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Expert Blogs

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Mountain Valley Ruptures, Yet Claims It's Gas Ready

Expert BlogVirginia, West Virginia, North CarolinaGillian Giannetti, Amy Mall

On May 1, Mountain Valley suffered a major rupture during safety testing. But it still wants to start flowing gas next week.

Farm-to-Glass Supports Organic Farming

Expert BlogWashington, D.C., Ohio, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Michigan, Maine, CaliforniaAllison Johnson

Cheers! NRDC and our partners toasted a good cause on Capitol Hill: growing organic!

Pollinators Notch Big Wins in Minnesota

Expert BlogSt. PaulLucas Rhoads

In a historic 2023 session, Minnesota reined in pesticide use, increased pollinator habitat, and built momentum toward additional protections. 

Cover Crops for Every Climate

Expert BlogWest, Midwest, East, Maine, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Idaho, New Mexico, TexasLara Bryant, Dr. Daniel Rath
Cover crops are adaptable, valuable, and effective enough that farmers can benefit from them in every region of the United States—even cold or dry areas.

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.

Celebrating Mid-Atlantic and Southeast Food Matters Cohorts

Expert BlogBaltimore, Jersey City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C.Madeline Keating, Darby Hoover
This month, we mark the successful completion of our two-year partnerships with the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast cohorts. Our work with Great Lakes cities will continue in 2023.

Virginia Gov. Youngkin Appoints Fossil Fuel Industry Stooges

Expert BlogVirginiaWalton Shepherd

The Virginia Air Pollution Control Board, designed to be run by governor-appointed citizens rather than elected officials, is specifically charged with overseeing—and reducing the dirty air impact of—the very polluters that Youngkin just tapped.  

Students Intro Bill to Combat Food Waste in Virginia

Expert BlogVirginiaNina Sevilla

Students in Virginia wrote a bill that would extend liability protection to businesses, restaurants, and any food donation group who would like to donate food past the “best by” date. 

Biden Team Moves to Save the Boundary Waters

Expert BlogMinnesotaDavid Doniger

The Biden administration’s very welcome decision to block sulfide-ore copper mining on the edges of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is personal to me and my family. My in-laws have roots there going back more than a century, and…

Celebrating Year One of the Food Matters Regional Initiative

Expert BlogChicago, Cincinnati, Detroit, Madison, Ohio, Baltimore, Jersey City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, North Carolina, Memphis, OrlandoMadeline Keating, Darby Hoover

A year after the launch of the Food Matters Regional Initiative, we are pleased to report considerable progress and accomplishments from the 15 regional initiative participants.

Saint Paul Prioritizes People, Not Parking Spaces

Expert BlogMinnesota, St. PaulZak Accuardi

Saint Paul has taken an ambitious and important step toward meeting its climate and equity goals, passing two new ordinances—one eliminating parking minimums, and the other introducing rules that prioritize safer, healthier, low-carbon transportation options in new development projects.

How Cities Are Centering Equity in Benchmarking Policies

Expert BlogDenver, Colorado, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Seattle, WashingtonCaroline Keicher
A new resource from the City Energy Project—Incorporating Equity into Energy Benchmarking Requirements: Guidance for Policy and Program Practitioners—helps cities understand the opportunity to leverage benchmarking and transparency policies to address racial and social equity.

Fighting Inequity with Solar Power

DispatchMinneapolis, St. PaulSusan Cosier
Minneapolis’s 4d program to boost energy efficiency and affordable housing in the city is kicking it up a notch.

Stressed by Heat, Farmworkers Deserve Federal Protections

Expert BlogCalifornia, Washington, MinnesotaTeniope Adewumi-Gunn
Unprotected from many basic workplace rights and in the face of a growing climate crisis that threatens their well-being, farmworkers deserve federal safeguards from extreme heat and its dangerous effects.

Biden Can Protect Communities, Halt Mountain Valley Pipeline

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.

Compost Matters—But Food Matters More

Expert BlogBaltimore, United StatesYvette Cabrera
With food waste reduction in mind, the Baltimore Food Matters team created a resource that could serve as a reminder to be cognizant of food waste, what we can do to prevent it, and how anyone can compost locally.