News & Commentary

Proposed Settlement Aims to Clean Up Mercury in the Penobscot River Estuary

March 19, 2021 Expert BlogMaineNancy Marks

After two decades of litigation, a proposed consent decree from Maine People’s Alliance, NRDC, and Mallinckrodt US LLC could accelerate the recovery of Maine’s largest river.

South Florida’s Dirty Secret Is Oil

March 18, 2021 Expert BlogFloridaAlison Kelly

As many city dwellers flee states with cold winters and expensive costs of living looking to quarantine in this paradise, there is a dirty little secret lurking in the Florida swamp—impending oil development.

MT Rehashes Old Wildlife Debates Instead of Looking Forward

March 17, 2021 Expert BlogMontanaDr. Jennifer Sherry

Montana's leaders demonstrate disregard for ethics, modern hunting principles, and professional input on wildlife management.

Biden Can Protect Communities, Halt Mountain Valley Pipeline

March 9, 2021 Expert BlogWest Virginia, Virginia, North CarolinaAmy Mall

We have new leadership in Washington under President Biden, and his administration should take action to send the Mountain Valley Pipeline right where it belongs—into the dustbin of history.

NOAA Pressured to Take Emergency Action for Right Whales

March 5, 2021 Expert BlogUnited States, EastDr. Francine Kershaw

The proposed rulemaking to protect North Atlantic right whales from entanglement fails to meet the legal requirements set forth by the Marine Mammal Protection Act and must be immediately withdrawn for substantial revision.

UPDATED: Science, Polling Support NY Bill to Save Bees

March 3, 2021 Expert BlogNew YorkDaniel Raichel

Senator Brad Hoylman introduced new language today for the Birds and Bees Protection Act, a bill that would make the state a national leader in safeguarding its bees, birds, water, and people from widespread neonicotinoid pesticide contamination.

Fracking Banned in the Delaware River Basin!

February 25, 2021 Expert BlogNew York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, DelawareMarisa Guerrero, Kimberly Ong

The historic vote, made today by the Delaware River Basin Commission, signals a strong stance in favor of a fossil fuel–free future.

Black Walden Came First. Thoreau, After.

February 1, 2021 DispatchMassachusettsCourtney Lindwall

A little-known community of formerly enslaved Black residents in Concord, Massachusetts, took up home in Walden Woods long before Henry David Thoreau arrived. Today, local activists are working to ensure the stories of Black Walden stay alive.

Trump Administration Loosens Protection for Florida Wetlands

December 21, 2020 Expert BlogFloridaAlison Kelly

2020 is ending on a very low note for the environment in Florida, but there is still hope.

A New York Climate Justice Activist with Roots in the Blue Ridge Mountains

December 11, 2020 DispatchNew York City, Washington, D.C.Carmen Cusido

WE ACT’s director of environmental health and education, Taylor Morton, who found their path to environmental justice work through a childhood spent in nature, wants to help the next generation get outside without fear.

Why Florida Needs an Offshore Drilling Ban—One That’s Permanent

December 9, 2020 DispatchFloridaRobynne Boyd

While the state can take solace in the recent moratorium extension, its waters are still at risk from the devastating impacts of seismic testing.

No Evidence Protecting New England Ocean Gem Harmed Fishing

December 8, 2020 Expert BlogEast, United StatesBrad Sewell

This past June, President Trump rescinded the Monument’s commercial fishing prohibition, citing significant impacts on commercial fishing.

House Doubles Down on Pebble Mine

November 25, 2020 Expert BlogWashington, D.C., United StatesTaryn Kiekow Heimer

Leaders of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure requested records about the proposed Pebble Mine to determine whether Pebble executives duped Congress, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the public about the size and scope of the project.

The Story of Colonialism and Climate Change Told Through Centuries of Indigenous Artworks

November 24, 2020 PerspectivesNew York CityIngrid Abramovitch

Two exhibits at the Brooklyn Museum explore Native perceptions of nature and themselves.

Court Invalidates Pendley-Approved Resource Management Plans

October 20, 2020 Expert BlogMontanaAlison Kelly

A federal judge in Montana has set aside three resource management plans proposed by the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management.

Grizzly Bear Advisory Council Report Helps Chart Path Toward Recovery

October 15, 2020 Expert BlogMontanaZack Strong

Here is a summary of some of the report’s many forward-looking provisions.

Grizzly Bear Advisory Council Report Makes Strong Case Against Hunting

October 15, 2020 Expert BlogMontanaZack Strong

Its suggestions, if enacted, would meaningfully advance grizzly recovery in the state

Creating a New Normal for Wildlife on Highway 191

August 20, 2020 Expert BlogMontanaDr. Jennifer Sherry

Montana—a state with one of the highest rates of wildlife-vehicle collisions—is ripe with opportunity to facilitate safer travel for wildlife and people.

NRDC Sues Trump Administration, Again, to Protect the Gulf of Mexico Whale

July 28, 2020 Expert BlogEast, United StatesSamuel Eisenberg

After two successful lawsuits, the whale is federally recognized as being at risk of extinction—but the administration has failed to designate critical habitat for the species.

NRDC and Partners Sue—Again—Over Flawed Keystone XL Pipeline Approvals

July 15, 2020 Expert BlogMontana, United StatesNRDC

Despite losing in court multiple times, the Trump administration is continuing to try to push through the dirty tar sands pipeline.