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A Huge Push to Remove Toxic Lead in School Drinking Water

Expert BlogWashington, D.C., Michigan, United StatesJoan Leary Matthews
President Biden has released his bold infrastructure package, which basically declares war on lead in drinking water, both in our homes and our schools.

MISO and SPP Can Benefit from a More Connected Grid

Expert BlogTexas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Kansas, MissouriToba Pearlman

Electric grids across the Midwest, South, and in Texas failed a key resilience test during last month’s winter storm, and one key conclusion is clear: The grids connected via transmission lines fared significantly better than those isolated and on their…

Make It Modular: Why Wind and Solar Are So Resilient

Expert BlogTexasNathanael Greene

Wind and solar power were not the primary cause of the grid failure in Texas—the main culprit was fossil gas plants that went offline. In fact, wind and solar are intrinsically more reliable than fossil power, but not in the…

A Tale of Two Grids: Texas and California

Expert BlogCalifornia, TexasRalph Cavanagh

Although both California and Texas recently faced traumatic weather events, the consequences for electric system reliability were dramatically different. 

The Other Solution to Texas’ Woes: Efficiency and Heat Pumps

Expert BlogTexasPierre Delforge, Alejandra Mejia Cunningham

As Texans continue to grapple with the devastation from recent winter storms, weatherization and modern super-efficient heating technology are powerful tools that can ease the stress on the electric grid and help Americans stay safe and comfortable.

What Texas Teaches Us About Good Governance

Expert BlogTexasMitchell Bernard

The extreme cold snap and the disaster it brought to the state is a reminder of the importance of good governance in a modern society—and the danger we court when we pursue policies untethered to the public interest.

Texas Needs a Smarter, More Resilient Electric Grid

Expert BlogTexasJohn Moore

Freezing cold temperatures put the Texas electric grid into distress this week, with likely dozens of deaths and other human suffering, more than 4 million losing power, and more than 40% of the state’s gas, coal, and nuclear fleet offline…

Protecting the Wintering Home of Migratory Birds

Expert BlogTexasJessica Carey-Webb

The Chihuahuan Desert is the largest desert in North America and home to the most biodiverse grasslands in the world, including 500 species of birds.

Michigan Clean Energy Year in Review (and the Road Ahead)

Expert BlogMichiganSamantha Williams, Derrell E. Slaughter
We are building a foundation now in Michigan for the clean energy transition, not only reaping the health and economic benefits for residents but also ensuring that the state is doing its part to tackle the climate crisis.

Latin America’s 2020 Climate Leaders and Laggards

Expert BlogInternational, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, BrazilAmanda Maxwell, Carolina Herrera, Jessica Carey-Webb, Marilyn Kunce
2020 was a turbulent year in Latin America—and a mixed bag on climate action. It will be important for the incoming Biden-Harris administration to put climate change front and center in its engagement with the region.

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.

An Ally in the Fight for Safe, Affordable Drinking Water for All

NRDC in ActionDetroit, Illinois, Flint, Chicago, MichiganNicole Greenfield
Detroit native Jeremy Orr combines his personal experience and community organizing roots with his legal expertise to help communities of color in Michigan and Illinois dismantle environmental racism.

800,000-Plus Risk Water Shutoffs in the Great Lakes State

Expert BlogMichiganCyndi Roper
An estimated 800,000 Michiganders throughout the state are known to be behind on their water bills and could face water shutoffs, according to new data compiled by NRDC in collaboration with the People's Water Board Coalition.