Media Center

California Passes Nation’s First Building Code that Establishes Pollution-free Electric Heat Pumps as Baseline Technology; Leads Transition Off of Fossil Fuels in New Homes

August 11, 2021 Press ReleaseCalifornia

A majority of the state’s new homes and buildings estimated to be gas-free starting in 2023, cutting climate pollution and delivering significant air quality gains

New analysis shows continuing declines in U.S. power sector air emissions—alongside jump in renewable generation

July 20, 2021 Press ReleaseUnited States

U.S. power sector carbon dioxide emissions fell 10% between 2019 and 2020 according to a new analysis released today. This is the largest year-over-year decrease since the Benchmarking Air Emissions of the 100 Largest Electric Power Producers in the United…

EPA to Consider Strengthening Health Protections for Soot Pollution

June 10, 2021 Press ReleaseUnited States

The Environmental Protection Agency today announced it will reconsider a December 2020 Trump administration refusal to strengthen National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for soot, noting that the current standards may not protect public health and welfare, as required under…

EPA’s Swift Move on HFCs to Deliver Huge Health and Climate Benefits

May 3, 2021 Press ReleaseUnited States

The Environmental Protection Agency proposed rules today to phase down the production and import of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) – the super potent heat-trapping pollutants used in air conditioning, refrigeration, and myriad other applications – by 85 percent over the next 15…

NRDC, Industry, Others Urge EPA to Curb Climate-Damaging HFCs

April 13, 2021 Press ReleaseUnited States

Environmental groups, the state of Colorado and industry associations today are urging the Environmental Protection Agency to quickly implement a major new climate law by restricting the use of super climate polluting hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in air conditioning, refrigeration, car air…

City of Chicago Calls for More Information on Controversial Metal Shredding Operation Move

March 15, 2021 Press ReleaseChicago

In response to a permit application for the controversial move of a notorious metal shredding operation to the Southeast Side, the Chicago Department of Public Health sent a deficiency letter today to Reserve Management Group (RMG) seeking further information and…

Groups Sue EPA Over Refusal to Strengthen Toxic Ozone Standards

February 11, 2021 Press ReleaseUnited States

NRDC (the Natural Resources Defense Council), together with thirteen health and environmental groups, half of them represented by Earthjustice, sued the Environmental Protection Agency today over air pollution standards. In a lawsuit in federal appeals court, the groups challenged the…

NRDC Sues to Block Trump’s Air Pollution Loophole

January 25, 2021 Press ReleaseUnited States

NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) and partners late Friday sued the Environmental Protection Agency to block a Trump-era policy allowing industrial facilities to significantly increase air pollution that endangers public health, including in communities of color overburdened by exposure to…

NRDC Sues EPA For Failing to Protect Public from Deadly Soot

January 19, 2021 Press ReleaseWashington, D.C.

NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) today sued the Trump Environmental Protection Agency to block a final rule that left in place the current unprotective federal limits on soot pollution and leaves thousands of people vulnerable to air pollution and breathing…

NRDC Sues EPA to Block Rule Exposing Public to More Toxic Pollution

January 19, 2021 Press ReleaseWashington, D.C.

NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) sued the Environmental Protection Agency Friday to block the agency’s rollback of the longstanding health protective policy known as “once in, always in.” The rollback would allow some of the country’s biggest polluters to produce…

EPA’s Gift to Polluters will Fuel Climate Crisis and Harm Health

January 8, 2021 Press ReleaseUnited States

In the last days of the Trump administration, the Environmental Protection Agency is expected to issue a rule today seeking to exempt some of the nation’s biggest polluters—including producers of oil and gas, chemicals, cement, steel and aluminum—from future Clean…

Groups Support Legal Action Calling for Oversight of Metal Shredding Facilities

January 8, 2021 Press ReleaseCalifornia

OAKLAND – Environmental justice and conservation groups filed an amicus brief today in calling on the California Department of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC) to regulate metal shredding facilities throughout the state.

EPA Retains Weak Smog Rule, Leaving Millions with Unsafe Air

December 23, 2020 Press ReleaseUnited States

The Environmental Protection Agency today finalized a rule keeping the current limits on smog in place, foregoing the opportunity to better protect the public, reduce asthma attacks and save thousands of lives with a stronger standard.

During Pandemic, EPA Aims to Undermine Clean Air Benefits

December 9, 2020 Press ReleaseUnited States

The Environmental Protection Agency today finalized a disingenuous way to calculate the costs and benefits of regulations under the Clean Air Act, aiming to limit EPA's future ability to adopt clean air health safeguards.

EPA Leaves Unsafe Health Standard for Soot Emissions in Place

December 7, 2020 Press ReleaseUnited States

The Trump Environmental Protection Agency today issued a final rule for soot pollution that leaves federal limits untouched, passing on the opportunity to save thousands of lives from pollution that harms the lungs and makes it harder to survive Covid-19.

NRC Moves to Issue Weak Uranium Mining Rules

October 23, 2020 Press ReleaseWest

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission took action yesterday to start work on a rulemaking that could prevent a future U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from ending the wanton contamination of groundwater across the Mountain West generated by uranium mining.

EPA Rollback Boosts Toxic Air Pollution and Health Risks Including Cancer

October 1, 2020 Press ReleaseUnited States

The Environmental Protection Agency is finalizing an environmental rollback that ends enforcement of a longstanding “once in, always in” toxic air pollution policy, which required industrial facilities to implement major pollution control measures as long as the plant is in…

Advocates Sue Los Angeles for Failure to Reduce Toxic Pollution in Diesel Death Zone

September 16, 2020 Press ReleaseLos Angeles

Charging the City of Los Angeles with failure to follow state environmental law, community and environmental groups filed suit in Superior Court to void the City Council’s recent certification of the Port of Los Angeles’ 2019 Supplemental Impact Report (2019…

Breakthrough Senate Bipartisan Plan Will Help Curb HFCs

September 10, 2020 Press ReleaseUnited States

Three leaders of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee today announced a bipartisan amendment to the Senate’s energy bill that would authorize, for the first time, a 15-year phase down of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), a potent climate pollutant used widely…

Chicago Southeast Side Residents to Mayor: Deny General Iron’s Move if You are Serious about Equity

July 27, 2020 Press ReleaseChicago

Chicago officials released a report over the weekend that highlights the disproportionate air pollution burden faced by the city’s communities of color in the South and West Sides and promised a new “reform agenda” in response.