Complete list of press releases

(NEW YORK, NY – April 24, 2024) – Demonstrating growing momentum to tackle potent methane emissions from the food and agriculture sector, two additional companies are joining the Dairy Methane Action Alliance, the major global initiative convened by Environmental Defense Fund to drive down methane emissions from dairy.

The two newest members of the Alliance include Clover Sonoma, a regional dairy brand in California, and global restaurant brand Starbucks. Launched in December at COP28, these new members bring the Alliance to a total of eight global food and dairy companies, representing over $230 billion in annual global sales.

Clover Sonoma and Starbucks join the founding members of the Alliance: the Bel Group, Danone, General Mills, Kraft Heinz, Lactalis USA and Nestlé.

By joining this groundbreaking initiative, these companies commit by the end of 2024 to annually and publicly disclose methane emissions within their dairy supply chains, and they are each pledging to create and publish a methane action plan, also by the end of the year. Starbucks’ action plan will specifically apply to methane in regions where Starbucks directly purchases milk for its stores.

A potent greenhouse gas, methane has 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide in the first twenty years after it enters the atmosphere. Agriculture is responsible for nearly 40% of human-caused methane emissions, the majority of which comes from livestock. Critically, the agricultural industry also keeps the world fed and supports livelihoods and rural economies, and is already on the frontlines of climate impacts that make it harder to produce food. Food and dairy companies have an important opportunity to pursue ambitious climate action for a triple win, benefiting farmers' livelihoods, global food security and the climate.

“We’re pleased to welcome Clover Sonoma and Starbucks to the Dairy Methane Action Alliance. With these additions, the Alliance now comprises an even wider array of dairy sector players – from regional producers, to processors, to restaurants –  and demonstrates that the sector is gaining momentum on methane action,” said Katie Anderson, senior director, Business Food & Forests, Environmental Defense Fund. “Dairy is responsible for nearly 10% of global human-caused methane emissions, which uniquely positions companies that source dairy and the farmers in their supply chains to make a profound impact toward global climate targets. Collective action on methane today will avoid the worst impacts of climate change — and we’ll see the difference in our lifetimes. All players in the global dairy supply chain have a leading role to play in tackline methane, and we call on others to join us.”

"As a regional dairy brand committed to our local community and network of family farm partners, Clover Sonoma strives to maximize positive outcomes for the planet, people and animals. Since well before it was a buzzword, our farmers have been implementing regenerative farming and innovations to foster long-term sustainability and resiliency," said Michael Benedetti, Senior Director of Sustainability, Regulatory and Quality at Clover Sonoma. "Joining the Dairy Methane Action Alliance is an important next step in our ongoing work towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We look forward to sharing our learnings, such as our successful past work on methane mitigation, while learning from others in the industry as we work toward this critical common goal."

“As a company, we're committed to supporting farmers as we work together to reduce emissions across our dairy supply chain. We're excited to join the Dairy Methane Action Alliance and collaborate across industries on solutions to advance our resource positive goals,” said Angela Anderson, director of Starbucks Sustainable Dairy.

Environmental Defense Fund is taking the lead in convening the Dairy Methane Action Alliance and is offering companies technical support and best practices for accounting and disclosure and access to cutting-edge research and emerging solutions.

The sustainability nonprofit Ceres will provide technical guidance support and lead the development of a methane action plan template that aligns with investor and corporate expectations, as well as helping to ensure companies make progress against key plan milestones.

"Ceres supports food companies to develop effective climate transition action plans and holds them accountable for their actions,” said Meryl Richards, program director, Food and Forests at Ceres. "Near-term action on methane is one of the most effective ways that food companies can reduce the systemic risk of climate change, so we are pleased to see companies like Clover Sonoma and Starbucks partner with the Dairy Methane Action Alliance and commit to incorporate methane action into their strategies to transition toward a more sustainable food system and low carbon economy.”

The Dairy Methane Action Alliance promises not only to expedite climate action in the dairy industry but also sets an example for the private sector as a whole by providing a novel model for transparency and collaboration to reduce critical emissions within a global industry.

For more information about the Dairy Methane Action Alliance and how to get involved, visit business.edf.org/dairy-methane-action-alliance.

(Washington D.C. – April 23, 2024) Today the White House hosted a Water Summit, covering key issues including safe drinking water, conservation, and drought. This event demonstrates the Biden Administration’s steadfast commitment to water as a vital resource, including protecting the safety of America’s drinking water with solutions to reducing harmful lead and PFAS contamination.  

In support of the event, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) unveiled its new national map of active and public programs to replace lead pipes that deliver water to homes across America. As more utilities demonstrate their efforts to replace lead pipes and reduce lead in drinking water, EDF will update the map to highlight these communities stepping up.

“Momentum is building towards eliminating the estimated 9.2 million lead pipes still in use today. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocated $15 billion to replace lead pipes and EPA’s proposed update to the Lead and Copper rule mandates their removal within 10 years, said Sarah Vogel, Senior Vice President, Healthy Communities. “With resources available and a pending mandate, the country can reach the Biden Administration’s goal of replacing all lead pipes.”

“This map highlights the progress the country is making to get lead pipes replaced. Over 200 communities are now publicly sharing information about their ongoing efforts. We want to encourage more communities to join them.”

(SPRINGFIELD, IL – April 23, 2024) A new report released Wednesday, April 24 by the Environmental Defense Fund traces the growth of mega-warehouses in Illinois communities, driven in-part by the e-commerce boom. Please find the full report here. 

Who:

• Sam Becker, Project Manager, Global Clean Air, Environmental Defense Fund
• Illinois State Rep., Dagmara Avelar (D-85)
• Illinois State Sen., Rachel Ventura (D-43) 
• Dany Robles, Climate Policy Director, Illinois Environmental Council
• Jose Acosta-Córdova, Transportation Justice Program Manager, Little Village Environmental Justice Organization
• Zhenya Polozova, Policy Coordinator, Warehouse Workers for Justice
• Alfredo Romo, Executive Director, Neighbors for Environmental Justice

What: Launch of new EDF report: Illinois Warehouse Boom

When: Wednesday, April 24, 2024, 11:00 AM Central Time

Where: Join us online. Get details and register here.

To set up an interview, please contact Derek Schwabe. 

Key report findings: 

• At least 2 million Illinois residents – at least one in six – live within half a mile of a leased warehouse of at least 100,000 square feet. 
• Of those, 127,000 are under age five and 251,100 are over age 64. 
• At least 525,000 freight truck trips per day service a total of 2,401 leased mega warehouses across the state.
• Hispanic/Latino populations are 195% more likely to live within half a mile of a warehouse than would be expected, based on statewide statistics. 
• Black populations are 137% more likely to live within half a mile of a warehouse than would be expected, based on statewide statistics. 

"Illinois residents living near and working in warehouses will not be surprised by the outsized growth of truck-attracting facilities documented in this report and the disproportionate burden of polluted air they have no choice but to breathe,” said Sam Becker, Project Manager with EDF’s Global Clean Air Initiative. “While the transition to zero-emission trucks is rapidly accelerating, Illinois decision-makers must take action so that those whose lives are most affected by diesel pollution reap the most health, environmental, and economic benefits of clean trucks. That begins with transparency around existing pollution,” added Neda Deylami, EDF’s Vehicle Electrification Manager.

Lawmakers and advocates call for legislative action

The report arrives as state legislators consider the Warehouse Pollution Insights Act, a bill that would bring greater transparency around mega-warehouses by requiring truck-attracting facilities to report information on warehouse ownership, truck trips and associated emissions to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA). The bill would also expand IEPA’s truck and air quality monitoring capacity, with a focus on high-impact communities, and require new facilities to include charging infrastructure to support electric freight vehicles.

Other policy responses have also been proposed, such as the Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) rule, which would require truck manufacturers to sell an increasing percentage of zero-emission trucks and school buses. If implemented by 2027, the ACT rule could see approximately half of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles becoming zero-emission vehicles by 2050, according to a Northwestern University analysis supported by EDF.

A coalition of local advocacy groups commented on the report’s findings and the need for legislators to act. "Warehouse workers bear the brunt of toxic pollution from the trucks essential to transporting goods for the warehousing industry, in addition to facing other exploitative conditions. When the economy depends on warehouse workers showing up to work, they deserve wages that they can raise a family with, afford a home and accessible healthcare, time off, to be treated with dignity and respect and to work in safe working conditions that include the ability to breathe clean air,” commented Zhenya Polozova of Warehouse Workers for Justice, one of the organizations co-leading the coalition.

"Chicago has been the freight hub of North America for decades, and has only grown in importance in recent years. A huge part of that growth has been the warehousing boom across the state. Warehouses and distribution centers have been allowed to develop with impunity, often placed directly adjacent to housing, schools, parks and hospitals, and in communities that are already overburdened by environmental justice issues. This report shows how the negative externalities of warehouses disproportionately impact communities of color throughout the state, and highlights the urgent need for reform," said José Miguel Acosta-Córdova, Transportation Justice Program Manager at Little Village Environmental Justice.

Today Kentucky and allied states filed a lawsuit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit challenging EPA’s clean car standards – performance-based protections that will reduce climate and health-harming pollution from new cars and passengers trucks in model years 2027 through 2032.

“Tailpipe pollution from cars and passenger trucks is dangerous for human health, causes smog, and is one of the largest sources of climate pollution in the U.S. EPA's clean car standards will reduce that pollution and will do it while helping to create good jobs for American workers, more choices and more savings for consumers, and a stronger American economy.

“Clean cars have sparked a manufacturing renaissance in America, with $188 billion in announced investment so far and almost 200,000 jobs on the way. That includes substantial investments and benefits in states like Kentucky that are asking the court to block the clean car standards.

“EPA’s clean car standards are legally sound, technologically feasible and cost-efficient, widely supported by everyone from manufacturers to unions, and most importantly they’ll save lives. EDF will continue to vigorously protect the clean car standards.”

            - Alice Henderson, EDF Director and Lead Counsel for Transportation and Clean Air

The map below, from a recent report by Environmental Defense Fund and WSP, shows the Top 10 states with the most announced investments for electric vehicle and battery manufacturing. Five of the states have Attorneys General who joined the lawsuit against clean cars: Georgia, Kentucky, Indiana, South Carolina and Ohio.

(RALEIGH, N.C. — April 18, 2024) New analysis shows that the costs to fuel Duke Energy power plants with gas have been the primary driver of rate hikes for parts of its North Carolina territory since 2017. This analysis by leading energy analytics firm EQ Research was commissioned by Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and comes as Duke Energy is seeking approval to build thousands of megawatts of new gas plants, representing one of the largest and most expensive gas buildout proposals of any utility in the country.

The EQ Research report concludes that, “...a shift towards greater amounts of natural gas generation has predictably meaningful effects on the overall rates paid by electric utility customers, exposing them to greater rate volatility driven by volatility in natural gas prices.”

“Despite story after story this year from Duke Energy Carolinas customers about the burdens of high power bills, Duke continues to pursue one of the most aggressive proposals for new fossil power-plant construction in the nation. The massive proposed investment, coupled with volatile fuel prices, means far more risk to North Carolina families’ bills,” said Will Scott, EDF Director of Southeast Climate and Clean Energy.

The independent analysis, based on information from publicly-available filings to the N.C. Utilities Commission made by Duke Energy, highlighted several key findings:

• In the Duke Energy Carolinas (DEC) service territory, increases in fuel costs account for roughly 67% of the increase in residential retail rates since 2017, making the portion of the rate increases attributable to fuel costs more than double the amount from all other rate components.
• The Duke Energy Carolinas service territory has been subjected to more rate hikes associated with high fuel costs because gas represents a higher percentage of DEC’s generation mix.
• In the Duke Energy Progress (DEP) service territory, where gas currently represents a slightly lower percentage of the generation mix, increases in fuel costs account for roughly 46% of the increase in the residential retail rates since 2017.
• High gas prices contributed to bill increases in both of Duke’s territories, and the territory with more gas plants (DEC) was burdened with higher bill increases than the territory with fewer gas plants (DEP) as a result of high gas prices.
• Because of the processes and timelines for regulatory approvals for Duke to recoup fuel costs, there is often significant lag time from when the high gas charges were incurred and when the high gas charges are imposed on customers, making it difficult for ratepayers to have clarity around the true costs of their energy use.

“The analysis, using Duke Energy’s own data, is clear,” added Scott. “Building gas comes with an ongoing, volatile price risk that is borne not by Duke Energy shareholders, but entirely by ratepayers. Deeper investment in affordable, clean energy alternatives would speed our state’s progress in reducing climate and health-harming pollution, and also help protect ratepayers from unpredictable fuel price shocks.”

To learn more about the health, climate and cost impacts of Duke Energy’s investments in natural gas, read this EDF blog.

(WASHINGTON—April 18, 2024) The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has announced its 2023 class of AAAS Fellows, including Steven Hamburg, Chief Scientist of Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). This lifetime honor, which follows a nomination and review process, recognizes scientists, engineers and innovators across 24 disciplinary sections for scientific excellence, fostering trust in the communities they serve and leading the next generation of scientists. The group includes notable scientists in the fields of biological science, chemistry, medical science, engineering, neuroscience and physics.

Hamburg, who joined EDF in 2008, was recognized for distinguished contributions to the field of biogeochemistry, with particular reference to forest carbon cycles and global methane emissions. He is the only scientist from an environmental nongovernmental organization on this year’s list of 502 fellows.

“It’s a great honor to be recognized by my colleagues, especially as a scientist focused on policy-relevant climate research,” Hamburg said.

Since his first peer-reviewed research on the impacts of climate change on Red Spruce more than 35 years ago, Hamburg has published more than 100 scientific papers. A former faculty member at Brown University, he is an expert on climate change, methane emissions, forest biogeochemistry and soils. He served as a lead author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and was recognized as contributing to its award of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007.

As EDF’s Chief Scientist, Hamburg ensures the scientific integrity of EDF’s positions and programs and leads work in collaboration with researchers from a diversity of organizations, including academic institutions, and governments around the world. 

Hamburg is currently leading EDF’s efforts to quantify methane emissions and serves as the project lead of MethaneSAT, which launched earlier this year. He also serves as Chair of the Science Oversight Committee of the International Methane Emissions Observatory of the United Nations Environment Programme’s Global methane studies, a joint effort of UNEP.

AAAS is celebrating the 150^th anniversary of its fellows program. Notable fellows include Alondra Nelson, Mae Jemison, Steven Chu, W. E. B. Dubois, Ellen Ochoa, Grace Hopper and Vint Cerf. AAAS, a nonprofit, is the world’s largest general scientific society. It publishes the journal Science, Science Translational Medicine, Science Signaling, a digital, open-access journal, Science Advances, Science Immunology and Science Robotics. Founded in 1848, AAAS includes more than 250 affiliated societies and academies of science, serving 10 million individuals.

(Santa Fe, NM - April 16, 2024) - New Mexico’s rivers are under severe threat, further endangering already strained ecosystems, drinking water sources and livelihoods across the state, according to a new report. The state’s rivers now collectively rank as the most endangered in America according to new analysis released today by American Rivers. 

“This latest report adds additional urgency to mounting concerns with New Mexico’s overall water security,” said Maurice Hall, Santa Fe-based senior advisor to the Climate Resilient Water Systems program at Environmental Defense Fund. “These rivers and their canyons and riparian areas are part of what makes New Mexico the special place we love, and as this report highlights, if we don't strengthen the protections of these rivers, we will lose all that they mean to New Mexico. And it’s not just about threats to the water we can see in streams and rivers, the state’s surface water systems are intimately connected to its groundwater resources. Shrinking surface water sources mean new pressure will be placed on groundwater to support our growing population and economy. We must improve state-level safeguards for streams, wetlands, and groundwater basins in order to secure New Mexico’s water future.”

“Across New Mexico, families, farmers, and ranchers are becoming more and more reliant on groundwater as surface water supplies decline in the face of climate impacts and overuse,” said Vanessa Puig-Williams, a director in the Climate Resilient Water Systems program at Environmental Defense Fund. “Given groundwater’s crucial importance, it is critical that it is measured, monitored, and managed. Aquifers are essential infrastructure. We need to invest in them as we continue to build for New Mexico’s future.We urge legislators to build on the consensus momentum this session and invest in groundwater sustainability to ensure it serves not only future generations of New Mexicans, but communities and businesses that are facing critical levels of groundwater decline today.”

The Environmental Defense Fund has worked closely with New Mexico lawmakers this year to identify potential ways the state can refine its management of its vital water resources. More on the recent progress in this regard during the 2024 legislative session.

Oklahoma and allied states filed a motion with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit today seeking to stay the Environmental Protections Agency’s recently finalized methane standards for the oil and gas sector – safeguards that will reduce tens of millions of tons of climate-damaging methane and other toxic, smog-forming pollution from oil and gas leaks, venting and flaring. 

Today’s motion was filed more than a month after the rules were published. 

“EPA’s commonsense oil and gas methane protections deliver vital reductions in climate and health-harming pollution. They are firmly rooted in the extensive factual record before the agency and EPA’s core authority, reinforced in recent years by Congress, to address harmful methane pollution under the Clean Air Act. The standards are the culmination of a rigorous public process and reflect the input and support of a wide variety of stakeholders, including states, Tribes, community groups, technology providers, and oil and gas operators.

“Environmental Defense Fund looks forward to vigorously defending these standards against this delay attempt so communities long overburdened by oil and gas pollution can reap their benefits.”

            - Rosalie Winn, EDF Director and Lead Counsel for Methane and Clean Air Policy

EDF and a coalition of health, environmental, and community groups have also filed a motion to intervene in support of EPA’s standards in litigation on the merits.

Today, Environmental Defense Fund and The Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union, together with a group of other environmental nonprofit organizations, sent an open letter to global marine engine manufacturers calling for greater transparency on the emissions of nitrous oxide and ammonia from ammonia-powered engines.

"Complete and transparent information on emissions from ammonia-powered engines is critical to accounting for the full lifecycle emissions of ammonia, from its production to its end-use, and understanding its true climate impacts as a shipping fuel,” said Natacha Stamatiou, Senior Analyst, Global Shipping at Environmental Defense Fund. “Without this data, assessing the potential environmental implications of the fuel’s use will be largely based on assumptions which can limit the reliability of results."

As the shipping industry looks to accelerate its decarbonization to comply with the global temperature target of the Paris Agreement, stakeholders are looking for clean, alternative energy sources to fossil fuels. While ammonia is currently one of the most popular alternative fuel options on table, how its use as a shipping fuel will affect climate and the environment is still not fully understood. This is due in part to the lack of available emissions data from compatible engines.

“The climate crisis does not wait so we must hurry up with solutions. We have to make sure to take the right steps to protect the climate and the environment,” said Sönke Diesener, Transport Policy Officer at The Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union. “It’s of outmost importance to have guaranteed transparency on the possible downsides to make sure we find the right technical solution and create a regulatory framework that minimizes the risks.”

Detailed empirical data on these types of emissions will enable industry executives and policymakers to devise better, more effective policies and solutions to tackle shipping’s climate impact. Engine manufacturers should provide clear evidence of nitrous oxide and ammonia emissions rates in grams per kilowatt hour or as a percentage of fuel consumption for a wide range of load points – from 5% to 90%. This additional information can mobilize the investment needed to scale alternative fuels and technologies for a just and equitable transition toward net zero, while supporting a thriving shipping industry.

(WASHINGTON – April 10, 2024) Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued national drinking water standards for several harmful per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals.” These PFAS are highly toxic at very low levels, are associated with cancers, liver and heart toxicity and can harm pregnant women and the development of infants and children.

The Biden-Harris Administration action will reduce the exposure to these forever chemicals for millions of people. The final rule requires that regulated public water systems complete their initial monitoring for the PFAS subject to the rule within three years and implement solutions to reduce PFAS in their drinking water.  

“EPA used the best available science as the basis for setting drinking water standards for these toxic PFAS. In setting these enforceable limits, EPA considered our exposure to multiple of these PFAS at once, which can help provide a more complete picture of health risks and inform standards that are truly protective of our health. EPA’s action today is the most significant step to date to safeguard public health from these pernicious forever chemicals.”

• Maria Doa, Senior Director, Chemicals Policy 

(Sacramento, CA – April 9, 2024) — Nearly 100 organizations are now working collectively on agricultural land transformation according to the first-ever annual report on California’s Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program released earlier this month (Spanish version here). Launched by the Department of Conservation in summer 2022, the program seeks to increase regional capacity for repurposing irrigated agricultural land to uses that reduce reliance on groundwater while providing a range of new community benefits.

The new report indicates significant progress in the first two years of the program. The regions receiving funding now cover 3.3 million acres — the equivalent of 4.5 Yosemite National Parks and 5,258 Lake Tahoes.

“California, and much of the western United States, is facing a hotter and drier future,” said José M. Rodriguez-Flores, senior analyst with the Environmental Defense Fund’s water program. “Adapting to this change and achieving groundwater sustainability relies on reducing our agricultural water footprint. Multibenefit land repurposing ensures this transition occurs in a strategic way that benefits those most affected by the change. Growers, frontline communities, and Tribes are co-leading the planning and this report shows the emerging projects have real, transformative promise.”

"Repurposing irrigated farmland for other uses, such as wildlife habitat, recharge basins, and solar is one tool to bring aquifers back to sustainable levels," said Sonia Sanchez, manager with Self-Help Enterprises. "The program is already over-subscribed with significantly more regions applying for funding than receiving it. Clearly there is substantial need and interest in this effort — we need to continue to support and fund this critical initiative.

The new report focuses on MLRP goals and accomplishments, current progress, partner involvement, and engagement with MLRP stakeholders and communities.

Key takeaways include:

• In its first round of funding, DOC awarded $10M block grants to 4 applicants partnering and collaborating with 73 different organizations.
• In the second round of funding, DOC awarded $8.89M block grants to 4 applicants partnering and collaborating with over 36 different organizations, doubling the number of block grantees and extending the total reach of MLRP partner and collaborator support to over 100 organizations.
• The Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians were awarded $1,753,000 in May 2023 for the planning and development of a groundwater recharge project.
• Round 1 block grantees identified and conducted targeted outreach to regional stakeholders, including 13 disadvantaged communities in the Kaweah Subbasin, as well as 50 key stakeholders representing 35 unique entities in the Madera Subbasin.
• Round 1 block grantees formed community advisory groups representing a diverse set of stakeholders to inform the block grant planning process, including local community members, growers, tribal members, and others.
• Round 1 block grantees began project development activities under three block grants in Tule, Kaweah, and Lower Salinas Subbasins, with input from communities and DOC.
• Program administrators and participants faced several common challenges in the first year of MLRP implementation. Extreme weather and flooding impacting communities across the state and delayed community outreach efforts in some block grantee regions.
• The Statewide Support Entity formed a diverse Advisory Committee that includes environment, agriculture, community, tribal representation and brought on The Nature Conservancy and the Union of Concerned Scientists as Implementation Partners. These roles leverage the expertise of organizations to support successful SSE operations and program implementation.

The DOC, SSE, and block grantees look forward to continued progress toward program and regional goals in 2024 and beyond.

The new 2023 Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program Annual Report is available in English and Spanish.

(Washington, D.C. – April 9, 2024) The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit today rejected challenges that sought to overturn California’s long-established authority under the Clean Air Act to set its own protective standards for pollution from new cars and trucks.

“California’s clean car standards will save lives, protect people from the climate crisis and unhealthy air pollution, save drivers money and help create good new jobs,” said Alice Henderson, Director and Lead Counsel for Environmental Defense Fund, which was a party to the case. “Today’s court decision is a victory for Californians, an affirmation of the Clean Air Act, and a welcome step in our journey to a clean transportation future.”

The unanimous decision by a three-judge panel in Ohio v. EPA rejects a challenge from the Attorneys General of Ohio and other states, and from oil, gas, and ethanol interests. Twenty-three states and cities defended the California waiver in court, as did environmental and health groups, including EDF, and a large coalition of automakers and energy companies.

Transportation is the largest source of climate pollution in the U.S. and a large contributor to lethal particle and smog pollution. Setting strong emission standards for new cars and trucks is vital to protect people from the climate crisis and from the air pollution that makes them sick. California's program for pollution-free new cars is an important part of the state's fight against conventional smog and soot pollution.

Congress has explicitly recognized California’s authority to set clean vehicle standards since 1967. The Clean Air Act allows the state to set motor vehicle emissions standards that are at least as or more stringent than national standards pursuant to a waiver from the Environmental Protection Agency.

In the past 57 years, EPA has granted California more than 75 waivers. California’s subsequent efforts to reduce air pollution from vehicles have been extremely successful, and its current program has been adopted by 17 other states across the country.

Ohio and the other states that challenged California’s authority were not seeking their own right to set standards – they just wanted to deny California’s traditional authority as guaranteed by federal law.

Today, the D.C. Circuit Court rejected their request, finding that both state petitioners and fuel petitioners lacked standing to raise certain of their claims because they had not demonstrated how a favorable decision by the court would remedy their alleged injuries.

The court also rejected on the merits state petitioners unprecedented constitutional claim that section 209 of the Clean Air Act violated the “equal sovereignty” doctrine, reaffirming California’s decades-old authority is constitutional, saying:

“State Petitioners point us to no meaningful support for their novel request to apply the equal sovereignty principle as a categorical limit on Congress’s power to regulate interstate commerce.” (Decision, page 47)

Ohio v. EPA is one of three cases about clean transportation that were argued before the D.C. Circuit court in two days last September. Two other cases – Texas v. EPA and NRDC v. NHTSA – were argued before a different three-judge panel, and those cases are still pending.

In addition to protecting people from climate change and air pollution, clean transportation standards are beneficial for U.S. jobs and the economy. A report by EDF and WSP shows that $188 billion in electric vehicle investments and 195,000 new U.S. jobs have been announced in the last nine years, with most of those announcements happening since passage of the Inflation Reduction Act. Another EDF report found that enough U.S. battery production capacity has already been announced to supply all the electric vehicles – both cars and trucks – expected to be sold in 2030.

You can find all legal briefs in these cases, and other cases challenging clean car and truck standards, on EDF’s website.  

(WASHINGTON – April 9, 2024) Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced stronger rules to limit toxic pollution from petrochemical plants. The new rules include vital measures to protect the health and safety of communities on the fenceline of this pollution.

The updated standards mark important progress to establish foundational protections that will reduce toxic petrochemical pollution, protect public health and save lives. The standards, commonly known as the Hazardous Organic NESHAP, or HON Rule, apply to more than 200 industrial facilities across the country and focus on limiting six of EPA’s high priority chemicals of concern, all of which are known or suspected to cause cancer and other serious health problems.

“Everyone has the right to breathe clean air, but for far too long, communities on the fenceline of the petrochemical industry have been exposed to pollution that threatens their health,” said Dionne Delli-Gatti, associate vice president for Community Engagement at Environmental Defense Fund. “EPA’s stronger standards can help keep communities safe from toxic air pollution. It’s essential that these protections are rigorously enforced and that leaders at all levels of government continue to work together to address health threats from petrochemical polluters so that all communities can thrive.”

The fossil fuel industry is increasingly pivoting to petrochemicals, which are derived from fossil fuels and used to make plastics, pesticides and other industrial chemicals. Pollution from petrochemical operations poses a serious threat to nearby communities, and EPA’s action today establishes foundational protections that will help deliver vital health benefits.

The updated standards are expected to slash more than 6,000 tons of air toxics each year and reduce air toxics-related cancer risks by 96% in the communities where these facilities operate, according to EPA estimates. The standards will also cut approximately 23,000 tons of smog-forming volatile organic compounds annually, delivering $690 million in benefits.

Key provisions in the new standards include stronger controls on toxic air emissions, additional air quality monitoring at the facility fenceline for EPA’s six high priority chemicals, stronger protections against pollution from flaring and action to close the loophole that allows facilities to pollute during periods of startup, shutdown and malfunction (SSM).

EPA’s action today to close the SSM loophole is especially significant, as more frequent and intense storms fueled by climate change are driving greater risks of chemical disasters at these facilities.

The updated standards can also help advance environmental justice for communities on the fenceline of these facilities, especially in Texas and Louisiana, where many petrochemical facilities are located. Communities of color are more exposed than others to toxic petrochemical pollution, and this trend has significantly worsened for Latino communities in the U.S. over the past two decades.

Stronger protections and ensuring rigorous compliance is likewise urgently needed given the petrochemical industry’s demonstrated history of violating environmental laws: over 80% of HON Rule facilities were noncompliant with existing laws at some point in the last three years, according to EDF analysis.

EDF joined other environmental organizations in submitting comments to EPA in support of a strong final HON Rule when the agency first proposed the updates last year.

[New York, NY, April 8, 2024] – As the spotlight grows on greenhouse gas emissions from the food and agriculture sector, an innovative guide co-authored by Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and Deloitte was released today to empower food companies to more efficiently and strategically accelerate progress toward their climate goals

Developed in response to the need from companies to have clearer and more actionable climate guidance, the guide provides invaluable insights for food companies seeking a more strategic approach to drive the greatest impact.

The resource, “Strategic Roadmaps for SBTi Forest, Land, and Agriculture Targets: Prioritizing Action for Impact,” outlines example pathways for six key commodities aligned with the Science Based Targets initiative’s (SBTi) Forest, Land, and Agriculture (FLAG) guidance, enabling food companies to prioritize action toward these ambitious climate targets.

"Sustainability teams at major food companies often tell us they feel overwhelmed by too much, and often conflicting, information, and too little actionable guidance," says Katie Anderson, Business Food & Forests senior director, Environmental Defense Fund. "This much-needed guide fills that gap and provides a strategic framework to equip companies to prioritize action for the greatest impact, so that they can execute effective and efficient climate strategies "

The guide highlights six primary agricultural commodities: beef, dairy, chicken, corn, soy, and wheat. It also emphasizes the significance of breaking out emissions reduction targets and examining opportunities for action by greenhouse gas, focusing on carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane.

"Our agricultural system is already facing the impacts of a changing climate, and its capacity to supply food to a growing population is dependent on swift, deliberate, and prioritized climate action," adds Nicole Jenkins, beef and poultry sector lead, Environmental Defense Fund. "By providing companies with an actionable blueprint through these example pathways, we hope to underscore the value of focusing efforts on the greatest impact opportunities to meaningfully drive down emissions."

While agricultural greenhouse gases are often assessed in terms of carbon dioxide equivalents, the guide underscores the limitations of this approach in properly accounting for the distinct characteristics of each gas, including their differing global warming potentials and atmospheric lifespans.

By considering key differences in greenhouse gases to better prioritize strategic climate action, food companies can play a pivotal role in driving emission reductions and securing a sustainable future for generations to come. Indeed, leveraging key climate opportunities now is our best chance to reduce major risks to our agricultural system and corporate value chains, enhancing profitability and ability to adapt to a changing climate.   

For more information and to access the guide, visit https://business.edf.org/insights/strategic-roadmaps-for-sbti-forest-land-agriculture-targets/.

(Washington, D.C. – April 4^th, 2024) The Agriculture Finance Sustainability Coalition, a new partnership between agriculture, environmental groups and financial institutions, supported a significant awardee of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's $14-billion National Clean Investment Fund. Climate United secured $6.97 billion, which it will use to mobilize financing and private capital and accelerate market activity to combat the climate crisis.

The Agriculture Finance Sustainability Coalition includes members Akiptan, Compeer Financial, Couser Cattle Company, Environmental Defense Fund, Farmers Business Network, Farm Credit Council, Farmer Mac, Growers Edge, Intertribal Agriculture Council, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, National Milk Producers Federation, Native Agriculture Financial Services and Soil and Water Outcomes Fund.

Farmers and ranchers consistently cite financial barriers as an impediment to their adoption of climate-smart agriculture practices and technologies. Together, the members of the coalition are collaborating to identify climate-smart agriculture projects that meet the qualified project criteria of the National Clean Investment Fund, and agricultural finance institutions that are positioned to deploy financial solutions to farmers across the country.

“Farmers and ranchers are essential allies in generating climate solutions, but they need the right kind of financial support to do so,” says Maggie Monast, senior director for climate-smart agriculture at Environmental Defense Fund. “Funding from the National Clean Investment Fund will de-risk and catalyze replicable, scalable and equitable financial solutions that accelerate climate-smart agriculture implementation. The EPA’s announcement is a major step forward and will generate benefits for farms, ranches and rural communities across the nation.”

Agricultural climate solutions that may be financed through this opportunity include renewable energy technologies, farm energy efficiency upgrades, technologies to capture or reduce livestock methane emissions, farming practices that reduce nitrous oxide emissions from fertilizer use on crops, and more.

The National Clean Investment Fund places a strong emphasis on equity, and reaching communities that face challenges in accessing mainstream sources of capital. The coalition will use this funding opportunity to assist farmers and ranchers who face barriers in accessing capital and support them in expanding access to essential financial services. For example, Akiptan is a Native American Community Development Financial Institution that provides loans and technical assistance to those in Native Agriculture.

“Akiptan's mission is to transform Native agriculture and food economies by delivering creative capital, leading paradigm changes, and enhancing producer prosperity across Indian Country. We support producers holistically with flexible, long-term capital and the technical assistance they need to succeed. The partnerships we will develop with farmers and ranchers as part of the National Clean Investment Fund will allow Akiptan to expand our patient approach to capital with the producers we serve, enabling them to grow their businesses and thrive,” says Skya Ducheneaux, executive director at Akiptan.

Several members of the coalition are prepared to deploy financial solutions to farmers, which will leverage private capital and enable farmers to access the flexible financing they need to adopt climate-smart agriculture practices and technologies.

“Farmers are already operating on thin margins, and access to appropriate financing is essential for them to navigate the pressures of the future – including climate change. The flexible capital offered through the National Clean Investment Fund offers an opportunity for Farm Credit cooperatives to tailor their financing to the needs of their farmer member-owners who are leading the way in implementing climate solutions. Our collaboration in the Coalition is a natural outgrowth of Farm Credit’s mission to support rural communities and agriculture with reliable, consistent credit and financial services, today and tomorrow,” mentions Todd Van Hoose, president of Farm Credit Council.