Media Center

California Court Rules Kern County Oil, Gas Permitting Scheme Illegal

March 7, 2024 Press ReleaseFresno

A California appeals court ruled unanimously today that Kern County violated the law by using a flawed environmental review for its local oil and gas ordinance designed to fast-track permitting. This is the second time the court has ruled that…

Appellate Court Rules Port of LA Must Obey Environmental Law or Risk Closure of Largest Terminal

January 3, 2024 Press ReleaseLos Angeles

After decades of violating state environmental law to benefit its largest shipping customer, the Port of Los Angeles must take long-overdue measures to protect the health and well-being of residents and workers from diesel exhaust and other air pollutants, the…

Federal Appeals Court Rules Use of Antibiotic as Citrus Pesticide Is Unlawful, Vacates EPA Approval

December 13, 2023 Press ReleaseSan Francisco

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday ruled in favor of farmworkers and public-interest groups’ call for reversal of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) approval of the medically important antibiotic streptomycin as a pesticide on citrus crops.

“Staggering” Health Benefits from Replacing Lead Water Pipes Could Save as Much as $6 Billion in California from Avoided Health Impacts

October 25, 2023 Press ReleaseSacramento

Replacing every lead pipe that delivers drinking water to homes in California would yield as much as $6 billion dollars in avoided health costs, according to a new state-by-state analysis released today from NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council). “Getting the…

Governor Newsom Signs Bill to Protect Californians and Pollinators from Dangerous Neurotoxins

October 11, 2023 Press ReleaseSacramento

With the support of Governor Newsom and persistence from the state legislature, California has passed AB 363, which bans over the counter sales of lawn and garden neonicotinoid (neonic) pesticides by 2025, limiting their use to trained professionals. The bill…

Governor Newsom Stands Up to Big Oil, Protecting California Communities and Taxpayers

October 7, 2023 Press ReleaseSacramento

In a strong move to hold oil companies responsible for the economic and public health dangers of oil wells left idle and unplugged, Governor Gavin Newsom has signed AB 1167, the “Orphan Well Prevention Act,” into law. This bill, authored…

CA Department of Transportation Investments Fail to Align with State Climate Goals, New NRDC Report Finds

October 4, 2023 Press ReleaseSacramento

Analysis from Closing the Climate Investment Gap, a groundbreaking new report from NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) on California’s state transportation infrastructure investments, shows a distinct misalignment between budgetary allocations and the state’s overarching climate goals.

California Could Lose Hundreds of Millions of Dollars for Lead Contamination Protections (Again)

September 29, 2023 Press ReleaseSacramento

Public health and environmental organizations urged stronger State leadership in efforts to remove lead from drinking water infrastructure throughout California. In a support letter, the organizations called on the California State Water Resources Control Board to address the state’s disturbing…

Orphan Wells Bill Advances One Step Closer to Governor's Desk

September 14, 2023 Press ReleaseSacramento

California’s senate has approved AB 1167, a bill a by Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo called the Orphan Well Prevention Act, which NRDC and Environment California are sponsoring. The act is designed to intervene before oil wells become “orphaned” without a financially…

California Adopts Regulations to Combat Freight Pollution 

April 28, 2023 Press ReleaseSacramento

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) took strong action to combat freight pollution by adopting two regulations: the Advanced Clean Fleets Rule and the In-Use Locomotive Rule. These new rules will accelerate the transition towards zero-emission trucks and cut pollution…

Groups File Lawsuit to Require California to Regulate Pesticide-Treated Seeds 

February 21, 2023 Press ReleaseCalifornia

Legal challenge calls on state Department of Pesticide Regulation to close loophole on unregulated sale, use of pesticides on seeds.

NRDC Statement on Climate Smart CARB Appointments

January 31, 2023 Press ReleaseCalifornia

Governor Gavin Newsom appointed six members to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) late yesterday.

NRDC Report: Stronger California Heat Stress Rule Can Guide National Worker Protections Against Deadly Heat

September 14, 2022 Press ReleaseCalifornia

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As excessive heat fueled by climate change continues endangering millions of people nationwide, NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) today released a report showing that improvements to California’s 17-year-old outdoor worker heat stress rule—one of the nation’s oldest…

NRDC Statement on Passage of CA Diablo Canyon Extension Bill

September 1, 2022 Press ReleaseCalifornia

SACRAMENTO – The California Legislature sent Senate Bill 846, the Diablo Canyon powerplant: extension of operations bill (Sen Bill Dodd D-3,) to the governor’s desk. NRDC, along with Friends of the Earth and Environment California were lead signatories of the 2016…

Padilla, Chu Join Union Workers in Los Angeles to Push for Federal Heat Stress Protections

August 30, 2022 Press ReleaseLos Angeles

LOS ANGELES, CA — As temperatures soar to triple digits in areas of Southern California, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Representative Judy Chu (D-Calif.) were in Los Angeles today along with union representatives and workers to advocate for federal…

California Set to Transition to Clean Vehicles

August 24, 2022 Press ReleaseCalifornia

WASHINGTON, D.C. – California regulators are set to vote on the new Advanced Clean Cars program tomorrow, which would put the nation’s most populous state on the path to 100% emission-free car sales by 2035. California’s action will open the…

California Accelerates Transition to Clean Vehicles

April 13, 2022 Press ReleaseCalifornia

SACRAMENTO – California’s Air Resources Board proposed standards that would transition the state to 100% sales of zero-emitting vehicles by 2035--a plan that will protect drivers from high prices at the pump, cut health-harming air pollution, and help address the…

States Cleared to Curb Vehicle Pollution

March 9, 2022 Press ReleaseCalifornia, United States

WASHINGTON – The Environmental Protection Agency today reaffirmed California’s authority to set tailpipe emissions standards to address its public health and air-quality needs, and other states’ authority to adopt and enforce those standards.

Judge Rules to Include Community Group in State Lawsuit to Clean Up Chemical Manufacturing Plant

February 15, 2022 Press ReleaseCalifornia

SAN FRANCISCO – A judge ruled today that Communities for a Better Environment (CBE) can be a plaintiff-intervenor in a new lawsuit aimed at cleaning up a Bay Area chemical manufacturing plant today, brought by the California Department of Toxic…

Report: The Role of Uber and Lyft in Sustainable Cities

November 17, 2021 Press ReleaseCalifornia

SAN FRANCISCO — As office workers return to downtown areas, cities must tackle the traffic and pollution associated with Uber and Lyft, according to a new report and issue brief. Moving Forward: The Role of Transportation Networking Companies in a…