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Aerial view of the National Petroleum Reserve in northwestern Alaska

The Biden Administration Protects Millions of Acres of Arctic Alaska

Latest NewsAlaskaJenny Shalant
The new Special Areas Rule in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska could boost biodiversity and empower Indigenous Peoples to defend the lands they’ve relied on for generations.
Two adults and a child walk along a sandy shoreline

“Forever Chemicals” Called PFAS Show Up in Your Food, Clothes, and Home

ExplainerUnited StatesMolly M. Ginty, Courtney Lindwall
These toxic chemicals are so common in consumer products and manufacturing that they’re everywhere—including inside our bodies.
A river with green trees on either side, with yellow hills in the background

In Planning for Climate Change, Native Americans Draw on the Past

ExplainerUnited States, CanadaTim Vanderpool
Across North America, Indigenous tribes and nations are consulting their traditional ecological knowledge to help prepare for a warming world.

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General Iron Looms Over the Return to School

Expert BlogChicagoGina Ramirez

As we gear up for another school year, there's a constant worry hanging over us: the possibility of the General Iron facility starting up just across the street from George Washington High School. 

A Tale of Two Capacity Auctions—and Still Too Much Coal

Expert BlogMidwest, IllinoisMeghan Hassett
A capacity price spike impacted Illinoisans’ electricity bills last June. What has MISO done to prevent it from happening again? It’s a mixed bag—with too many fossil fuels inside.

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.

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.

Q&A: Chicago Advocates on Equity in Decarbonization Policies

Expert BlogIllinois, Chicago, United StatesGina Ramirez

Courtney Hanson of People for Community Recovery and Yessenia Balcazar of Southeast Environmental Task Force talked with NRDC’s Gina Ramirez about the importance of Chicago introducing equitable building decarbonization polices that benefit its communities.

New Report Finds Electric Homes Can Save Chicagoans Money

Expert BlogIllinois, Chicago, United StatesThomas Siafa Jr., Valeria Rincon

A new report finds that Chicagoans can save roughly $11,000 to $24,000 over a 20-year time period by ditching expensive gas and fully electrifying their homes.

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…

Healthier Buildings as a Climate Solution for Chicago

Expert BlogChicagoGina Ramirez, Kyler Sumter

Communities of color must have a seat at the table as we come up with standards to remove emissions from our buildings and ultimately make them healthier to live in.

Chicago Moves Forward on Clean Buildings

Expert BlogChicagoValeria Rincon

The Energy Transformation Code requires all new buildings in the city to comply with the energy efficiency standards set by the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code and to be built with the electrical capacity and wiring necessary to switch to…

Why Illinois Has a Power Supply Crunch, and How to Fix It

Expert BlogIllinoisJ.C. Kibbey
Market forces have driven a lot of coal power offline in the past decade—but regulatory barriers and outdated thinking by some utilities has led to missed opportunities to expand affordable clean energy resources.

Oregon Looks to “Reach” Code for Energy, Carbon Savings

Expert BlogOregonRalph Cavanagh
Senate Bill 1518, to be considered during Oregon’s “short” February 2022 legislative session, is a critical pushback against the embedded lowest common denominator aspect of building codes when it comes to energy and climate.