Policy Solutions: Reports & Issue Papers

Featured Report

Drilling Down

Protecting Western Communities from the Health and Environmental Effects of Oil and Gas Production

Oil and gas production releases pollution that can have serious impacts on people's health and the surrounding air, water, and land. Although these operations are frequently located near homes, schools, and other community resources, the oil and gas industry enjoys numerous exemptions from provisions of federal laws intended to protect human health and the environment. This October 2007 report provides a comprehensive assessment of these loopholes, which allow oil and gas companies to continue polluting despite the risks, and describes the available, often economical solutions for using technology to reduce environmental contamination. The report also includes personal stories from people living in communities affected by oil and gas drilling.

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Featured Issue Paper

The New Energy Economy

Putting America on the Path to Solving Global Warming

How America and the world respond to global warming and our growing demand for energy -- and whether we respond in time -- will determine what kind of planet we have for generations to come. Fortunately, many of the technologies and policy tools we need to make the shift to cleaner energy solutions already exist, and we can deploy them without harming the economy. NRDC outlines six energy-sector opportunities that can help America reduce global warming pollution. The next step is decisive action by the U.S. government to facilitate these investments and reduce our global warming pollution the necessary 80 percent, or 10.6 billion tons, by 2050.

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More Reports & Issue Papers

A Clean Energy Economy for Arkansas
Analysis of the Rural Economic Development Potential of Renewable Resources

Issue Paper

To secure its economic future, Arkansas has the opportunity to build a strong long-term economy on the solid foundation of its bountiful renewable resources. The state's vast areas of productive farmland, ample water, windy heights and favorable climate combine to give Arkansas the potential to become a national leader in producing the clean energy that America needs.

A Clean Energy Bargain
More Jobs, Less Global Warming Pollution, and Greater Security for Less Than the Cost of a Postage Stamp a Day

Issue Paper

The United States took an important step toward economic recovery, environmental protection, and energy security when the House of Representatives passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES). This sound climate and clean energy legislation will protect the planet for less than the cost of a postage stamp a day per household, and represents a great investment in America's future — now it's up to the Senate to turn this bill into a law.

Appalachian Heartbreak: Time to End Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining

Issue Paper

Coal is America's dirtiest energy source -- and the country's leading source of global warming pollution. Pollution from coal plants produces dirty air, acid rain, and contaminated land and water. Nowhere is the debate over how far we are willing to go for inexpensive energy more contentious than in the coalfields of Appalachia. It is there -- between the hollows of West Virginia, beyond the bluegrass of Kentucky, bordering the Blue Ridge of Virginia, and above the smoky vistas of Tennessee -- where mining companies are blowing up America's oldest mountains to get the coal beneath the peaks. Mountaintop removal mining, or MTR, is scarring the landscape and threatening communities throughout Appalachia.

Identifying Near-Term Opportunities for Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) in China

Issue Paper

Achieving the urgently needed emission reductions necessary to avoid the worst consequences of global warming will require efforts beyond first-resort measures such as energy efficiency, conservation, and enhancement of natural carbon sinks. Given the world's current heavy reliance on fossil fuels, nations must pursue a wide range of carbon mitigation strategies that includes Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS). China is well-positioned to be a global leader in the development and deployment of CCS technologies that — with broad support and engagement from the international community — can be an important tool for reducing carbon emissions as the world transitions to truly clean energy technologies.

A Clean Energy Economy for Indiana
Analysis of the Rural Economic Development Potential of Renewable Resources

Report

Indiana's advanced network of rail lines, interstate highways, and waterways has made it "The Crossroads of America." But the global economic downturn has hit Indiana hard, causing the loss of almost 200,000 jobs since the beginning of 2008. Facing an unprecedented set of economic challenges, Indiana stands at a new crossroads and is poised for healthy growth if it can take advantage of the enormous potential for development of its exceptional renewable resources.

Cultivating Clean Energy
The Promise of Algae Biofuels

Issue Paper

Algae-derived gasoline, diesel and jet fuel sound like the imaginings of science fiction, but a growing number of entrepreneurs, investors, academics, and policy makers are working to develop the technologies needed to provide large quantities of biofuels with potentially minimal environmental impacts. This NRDC report takes the big picture view by creating a framework for understanding the environmental challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for this nascent industry.

Seizing a Watershed Opportunity in the Chesapeake Bay
NRDC’s Plan to Clean Up the Chesapeake Bay and Its Beaches

Issue Paper

As the largest estuary in the United States -- and the third largest estuary in the world -- the Chesapeake Bay is home to a wide range of wildlife and is an important resource for the millions of people who live, play, and work in the region. On the heels of reports from seven federal agencies commissioned by President Obama to clean up this national treasure, this issue paper delves into the sources of pollution that are undermining the health of the Bay and provides recommendations for mitigating them. From dangerous algal blooms, to harmful bacteria at our beaches, plastic bags clogging tributaries and economic hardships for the crabbing industry, the Chesapeake watershed and those who rely on it are in need of help. By acting on our recommendations, Congress can bolster the work being carried out by other branches of government and make a lasting difference in improving the health of the nation's largest estuary.

Atrazine: Poisoning the Well
How the EPA is Ignoring Atrazine Contamination in the Central United States

Report

In a new report, NRDC brings together for the first time the results of surface water and drinking water monitoring required by the U.S. EPA to create a more comprehensive analysis of atrazine pollution across the Midwestern and Southern United States. We found that the U.S. EPA's inadequate monitoring systems and weak regulations have compounded the problem, allowing levels of atrazine in watersheds and drinking water to peak at extremely high concentrations.

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