Where We Work: United States

To achieve lasting environmental progress across the country, NRDC works in coalitions on the state and city levels, alongside our federal advocacy.

People discussing solar panel installation at a farm.

A solar panel installation at work at a farm

Credit: Getty Images

Since 1970, NRDC has continued to help shape the federal laws and programs that protect both nature and people from environmental harms. We harness science, policy, law, and civic advocacy to build healthier, more prosperous, and fairer communities and to safeguard our natural heritage. 

However, durable change in the United States cannot depend on federal action alone. Our health, quality of life, and the protection of critical ecosystems require strong local and state leadership. Success on a smaller scale can also make environmental progress possible and replicable across the map. That’s why building state and local power is not a secondary strategy—it is one of the most effective ways to achieve lasting national impact.

Learn More About Our Work in Key States

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A family playing at the playground in Wilmington Waterfront Park near the Port of Los Angeles in Los Angeles, California, on June 26, 2024. Residents of Wilmington, Signal Hill and Long Beach suffer damaging health impacts from the toxic fumes of diesel trucks and various local oil infrastructure, including drilling sites and the nearby Valero Wilmington Refinery.

California

California
NRDC is focused on building a healthier and more equitable California.
Photovoltaic solar panel arrays at Sunnyside Community Solar Project in La Plata County, Colorado. The 9 acre, 1.7 MW solar field is owned and operated by La Plata Electric Association (LPEA) and generates an estimated 4,643,000 kWh per year, enough to power an estimated 600 homes.

Colorado

Colorado
The Centennial State has earned its reputation as a climate leader, and NRDC continues to guide it forward.
A MARTA train travels along the Georgia State Route 400 highway towards the Buckhead neighborhood of Atlanta, Georgia.

Georgia

Georgia
NRDC is building coalitions to bring about a more sustainable Georgia, seizing policy opportunities at the state and city levels.
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An aerial view of homes and community landmarks including Gary Elementary school and the Cook County Jail and Courthouse, northeast of 31st and Pulaski Rd. in the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, on May 11, 2023.

Illinois

Illinois
NRDC works to confront the climate crisis and protect public health in the Midwest’s most populous state.
Rhys, 11, drinking a glass of water in the kitchen of her New York City apartment.

Michigan

Michigan
NRDC has helped build the momentum to secure safe drinking water and healthier, more sustainable communities for all Michiganders.
Sisters Camilla, 6, and Stella, 10, drinking glasses of water in the kitchen at their home in New Jersey.

New Jersey

New Jersey
With guidance from NRDC, the Garden State has set the bar high for climate action in the next few decades.
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Aerial view of the Hudson River and New York City.

New York

New York
NRDC has its roots in New York, and we’ve spent decades galvanizing environmental progress across the state.
Wind turbines on the Appalachian State University (ASU) campus in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Boone, North Carolina.

North Carolina

North Carolina
North Carolina is at a critical crossroads in its energy future‚ and NRDC is helping put it on a path toward sustainability.
Community member Don Gray fishing in the Delaware River from Governor Printz Park in Essington, Pennsylvania, on August 11, 2025. Eddystone Generating Station is visible on the opposite shore.

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania
The Keystone State has the opportunity to deliver its residents cleaner air and real economic opportunity, with NRDC’s help.
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The Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Farm located 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach, Virginia on June 30th, 2026. The Dominion Energy project is currently under construction and will be the largest offshore wind farm in the United States.

Virginia

Virginia
NRDC is pushing for smart energy policy to ensure a more durable and healthy future for Virginians.