use During the Drought

July 11, 2018 DispatchCaliforniaCorey Binns

Farms drink up a majority of the state’s water supply, but the details are murky. Most of the largest irrigation districts aren’t reporting how much water they delivered to farmers.

Small Water Systems in Puerto Rico Badly Affected by Maria

July 11, 2018 Expert BlogMekela Panditharatne

Assessments show that nearly half of Puerto Rico's small, independent water systems—that serve about 89,100 people—suffered from a significant deterioration in operational capacity several months after the storm, in some cases leading to a total inability to deliver water to…

Chile’s River Protector Network Rejects Alto Maipo Complex

July 9, 2018 Expert BlogJames Blair

Water scarcity has become a mounting crisis in Chile. The country has been ranked as one of the most prone to water stress in the Western Hemisphere. Despite its reputation as one of the region’s advanced economies, Chile lacks an…

Chemical Disaster Prevention Repeal Will Harm EJ Communities

July 9, 2018 Expert BlogSara Imperiale

The 2016 amendments to the Risk Management Plan required industry sectors most responsible for deaths, injuries, and other damage from chemical disasters to evaluate and consider safer technologies and alternatives to reduce risk to workers, communities, and first responders before…

How Can I Fix Mold and Lead Paint Issues in My House on a Small Budget?

July 9, 2018 ExplainerUnited States, New York City

Both problems pose significant health risks, but many people grappling with them can’t afford major renovations—and can’t move out. NRDC attorney Albert Huang shows us the range of solutions to consider.