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Traditional burials exact a heavy toll on the environment, but in the United States a growing number of people are opting for a last resting place that harmonizes with, and even benefits, nature.

EDF Statement from Katelyn Roedner Sutter, Senior Manager, U.S. Climate

“50 Years is Enough!” That was the theme at this year’s 8th Annual Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Climate Change Conference in New Orleans. 50 years of indiscriminate toxic dumping, 50 years of hazardous waste sites in frontline communities, 50 years of land-use decisions that harm communities of color – enough! It’s a searing …

By Erin Murphy and Joe von Fischer New peer-reviewed research reveals neighborhoods with more people of color and lower household income tended to have more gas leaks. Because natural gas is composed primarily of methane, leaks are a source of climate pollution as well as a health and safety hazard and nuisance to nearby communities.

New York is at a crossroads. Our flagship climate law, the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, requires significant emissions reductions statewide. This puts every sector of our economy on the hook to deliver and position New York on a path to climate safety. To achieve the CLCPA’s goals, government agencies, communities and the private …

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), CALSTART, NRDC, Sierra Club, South Bronx Unite and WE ACT today filed a petition with the New York Public Service Commission asking the regulator to address the need for zero-emission truck and bus charging infrastructure throughout the state, which is poised to grow rapidly as New York decarbonizes.

A new study published today in the journal Environmental Science and Technology reveals that in U.S. cities, natural gas pipeline leaks are more prevalent in neighborhoods whose populations are predominately low-income or people of color.

Statement of EDF Senior Director, Chemical Policy, Maria Doa

Toxic pollution from Suncor oil refinery in Colorado exceeded permitted limits more than 500 times in two years

In a major milestone for environmental justice advocates, the EPA has questioned Colorado state over permits issued to the Suncor oil refinery which has been exceeding toxic pollution limits for years.

Methane leaks from oil and gas sites represents a problem on many fronts. They create harmful air pollution, contribute to global warming and can even cause explosions. They also result in a lot of wasted gas. Colorado and New Mexico — two of the nation’s leading energy producers — recently ramped up their methane pollution …

Tom Neltner, Senior Director, Safer Chemicals and Maricel Maffini, consultant A powerful investigative article by Politico’s Helena Bottemiller Evich revealed significant structural and leadership problems at the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) food program. The article articulated what has been implicitly understood by the food safety community. It led to demands from Congress for Commissioner …

Joanna Slaney, Sr. Director, Federal Affairs; and Tom Neltner, Senior Director, Safer Chemicals Initiative For the first time in recent memory Congress approved funds for FDA specifically to address food safety from potentially dangerous chemicals that may present health hazards. Now it’s time for the agency to get to work. Congress appropriated $7 million for …

Tom Neltner, Senior Director, Safer Chemicals Initiative; and Jennifer Ortega, Research Analyst Providence Water, Rhode Island’s largest water utility, has applied for state funds to rehabilitate drinking water mains in its service area. Lead service lines (LSLs) are often attached to the mains and carry drinking water to customer’s homes. The utility has requested a …

Maria Doa, Ph.D., Senior Director, Chemicals Policy  The EPA will release a draft Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) assessment of formaldehyde, a key scientific review that identifies and characterizes the hazards from chronic exposure to this known carcinogen. The draft assessment, due to be published tomorrow, will be reviewed by the National Academies of Science,

This post is the fourth in a series dedicated to the future of the electricity sector and new scholarship supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Each post is based on a discussion between select researchers and experts working on relevant policy. To learn more and join one of our upcoming conversations, visit the series website.

Early this January, a geyser in West Texas started spewing tens of thousands of barrels of salty water a hundred feet into the air and coating the nearby land with salt deposits. It took about 10 days to discover the culprit was an old, dry oil well plugged in 1957 by Gulf Oil. By the …

The Bond Act would fund $1.1 billion in restoration and flood risk reduction projects, such as restoring wetlands, benefitting both communities and nature. The post Environmental bond gives New York a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fund a more climate resilient future. first appeared on Growing Returns.

Last week, EDF and the North Central Texas Council of Governments hosted a daylong workshop on the state of zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles in Texas. Over 100 fleet owners, managers, industry experts and government officials came together to discuss the latest technology for hydrogen and electric trucks, the state of the Texas grid and go along …

Supreme Court Should Deny Request to Reinstate a Ban on Use of the Best Available Science about the Costs of Climate Damage

What this Water Leadership Institute graduate is doing to move water innovation forward. The post This Leadership Institute graduate sees a path to water security through an often overlooked strategy: innovation. first appeared on On the Water Front.

The West has to come together to break the cycle of depletion for the sake of the Colorado River. The post The Colorado River is getting closer to tanking. Can we free ourselves from the long arc of depletion? first appeared on On the Water Front.

Why it's so vital that Texas take action to protect the Hill Country's water. The post Removing the mystery of groundwater to protect Texas’ beloved Hill Country first appeared on On the Water Front.

This article was originally published on ESG Today, which can be found here. When the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)  unveiled its proposal on climate-related disclosures, it kicked off a 60-day window for public comment on the draft rule. Commissioners want to hear from stakeholders – particularly the investors they are charged with serving – on …

Photos from the EPA archive show how much the US has changed since the agency was established