News & Commentary

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…

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.

As the Ocean Encroaches, this Washington State Tribe Is Building Its Next Chapter

March 30, 2020 DispatchWashingtonJodi Helmer

The Quinault Indian Nation is one of several Pacific Northwest tribes planning for relocation, among many other climate adaptation strategies.

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.

Free Bus Service Is the Hot New Thing in Transit

March 3, 2020 DispatchOlympia, WashingtonStarre Vartan

Olympia, Washington, is the latest city to roll out a fare-free bus system, with traffic congestion, equity, and the climate in mind.

Farmers and Salmon Advocates Agree: It’s Time to Talk about the Snake River Dams

January 2, 2020 DispatchWashington, OregonJodi Helmer

What used to be an idea touted mainly by salmon fishers and environmentalists is bringing around some farmers who’ve long depended on barge shipping to get their crops to market.

Standing Rock: Gross Underestimates of DAPL Expansion Risks

December 23, 2019 Expert BlogSouth DakotaDan West, Dr. Jennifer Sass

Mayor Lyda Krewson Is Leading the Fight on Climate Change

November 8, 2019 Expert BlogUnited States, MissouriStefan Schaffer

St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson made a pretty audacious announcement at an October 22 event on climate change at Washington University: the city has made so much progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, she thinks it is time to set…

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan to Help Transition Homes off Oil

September 27, 2019 Expert BlogUnited States, SeattleMaria Stamas

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, with a unanimous City Council, passed a law to help homes with oil-fueled heating sources transition to clean, electric heat.

As the DOE Abandons a Toxic Mess Threatening the Columbia River, the Yakama Nation Fights Back

September 18, 2019 DispatchWashingtonLora Shinn

The DOE wants to dodge its cleanup duties by reclassifying the nuclear waste contaminating a site along Washington’s Columbia River. Not only is it a reckless move, but it may violate treaty-protected indigenous rights.

India Focus: Telangana Moves on Electric Mobility

September 4, 2019 Expert BlogHyderabad, IndiaAnjali Jaiswal

With chronic traffic congestion and skyrocketing air pollution, leading states in India are looking to electric vehicles as a key solution.

As Temperatures Soar in India, One City’s Efforts Are Saving Lives

July 23, 2019 NRDC in ActionAhmedabad, Hyderabad, New Delhi, IndiaNicole Greenfield

The western city of Ahmedabad is preparing residents to cope with the longer and more intense heat waves sweeping across South Asia—and inspiring other Indian cities and states to follow suit.

California Beckons the Gray Wolf—but Can’t Guarantee a Safe Journey There

July 8, 2019 DispatchWest, California, Oregon, WashingtonCorey Binns

The future of wolves in the West depends on collaborative cross-border commitments to protecting this icon of the wild.

Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and NRDC Confront Federal Failures

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

The Future of Seattle’s Ferries Is Electric

December 26, 2018 DispatchSeattle, WashingtonStarre Vartan

The largest ferry system in the United States prepares to stop using diesel fuel to help Washington achieve its climate action goals.

Trump Is Trying to Pull the Wool Over Our Eyes About Climate Change—These Knitters Aren’t Having It

December 19, 2018 PerspectivesWashington, United StatesClara Chaisson

The Tempestry Project invites you to spin a colorful yarn about rising temperatures.

Will China Save the Planet?

November 27, 2018 NRDC in ActionBeijing, ChinaNicole Greenfield

Barbara Finamore, NRDC’s senior strategic director for Asia, witnessed the birth of China’s clean energy movement. Her new book considers its future.

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.

How Did Farmer Brown Bring His Dying Land Back From the Brink?

September 28, 2018 PerspectivesNorth DakotaJeff Turrentine

By focusing on soil health, this North Dakota rancher didn’t just save the family homestead—he made it flourish.

St. Louis Building Code Update: Raising the Roof (Floor)

July 26, 2018 Expert BlogMissouriKatharine McCormick

St. Louis adopted the 2018 IECC, or International Energy Conservation Code, a model code that creates a floor for energy performance in new buildings. Because the IECC update addresses a wide range of energy uses in both commercial and residential…