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A New Pathway to a Western Grid

Expert BlogWest, Colorado, Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Montana, Utah, WyomingKelsie Gomanie

Pathways Initiative approves two-step approach to create independent governance for a west-wide electricity market.

Biden Administration Must Redo Its Assessment of Dakota Access Pipeline

Expert BlogNorth Dakota, South DakotaDr. Michele Bustamante, Amy Mall, Dr. Matthew McKinzie, Dr. Jennifer Sass, Dawn Woodard

The recent Draft Environmental Impact Statement ignores the threats to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s drinking water source and violates tribal treaty rights and sovereignty in a severe environmental injustice.

Western Electricity Grid Is Entering Its Day-Ahead Market Era

Expert BlogWest, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, WashingtonKelsie Gomanie

NRDC is working with stakeholders to safeguard consumer interests and environmental protections as utilities from California to the Great Plains weigh proposals to share energy resources through an organized market.

Rate Increases and Blackouts: Duke Energy’s Strategy for 2023

Expert BlogNorth Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, EastLuis Martinez
Duke failed to keep the lights on last December, but it is now pursuing enormous rate increases of more than 30 percent to help pay for fossil fuels and huge executive salary raises.

New Program Will Help Ensure Reliable Electricity in the West

Expert BlogCanada, Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, WestKelsie Gomanie
The Western Resource Adequacy Program (WRAP) is designed to provide benefits for customers, utilities, and the environment.

The Race to Organize Energy Markets in the Western U.S. Is On

Expert BlogArizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, WyomingKelsie Gomanie
A western regional transmission organization would spur the development of clean electricity sources and lower costs for consumers.

Equitable Building Decarbonization Across the Country: 2022

Expert BlogCalifornia, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, OregonCaroline Keicher, Joe O'Brien-Applegate
Policies and programs aimed at new construction and existing buildings continue to gain traction as communities and elected officials realize the feasibility and benefits of ambitious and equity-centered action.

The Clean Energy Future: How We Get There Matters

Expert BlogNorth Carolina, United StatesDr. Anna Reade, Dr. Katie Pelch

A clean and sustainable energy future is needed for addressing climate change, but how we get there matters. In the midst of global efforts to clean up and eliminate the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”), Chemours is doubling…

A $3 Billion Milestone for the Western Grid

Expert BlogUnited States, California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Idaho, Utah, Montana, Wyoming, WestKelsie Gomanie

After a year of record-breaking heat waves, drought, and flooding, add to that list some good news for the Western United States: The Western Energy Imbalance Market (WEIM) is positioned to surpass $3 billion in cumulative benefits by the end…

Advancing Environmental Justice - Forty Years Later

Expert BlogNorth CarolinaDawone Robinson

EPA Administrator Michael Regan hosted an event in Warren County, North Carolina and announced the creation of a new national office dedicated to the advancement of environmental justice across the country.

Preserving Oregon's Economy-wide Cap on Carbon Emissions

Expert BlogOregon, California, WestRalph Cavanagh

Oregon’s Environmental Quality Commission adopted the second state-level economy-wide carbon cap in the country (in December 2021), after California’s. The resulting Climate Protection Program (CPP) relies on the state’s sovereign authority to regulate environmental hazards, and on supporting authority under…

Heat Stress Is Killing Workers. States Can Protect Them.

ExplainerUnited States, California, Oregon, FloridaNicole Greenfield
As climate change continues to progress, workers don’t have years to wait for federal rules. So local advocates are helping states create their own.

Duke Energy’s Actions Matter More Than Its Words

Expert BlogNorth CarolinaLuis Martinez, Jossie Steinberg
Given Duke Energy’s track record and current actions, we have to look behind the curtain on its clean energy claims in the Carolinas Carbon Plan.

EPA: It’s Time to Act. We need Clean Trucks Now

Expert BlogUnited States, California, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Oregon, WashingtonPatricio Portillo, Heather Kryczka
Cutting tailpipe emissions and moving to zero emission vehicles can eliminate the diesel fumes causing childhood asthma, emergency room visits, and loss of life.

Portland Acts on Climate, Equity with Parking Fee

Expert BlogPortland (Oregon), OregonElizabeth Stampe, Sarah Elkotbeid

The city has passed a resolution to generate revenue by increasing parking rates to better capture the true cost of driving—to climate and communities—and use the revenue to bring greater equity to the transportation system.