News & Commentary

Meet the activists and NRDC staff propelling change, read our expert analysis, and learn about the latest challenges and solutions to advancing a healthier, more sustainable, and equitable world.

Aerial view of the National Petroleum Reserve in northwestern Alaska

The Biden Administration Protects Millions of Acres of Arctic Alaska

April 19, 2024 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

April 10, 2024 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

March 11, 2024 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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Read about activists tackling climate justice and other environmental causes in their communities and beyond.

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Discover intersectional viewpoints from activists and artists on the environmental issues of the moment.

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NRDC Sues FERC over Unlawful Jordan Cove LNG Project

May 28, 2020 Expert BlogOregonAnn Alexander, Gillian Giannetti

The liquefied natural gas terminal in Oregon is massively misguided, destructive, and politically driven—so we’re fighting to stop it.

Expand the DAPL? Only Illinois Stands in the Way

May 5, 2020 DispatchIllinois, North Dakota, South DakotaSusan Cosier

Environmental advocates are fighting a proposal to double the amount of crude oil flowing through the pipeline.

The Revitalization of This Former Coal Town Starts Now

April 1, 2020 NRDC in ActionPeoria, IllinoisNicole Greenfield

Following a landmark settlement agreement, $8.6 million will be invested back into projects that uplift the community of Peoria, Illinois, where a dirty coal plant is scheduled to close by the end of 2022.

Huge Win for Standing Rock and the National Environmental Policy Act

March 25, 2020 Expert BlogNorth Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, IllinoisDan West, Dr. Jennifer Sass

A federal court orders the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to write a full environmental impact statement for the Dakota Access Pipeline.

This Is What a Just Transition Looks Like

March 2, 2020 ExplainerUnited States, Peoria, IllinoisBrian Palmer

To help a community leave its dirty energy economy behind, advocates must fight for local representation, equity, and retraining that prepares workers for high-quality jobs.

With Family Roots in the Mines, He’s Championing Illinois’s Clean Energy Future

January 31, 2020 NRDC in ActionMichigan, Illinois, Chicago, PeoriaNicole Greenfield

With grassroots groups and other partners, J. C. Kibbey is fighting for one of the country’s most ambitious climate bills—and a just transition away from coal.

Up in Smoke: Oregon Wildfires Cost Billions in Health Harms

October 2, 2019 Expert BlogUnited States, OregonJuanita Constible, Dr. Vijay Limaye

New research sheds light on the health costs of climate change.

The Bomb Train Derailment That Sparked a Resistance in the Columbia River Gorge

September 30, 2019 DispatchOregon, CanadaLora Shinn

The fossil fuel industry maintains a strong presence in the Pacific Northwest thanks to its international export activity. But ever since a dangerous rail accident in 2016, local residents have served as a fierce check on its growth.

Artists and Climate Week at EXPO Chicago

September 17, 2019 Expert BlogUnited States, ChicagoAndrew Wetzler

During Climate Week, NRDC's partnership with Moscow’s Garage Museum of Contemporary Art will mobilize action on climate change at EXPO Chicago.

As Coal Dies, Impacted Illinois Communities Need Support

August 26, 2019 Expert BlogIllinoisJ.C. Kibbey

Four Illinois coal plants are closing, following a national trend. Workers and nearby communities need resources for just transition.

Illinois: Fossil Fuel–Free by 2050?

May 1, 2019 DispatchIllinoisSusan Cosier

Two new bills could put the Prairie State on the path to 100 percent renewable energy within decades.

The Desire to Stop Canadian Tar Sands Transcends Borders

January 10, 2019 NRDC in ActionAlberta, Canada, Nebraska, Chicago, IllinoisNicole Greenfield

For more than a decade, NRDC has worked with indigenous communities in Alberta, U.S.-based grassroots groups, and intergovernmental bodies to halt the expansion of dirty tar sands oil.

In the Pacific Northwest, Testing Out New Wildfire Defenses on the Front Lines

October 30, 2018 DispatchWest, Washington, OregonLora Shinn

Where quick-spreading fires are the “new normal,” some state officials and communities are willing to try whatever it takes to prevent—or better prepare for—the next big blaze.

Illinois Has One Wild and Scenic River—and It’s Contaminated With Coal Ash

August 22, 2018 DispatchIllinoisSusan Cosier

Canoers, kayakers, and other citizens have had enough of the purple and orange pollution oozing into the Vermilion from Vistra’s waste pits.

For This Ex-miner, BBQ (Not Coal) Is the Answer

November 28, 2017 DispatchIllinoisSusan Cosier

Southern Illinois is waiting for Trump’s promised coal boom, but job prospects are still a bust.

The Petcoke Problem: Where to Store the Risky Tar Sands Refining By-Product

November 1, 2016 ExplainerUnited States, Canada, Chicago, Detroit, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Virginia

Petroleum coke, typically stored outdoors in big open piles, can blow right into nearby homes and cause serious health problems. Unsurprisingly, communities are fighting Big Oil to keep this noxious material out of their backyards.