Issues: Environmental Justice

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New Orleans Environmental Quality Test Results
Analysis

Results of NRDC's monitoring for mold, contaminated soil, particulates and other substances of health concern in the New Orleans area following Hurricane Katrina.

Rebuilding New Orleans
Overview

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, a team of health and environmental specialists from NRDC has been working with the people of New Orleans to ensure their safe recovery from the disaster.

Katrina’s Wake: Arsenic-Laced Schools and Playgrounds Put New Orleans Children at Risk
Issue Paper

When Hurricane Katrina tore through New Orleans in August 2005, the levee failures inundated the city -- particularly its most vulnerable neighborhoods -- with a hazardous sea of fuel, sewage and chemicals. Two years after the storm, a team of researchers from NRDC, working in partnership with local community groups, has found that hazardous levels of arsenic are still present in the soil at several locations in New Orleans -- including schools, playgrounds and residential areas. This August 2007 issue paper reveals that people in New Orleans are still returning home to communities that have not been adequately cleaned up, and offers solutions on a federal and local level for charting a safer course for New Orleans.

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Beach Pollution
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ

Answers to questions including: How widespread is beach pollution? What are the major causes of beach pollution? Can swimming in polluted water make you sick?

Testing the Waters 2009
A Guide to Water Quality at Vacation Beaches
Report

NRDC's annual survey of water quality and public notification at U.S. beaches finds that pollution caused the number of beach closings and advisories to hit their fourth-highest level in the 19-year history of the report. The number of 2008 closing and advisory days at ocean, bay and Great Lakes beaches topped 20,000 for the fourth consecutive year, confirming that our nation's beaches continue to suffer from serious water pollution that puts swimmers at risk. The 2009 survey is based on information reported for 2008.

Water Quality at U.S. Beaches
How to find out whether state and local authorities test for beach pollution, and what they do if they find it.
Guide

Wondering how clean the water is at your favorite vacation spot? Finding an answer can be tricky. Beach testing and closing/health advisory practices vary from beach to beach and state to state. Even when states and localities perform tests, they don't always notify the public or close beaches when bacteria levels in the water exceed health standards. Learn how you can try to check the safety of your favorite beach before you head out for a swim.

Picturing Smart Growth
Visions for Sustainable Communities Across America
Guide

Cities and towns across the country are embracing smart growth as a better solution to meet the needs of their growing populations. Smart growth principles accommodate growth and development while saving open space, revitalizing neighborhoods and helping cool the planet. See visions created through photo-editing software for how 70 communities across the country could apply smart growth principles and improve their streets and neighborhoods.

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