News & Commentary

We Must Act Now to Protect California’s Coast

September 5, 2019 Expert BlogCaliforniaIrene Gutierrez

California’s clean ocean economy is too valuable to squander for the prospect of a finite and dirty resource like offshore oil.

Nebraska Ruling Does Not Clear Path for Keystone XL

August 28, 2019 Expert BlogNebraska, CanadaAnthony Swift

While Nebraska’s Supreme Court removes one obstacle to Keystone XL, many remain.

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.

The Ohio River Defines the Borders of Five States—But Its Pollution Doesn’t Stop at State Lines

August 21, 2019 DispatchPennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, IllinoisSusan Cosier

In a move that could open the door to industrial waste and interstate squabbles, the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission is making its water quality standards voluntary.

Keeping Water Demand in Check

August 13, 2019 Expert BlogUnited States, California, Los AngelesEd Osann

A new tool is shedding light on a growing mismatch between the supply and demand of fresh water.

Judge Halts Effort to Enlarge Shasta Dam in CA: #NoDamRaise

August 1, 2019 Expert BlogCaliforniaDrevet Hunt

A judge ordered Westlands Water District to halt its planning efforts to join the Bureau of Reclamation in expanding Shasta Dam in California.

Cities Fight to Keep Courts Open for Claims Against Big Oil

August 1, 2019 Expert BlogCalifornia, Baltimore, Rhode IslandDavid Hawkins, Pete Huffman

Federal appeals courts will soon hear important cases brought by municipal governments grappling with the mounting costs of climate change.

After a Century of Being Dammed Up, Illinois Rivers Get to Go With the Flow

July 24, 2019 DispatchIllinoisSusan Cosier

Dam removals are setting rapids and fish populations free and keeping swimmers and boaters safer.

Midwest Floods May Lead Illinois to New Solutions

July 18, 2019 Expert BlogUnited States, IllinoisRob Moore

The Midwest floods of 2019 have caused hardship and loss but, Illinois has not seen much in the way of damages. Part of the reason is because Illinois has strong floodplain management regulations, something Governor Pritzker is expected to keep…

Bernhardt’s Bay-Delta Plan Runs into a Problem: Science

June 12, 2019 Expert BlogCaliforniaDoug Obegi

Protecting California Waters From Oil: AB 936 Advances

June 4, 2019 Expert BlogCaliforniaJosh Axelrod

An important piece of oil spill legislation is moving through the California legislature that will help the state respond more effectively to spills of non floating oil.

Battered by Floods, Nebraskans Worry About Pipeline Spills

May 28, 2019 DispatchNebraskaCourtney Lindwall

Historic flooding recently inundated parts of the Cornhusker State where the proposed Keystone XL pipeline would pass through. Here’s why that’s a disaster in the making.

Keeping an Eye on Tench, an Invasive Fish That’s Crept Into the Great Lakes

May 20, 2019 DispatchMidwestLorraine Boissoneault

After finding the species in Lake Ontario last fall, scientists and authorities are trying to get ahead of a possible invasion before it’s too late.

Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and NRDC Confront Federal Failures

May 17, 2019 Expert BlogNorth Dakota, South DakotaDr. Jennifer Sass

What Can Green Groups, Labor Unions, Veterans, and a Coal Mining Exec All Get Behind? Solar Power in Appalachian Ohio.

May 14, 2019 NRDC in ActionOhioCourtney Lindwall

Dan Sawmiller, NRDC’s Ohio energy policy director, forms unexpected alliances to build out renewables in the Buckeye State.

L.A. Takes a Fresh Look at Recycled Water

May 13, 2019 DispatchLos AngelesLauren Evans

Facing dwindling freshwater supplies, the city is ready to stop dumping millions of gallons into the Pacific—and to follow Orange County’s lead.

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.

Ohio Gains Ground on a Hidden Hazard: More Than a Century’s Worth of Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells

March 26, 2019 DispatchOhioAustyn Gaffney

Forgotten, derelict, and often leaky, these so-called orphan wells could number in the thousands.

Facing Future Threats: AB 936 Tackles Non-Floating Oil

February 26, 2019 Expert BlogCaliforniaJosh Axelrod

California could see a huge influx of non-floating oils brought in on ocean tankers in the coming years. State legislators are trying to get the state prepared.

A Coal-to-Diesel Refinery Is the Last Straw for These Hoosiers

February 13, 2019 DispatchIndianaSusan Cosier

The air in southwestern Indiana is bad enough without the emissions from yet another proposed polluter.