News & Commentary

Getting the Lead Out of Yonkers Schools

April 2, 2020 DispatchYonkers, New YorkNicole Greenfield

When New York State pulled back the curtain on its school lead problem, Yonkers stood out as one of the worst performers.

Environment Tops List of NY Budget Negotiations

March 18, 2020 Expert BlogNew YorkRich Schrader

The environment—including the proposed Environmental Bond Act--is a top priority for New York State.

A Fearless Defender for Our Future

January 6, 2020 NRDC in ActionBoston, Washington, D.C., United StatesJeff Turrentine

President and CEO Gina McCarthy started out as a public health agent in small-town Massachusetts, rose to become head of the EPA under Obama, and now guides NRDC into its next chapter.

A Roadmap for Frontline Communities

December 15, 2019 NRDC in ActionWashington, D.C., United StatesJeff Turrentine

To address the growing climate impacts on low-income people and communities of color, NRDC signed on to a historic platform that seeks to create a future that benefits all.

Stand Up for Safe Drinking Water in New York State

September 9, 2019 Expert BlogNew YorkKimberly Ong

Get harmful chemical contaminants out of New York State's drinking water.

Still High Levels of Lead in Drinking Water in NYC Schools

August 20, 2019 Expert BlogNew York, New York CityJoan Leary Matthews

The New York City Department of Education posted the latest round data for a limited number of schools tested in 2018—one third of the schools in NYC.

NYS Paint Waste Bill Awaits Cuomo’s Finishing Touch

August 13, 2019 Expert BlogNew YorkEric A. Goldstein

Leftover paints—one of the more problematic items in the municipal waste stream—are likely to be fished out of millions of garages and basements from Montauk to Niagara Falls and disposed of properly, thanks to a forward-looking law recently passed by…

Food Service Companies Must Act Following New Climate Report

August 8, 2019 Expert BlogInternational, United States, New York, New York City, CaliforniaSujatha Bergen

A new report released by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change today is the third in six months from the world’s leading experts to show that rising to the challenge of the climate crisis will require not only…

2019: A Banner Year for the Environment in NYS

July 18, 2019 Expert BlogNew YorkRich Schrader, Jhena Vigrass

NRDC and our regional partners secured a broad array of environmental victories—from a statewide ban on plastic bags in grocery and retail stores to a far-reaching food waste recycling law to the most ambitious state climate law in the nation.

New York City Students Are Taking On Climate Change, Starting in the Lunchroom

June 24, 2019 DispatchNew York CityJessica Rodriguez

This fall, a Meatless Mondays initiative will go into effect across all 1,800 NYC public schools.

Climate Change Takes Fashion Week by Storm (and by Drought and by Fire . . .)

February 12, 2019 PerspectivesNew York City, United StatesCourtney Lindwall

Model, actor, and designer Luka Sabbat can make just about anything look good—even an air mask. Behold the future of fashion.

At Least 82 Percent of New York Public Schools Have a Lead Problem

November 15, 2018 DispatchNew York, New York CityNicole Greenfield

The state now requires its public schools to test their drinking water for lead. But few districts have made it clear how they’re addressing the troubles at their taps.

New York City Is Finally Cleaning Up Its Commercial Garbage Industry

October 17, 2018 DispatchNew York CityNicole Greenfield

A new waste equity law aims to remedy a decades-long injustice that has turned certain outer-borough neighborhoods into de facto dumping grounds.

When Art Mimics Highway Signage

October 9, 2018 PerspectivesNew York City, United StatesCourtney Lindwall

Caution: Climate change ahead.

How Can I Fix Mold and Lead Paint Issues in My House on a Small Budget?

July 9, 2018 ExplainerUnited States, New York City

Both problems pose significant health risks, but many people grappling with them can’t afford major renovations—and can’t move out. NRDC attorney Albert Huang shows us the range of solutions to consider.

Inside NYC’s Public Housing, Mold and Neglect Are a Dangerous Combo

June 25, 2018 DispatchNew York CityNicole Greenfield

The New York City Housing Authority has failed to comply with court orders to remedy unhealthy living conditions. But tenants and advocates refuse to let the nation’s biggest residential landlord off the hook.

Cuomo Must Protect NY Tap Water from Toxic PFOA Chemicals

May 22, 2018 Expert BlogNew YorkKimberly Ong

The state has the power to protect New Yorkers from these dangerous chemicals in our drinking water when EPA will not.

She Breathes In Pollution, and Fights It, in the Windy City

May 15, 2018 NRDC in ActionChicago, Illinois, Washington, D.C.Carmen Cusido

NRDC’s Gina Ramirez is helping to bring attention to the wafts of manganese dust that plague her family and neighbors on Chicago’s Southeast Side.

Saving Science in the Age of Trump

April 17, 2018 NRDC in ActionWashington, D.C., CaliforniaNicole Greenfield

The current administration’s suppression of data and information is unprecedented. But so are NRDC’s efforts to combat it.

Who Is Andrew Wheeler? (And Why You Should Be Afraid of Him)

April 13, 2018 ExplainerUnited States, Washington, D.C.Jeff Turrentine

If Scott Pruitt gets booted from his EPA post, his new deputy, a former coal-industry lobbyist, could take his place.