In Depth Articles

Benchmarking Air Emissions of the 100 Largest Electric Power Producers in the U.S. - 2006
Report

The Benchmarking project uses public data to compare the emissions performance of the 100 largest power producers in the United States. The sortable databases provided here contain emissions data for four power plant pollutants: sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury and carbon dioxide. The information presented here was compiled and analyzed in collaboration by NRDC; Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (PSEG), a New Jersey-based electric utility; Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), a California-based energy utility; and CERES, a national coalition of environmental and investor groups.

Back from the Brink
Policy Papers

September 2007 marks the 20th anniversary of the world’s most effective environmental treaty -- the Montreal Protocol. Back from the Brink: How NRDC Helped Save the Ozone Layer describes how a team of NRDC scientists and lawyers played a crucial role in creating this landmark environmental protection.

Harboring Pollution: The Dirty Truth about U.S. Ports
Report

Marine ports in the United States are major hubs of economic activity and major sources of pollution. This March 2004 report by NRDC and the Coalition for Clean Air assesses efforts at the 10 largest U.S. ports to control pollution, and provides an overview of policy and practical pollution mitigation recommendations. For more detailed analysis and technical recommendations, see the August 2004 report, Harboring Pollution: Strategies to Clean Up U.S. Ports, which contains practical strategies and policies for port operators, regulatory agencies and community-based organizations to reduce harmful pollution.

Dirty Skies
Testimony

Presented as testimony by John Walke, director of NRDC's clean air program, before U.S. Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works, Hearing on S. 131, the "Clear Skies Act of 2005," February 2, 2005.

Harboring Pollution: Strategies to Clean Up U.S. Ports
Report

U.S. seaports are the largest and most poorly regulated sources of urban pollution in the country. This August 2004 report by NRDC and the Coalition for Clean Air provides practical strategies and policies for port operators, regulatory agencies, and community-based organizations to reduce health-endangering air and water pollution, noise and light pollution that disrupts communities near ports, and harm to marine habitats. The report also provides information on the health effects of pollution from ports and a comprehensive overview of policies governing U.S. marine ports. A companion report, Harboring Pollution: The Dirty Truth about U.S. Ports, grades the activities of the ten largest U.S. ports in the areas of air and water quality, land use, and community relations.

The Bush Administration's Air Pollution Policies
Index

This index collects NRDC documents that bear on the Bush administration's dismal record on clean air issues.

Green Diesel: Fact or Fiction?
Fact Sheet

This March 2002 analysis separates fact from fiction on so-called "green" diesel trucks and buses. While two new studies appear to show that "green" diesel is as clean or even cleaner than compressed natural gas, the studies don't offer a true apples-to-apples comparison. The truth is that today's exhaust-control technology still doesn't eliminate all the air pollution and ill effects of diesel combustion, and it hasn't yet been tested under real world conditions.

The Environmental Impacts of the World Trade Center Attacks
Report

The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, perhaps the worst episode in the history of New York City, also created a significant environmental health emergency. This February 2002 report examines the facts regarding both the environmental impacts of the attacks and the response of government officials to the ensuing environmental emergency. It also sets forth recommendations for improving New York's readiness for future environmental health emergencies.

"Harmonizing the Clean Air Act with Our Nation's Energy Policy"
Testimony

Presented before the Senate Subcommittee on Clean Air, Wetlands, Private Property, and Nuclear Safety (Committee on Environment and Public Works) by David Hawkins, directory of NRDC's air and energy program, March 21, 2001.

Preventing Industrial Pollution at its Source
Report

A report detailing a project undertaken by NRDC, Dow Chemical, and a group of five community activists to reduce waste and emissions at Dow's Midland, Michigan, chemical manufacturing plant. The project, begun in late 1996 and completed in April 1999, aimed to achieve 35 percent reductions in pollution emission through pollution prevention -- manufacturing process improvements that decrease waste before it is generated. The project exceeded that goal, achieving emissions reductions of 43 percent.

Breath-taking
Report

Excerpts from a groundbreaking May 1996 NRDC report on premature mortality due to particulate air pollution in 239 American cities.

See the NRDC Policy Solutions section for more expert analysis of environmental issues. You may also wish to view the working materials in the NRDC Document Bank