Natural Resources Defense Council

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an environmental activist organization. While it is considered a special interest group that has an agenda, the depth and scope of the NRDC is far greater than that of most environmental activist groups. The NRDC has not only the support of 1.2 million members but also experts in law and science who work with many different groups to not merely criticize but to lend their expertise to these various groups in helping develop more efficient methods in such areas as renewable energy, coal technology, nuclear energy, and cleaner fuel burning cars. It is venues like this that give the NRDC credibility among various stakeholders in the United States and abroad. For example, the NRDC has partnered with Environmental Entrepreneurs, a national community of professionals and businesspeople who believe in protecting the environment while building economic prosperity. This has resulted in bringing together the business community, government, and the NRDC in bipartisan fashion to help shape state and national policy. Through collaborative efforts with companies like Environmental Entrepreneurs, the NRDC has been able to address issues such as energy, energy efficiency, and water purity, by publishing position papers that not only use NRDC sources but are often supported by the industries they are studying. For example, expanding the ethanol business would not only benefit farmers but also the auto, manufacturing, and trucking industries by providing a cheaper form of energy than gasoline or diesel fuel, as well as reducing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.

This is not to say that the NRDC enjoys universal respect from the business community; it does not. Some in the business community look at the NRDC as a liability because more often than not their suggestions entail additional capital spending, thus reducing profits. Through its vast world membership, the NRDC mobilizes activists to assist in the protection of forests and marine ecosystems that may be threatened by industrialization or the extraction of natural resources from the areas. In addition, the NRDC has established itself as a legitimate watchdog agency in [Page 1492]areas of environmental policy that are generated by our lawmakers. It maintains a legal presence in Washington, D.C., to examine all legislation being put forward that may have an impact on the environment or health of the United States and its citizens. NRDC lawyers have addressed various issues concerning the environment and its protection. They have worked collaboratively with various businesses, with government agencies, and with other special interest groups to monitor the types of environmental legislation introduced by the government and to react if certain legislation runs counter to what is considered prudent and safe. They maintain a comprehensive Web site, which covers a variety of environmental areas and also lists a number of reference links that will allow the user to get an “objective” picture of various environmental issues that the NRDC has chosen to challenge. The links give the user an opportunity to see how members of Congress vote on these issues. The Web site also provides information regarding national and international environmental law and their decisions. There is another link devoted exclusively to providing brief summaries of major federal environmental laws (with links to full text for each law) and related resources.

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