News & Commentary

House Climate Crisis Action Plan Gets a Lot Right on Biomass

July 9, 2020 Expert BlogNorth CarolinaSasha Stashwick

Established science now shows that burning biomass from forests for electricity is not a climate solution within timeframes relevant to addressing climate change. The Select Committee’s plan recognizes this science and squarely positions its policies in contrast to those of…

Why Illinois Needs a New “Normal”

July 8, 2020 Expert BlogIllinoisJ.C. Kibbey

Illinois can’t go back to the old “normal,” but as we recover from coronavirus, we can chart a new path forward that centers equity and sustainability.

Pritzker, Lightfoot: Stop Passing the Buck on Enviro Justice

July 8, 2020 Expert BlogChicagoMeleah Geertsma

On June 25, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (“IEPA”) granted an air permit that will enable the relocation of a notorious metal shredding operation from Chicago’s wealthy and largely white Lincoln Park to the Southeast Side environmental justice community. In…

In Landmark Victory for Indigenous Communities, Dakota Access Pipeline Ordered to Shut Down

July 7, 2020 Expert BlogNorth Dakota, South Dakota, IowaNRDC

The dangerous crude oil pipeline threatened the water supplies and ways of life for the Standing Rock Sioux tribe. The win underscores the power of dogged defense by Indigenous groups and conservationists, as well as the importance of the National…

Developers Abandon the Atlantic Coast Pipeline for Good

July 6, 2020 Expert BlogWest Virginia, Virginia, North CarolinaNRDC

The decision is a landmark win for those who saw the polluting project as a threat to waterways, wildlife, the climate, and vulnerable communities.

Three Lessons Learned from the Axed Atlantic Coast Pipeline

July 6, 2020 Expert BlogVirginia, West Virginia, North CarolinaGillian Giannetti

This is a significant and long-overdue victory for the landowners, community leaders, countless people across three states, and environmental advocates who have fought this project for years.

Pollution Strikes Again on the Southeast Side

July 2, 2020 Expert BlogChicagoGina Ramirez

The EPA has begun remediation of another nearby ballfield, this time because of shockingly high levels of lead and arsenic in the soil that require immediate removal.

Don't Bring General Iron's Mess Down to the Southeast Side

June 9, 2020 Expert BlogChicagoGina Ramirez

Despite the links between air pollution and higher rates of COVID-19 deaths, Chicago’s most vulnerable are still being put in harm's way by the city’s dirtiest industrial facilities.

Chicago River Flooding a Clear Sign of Bigger Issues to Come

May 19, 2020 Expert BlogChicagoKaren Hobbs

Who says you can't see climate change? Flooding all over Chicago, including rivers running backwards and bringing huge volumes of sewage to Lake Michigan, are a troubling reminder of growing infrastructure stresses that threaten the region.

Huge Win for Standing Rock and the National Environmental Policy Act

March 25, 2020 Expert BlogNorth Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, IllinoisDan West, Dr. Jennifer Sass

A federal court orders the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to write a full environmental impact statement for the Dakota Access Pipeline.

Charlotte Gets Its Moment in the Sun with New Solar Project

February 25, 2020 Expert BlogCharlotteIrene Nielson

Charlotte's city council voted to approve a new utility-scale solar project that will supply 25% of municipal energy.

NC's Missing the Big Picture on Climate Resilience

December 11, 2019 Expert BlogNorth CarolinaRob Moore

NC is applying for $168 million from HUD's CDBG-MIT fund. But NC is proposing to focus on a narrow range of projects and missing the larger opportunity to use these funds to make much-needed changes to a range of local…

When in Rome: Good News but More to Do for Montreal Protocol

November 19, 2019 Expert BlogMontrealAlex Hillbrand

Blueprint of a Buyout: Des Plaines, Illinois

October 7, 2019 Expert BlogUnited States, IllinoisAnna Weber

The City of Des Plaines has purchased 68 flood-prone homes, but not without extensive time and effort between multiple local, state, and federal agencies.

Energy Efficiency Day in IL: Celebrating EE in CEJA

October 2, 2019 Expert BlogUnited States, IllinoisLaura Goldberg

Blueprint of a Buyout: Charlotte/Mecklenburg County, North Carolina

September 19, 2019 Expert BlogUnited States, North CarolinaAnna Weber

Locally funded buyouts in North Carolina can move faster than traditional programs - could this be an option for more communities?

Artists and Climate Week at EXPO Chicago

September 17, 2019 Expert BlogUnited States, ChicagoAndrew Wetzler

During Climate Week, NRDC's partnership with Moscow’s Garage Museum of Contemporary Art will mobilize action on climate change at EXPO Chicago.

Dorian, Florence, Etc: The World at One Degree of Warming

September 10, 2019 Expert BlogNorth Carolina, South CarolinaRob Moore

Recent flooding and hurricanes have made it clear that climate change is a clear and present danger.

With Dorian, NC Faces Same Hog Waste Threat as in Florence

September 5, 2019 Expert BlogNorth CarolinaValerie Baron

As Hurricane Dorian approaches a year later, not much has improved for North Carolinians since Hurricanes Florence and Michael.

Something in the North Carolina Farm Act Stinks

August 29, 2019 Expert BlogNorth CarolinaValerie Baron

The bill contains sneaky giveaways to big agribusiness buried deep within the legislative text.