News & Commentary

Columbus Strides Forward on Its Sustainable Steps Program

November 9, 2020 Expert BlogColumbus, OhioStefan Schaffer

There’s no slowing down Columbus, Ohio, as it continues to stride forward on climate action. On Energy Efficiency Day, October 7, the city celebrated a major achievement: the completion of more than 30,000 home energy audits within just two years.

Committing to Accessible, Zero-Emission Transportation in CO

October 30, 2020 Expert BlogColoradoAriana Gonzalez, Patricio Portillo, Arjun Krishnaswami

Though Colorado passed ambitious climate legislation last year setting GHG reduction targets, a recent report found that its current trajectory will miss those targets without new, strong commitments.

COVID-19 Has Exposed the Gross Exploitation of Meatpacking Workers

October 30, 2020 DispatchColoradoNicole Greenfield

The ongoing health and safety failures at the JBS meat-processing plant in Greeley, Colorado, highlight an industry-wide truth: It’s production over people, even in a deadly pandemic.

EV Charging Programs Set for Approval in Michigan and Ohio

October 29, 2020 Expert BlogMichigan, Ohio, MidwestMax Baumhefner

Utility regulators in Michigan and Ohio are set to approve programs that will help electrify cars, trucks, and buses in the state to the benefit of all utility customers.

Clean Energy Dominates a New Agreement Reached with DP&L

October 23, 2020 Expert BlogOhioDaniel Sawmiller

After months of debate, NRDC has joined Dayton Power and Light and a diverse group of energy stakeholders in reaching an agreement this week on a proposal to modernize the local electric grid.

Committing to Healthy, Affordable & Carbon-Free Homes in Colorado

October 22, 2020 Expert BlogColoradoArjun Krishnaswami, Alejandra Mejia Cunningham, Ariana Gonzalez

Our homes, workplaces, and other buildings are often the foundations of our sense of comfort and community—they are also foundational to climate action.

A Hopeful Vision for the Future of Columbus and Some of Its Most Historic Neighborhoods

October 21, 2020 DispatchColumbusNicole Greenfield

Elijah Carter, a 31-year-old retail professional who recently bought and made energy-efficient upgrades to his first home, discusses the importance of energy efficiency education in cities like his native Columbus, Ohio.

Committing to Expanded, Equitable Energy Efficiency in Colorado

October 7, 2020 Expert BlogColoradoAriana Gonzalez, Arjun Krishnaswami

Every day energy efficiency quietly benefits every family across the state of Colorado, but today, on #EEDay2020, we celebrate out loud the dollars saved, the homes comfortably warmed and cooled, and the air cleaned thanks to smarter energy use.

Climate Change Floods North Carolina’s Housing Market

October 6, 2020 DispatchNorth CarolinaJodi Helmer

As sea level and extreme weather risks rise, larger down payments, inequities in insurance, and heirs’ properties could leave coastal residents drowning in debt and devalued homes.

Committing to Equitable Climate Action in Colorado

September 28, 2020 Expert BlogColoradoAriana Gonzalez, Arjun Krishnaswami

A new report outlines pathways for the state to achieve the greenhouse gas emissions reductions required by HB-1261—as well as the health and equity implications of statewide climate actions.

Repeal Ohio’s House Bill 6

August 31, 2020 Expert BlogOhioDaniel Sawmiller

Ohio lawmakers could take action this week to repeal House Bill 6 which has been called the "worst energy bill of the 21st century."

Good News, North Carolina: $6 Million for Energy Efficiency

July 31, 2020 Expert BlogNorth CarolinaPamela Rivera

Energy Efficiency for All (EEFA) project partners helped secure a settlement with Duke Energy in pending rate cases that includes a contribution of $3 million in each of the next two years (total $6) to the state’s Helping Home Fund.

Ohio Needs Forward-Thinking Clean Energy Policy

July 30, 2020 Expert BlogOhioDaniel Sawmiller

It’s time we have a serious conversation in Ohio about a forward-looking clean energy policy that can, once and for all, propel the state’s energy economy into the 21st century and make up for lost time in the fight against…

Food Systems Analyst

July 14, 2020 NRDC in ActionBaltimore, Nashville, Denver, Maryland, Tennessee, ColoradoJeff Turrentine

Andrea Spacht Collins is working to minimize food waste by changing the way we think about what we eat—and what we don’t eat, where it comes from, and where it ends up.

House Climate Crisis Action Plan Gets a Lot Right on Biomass

July 9, 2020 Expert BlogNorth CarolinaSasha Stashwick

Established science now shows that burning biomass from forests for electricity is not a climate solution within timeframes relevant to addressing climate change. The Select Committee’s plan recognizes this science and squarely positions its policies in contrast to those of…

New Jersey Can Lead on State Fleet Electrification

July 7, 2020 Expert BlogNew JerseyKathy Harris, Eric Miller, Rebecca Behrens

New Jersey’s transportation sector is responsible for 42% of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions, making it the state’s largest source of climate pollution; achieving the state’s climate goals will only be possible if New Jersey aggressively tackles transportation emissions head…

In Landmark Victory for Indigenous Communities, Dakota Access Pipeline Ordered to Shut Down

July 7, 2020 Expert BlogNorth Dakota, South Dakota, IowaNRDC

The dangerous crude oil pipeline threatened the water supplies and ways of life for the Standing Rock Sioux tribe. The win underscores the power of dogged defense by Indigenous groups and conservationists, as well as the importance of the National…

Three Lessons Learned from the Axed Atlantic Coast Pipeline

July 6, 2020 Expert BlogVirginia, West Virginia, North CarolinaGillian Giannetti

This is a significant and long-overdue victory for the landowners, community leaders, countless people across three states, and environmental advocates who have fought this project for years.

Developers Abandon the Atlantic Coast Pipeline for Good

July 6, 2020 Expert BlogWest Virginia, Virginia, North CarolinaNRDC

The decision is a landmark win for those who saw the polluting project as a threat to waterways, wildlife, the climate, and vulnerable communities.

Urban Innovator

June 30, 2020 NRDC in ActionCharlotte, North Carolina, St. Petersburg, Florida, St. Paul, Minnesota, Austin, TexasKeith Mulvihill

Through her work in the buildings sector, Wendy Lee helps propel cities into a fairer and more energy-efficient future.