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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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Congress Responds to the Biden Administration’s Commonsense LNG Decision

Expert BlogUnited States, International, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, TexasAlexandra Adams

Not long after the administration’s pause on permits, the fossil fuel industry—and its supporters in Congress—pulled out all the stops to oppose the decision and spread misinformation. 

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.

How the American Rescue Plan Can Transform Chicago

Expert BlogIllinois, ChicagoGina Ramirez
From reducing pollution burden to reducing gas bills, the Recovery Plan represents an opportunity for Chicago to reach its emissions reductions goals while improving lives.

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.

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.

The Next Chapter in the Climate Fight for Chicago

Expert BlogChicagoValeria Rincon
Chicago just released a new Climate Action Plan this week that lays out its long-term strategy for how to address some of the biggest climate challenges facing the third-largest city in the country.

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.

NRDC Sets Region Specific Water Targets for Each Office

Expert BlogUnited States, New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Bozeman, Beijing, San Francisco, Santa MonicaMaria McCain

NRDC has seen a steady decline in total water usage institution-wide and has taken steps to advance water stewardship.

Nurses Wanted in a City Long Plagued by Coal Plant Pollution

DispatchPeoriaMaudlyne Ihejirika
Through efforts to train a more diverse pool of nurses and create family-sustaining careers, workforce leaders in Peoria, Illinois, are jump-starting their economy and addressing the inequities of the past.

Putting Pembroke’s Priorities Above a Gas Giveaway

Expert BlogIllinoisAmulya Yerrapotu

Nicor Gas is currently pushing a gas line extension bill to foist costly and dangerous fossil fuel energy onto Pembroke—one of Illinois’s last remaining historical Black farming communities—for decades to come.