In Depth Articles

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

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.

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.

After Katrina: New Solutions for Safe Communities and a Secure Energy Future
Report

The devastation and human suffering left behind by Hurricane Katrina has given America a task not faced since the Chicago fire, San Francisco earthquake, or perhaps even the Civil War -- the challenge of rebuilding one of its major cities. This September 2005 NRDC report represents the combined efforts of our best experts on public health, toxic waste, urban design, coastal protection, energy security and global warming to offer up a set of policies and practices to protect the safety and well-being of Gulf Coast residents -- and all Americans -- today, during the recovery period, and onward into a healthier, more sustainable future.

Hidden Danger
Report

Pollution in the United States poses health risks for everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, language, or country of origin. A large percentage of U.S. Latinos, however, live and work in urban and agricultural areas where they face heightened danger of exposure to air pollution, unsafe drinking water, pesticides, and lead and mercury contamination. These hazards can cause serious health problems, including an increased risk of asthma and cancer; waterborne diseases such as giardiasis, hepatitis, and cholera; and neurological and developmental problems. This October 2004 NRDC report underscores the urgent need for government action on these environmental health threats.