Ten years after NRDC asked a federal court to order city and state officials to fix Flint’s lead-contaminated drinking water, the legal battle to replace lead drinking water pipes is officially over. The final tally? Nearly 11,000 lead pipes replaced and more than 28,000 properties restored.

In 2014, Flint switched its water source to save money — and residents' tap water turned foul. Officials ignored the complaints. But after testing revealed lead contamination, NRDC joined local residents and other groups to sue the city and state officials. After all, there is no safe level of lead exposure.

Flint’s fight put lead contamination on the national radar and helped spark a new EPA rule requiring nearly every lead pipe in the country to be replaced within ten years.

Now water utilities are suing to block that rule. We spent ten years fighting in Flint — and NRDC won't stop until every American has safe, lead-free water.

You can find out everything you need to know about the Flint water crisis by checking out our guide.

NRDC has filed 54 lawsuits against the current Trump administration. Last month, NRDC sued Trump's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) after it rolled back restrictions on potent climate-warming hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) used as refrigerants in supermarket coolers and freezers and in-home air conditioners. The rollback is a one-two punch: it raises grocery and AC costs for American families while worsening the climate crisis — that’s just not cool. Read more >

• NRDC and Partners Secure a Victory for Public Health: A federal court ruled that the EPA must implement strengthened limits on soot pollution, ordering the agency to designate areas with unhealthy levels of soot pollution and put communities on the path to cleaner air. The decision will help protect millions of Americans, especially children, from health impacts like asthma, heart attacks, and premature death. Read more >
• NRDC Helps Deliver Over 90,000 Messages in Opposition to Big Banks’ Support for LNG Exports in Mexico’s Gulf of California: Activists and advocates met in Mexico City to deliver petitions from more than 55,000 NRDC activists to protect one of the planet’s richest marine ecosystems. Activists called on J.P. Morgan Chase to end their involvement in liquified natural gas (LNG) projects that threaten whales, fisheries, and coastal communities. Read more >
• NRDC and Partners Challenge Approval of Nation’s Largest Rail Facility in California: NRDC and other conservation and environmental justice groups sued the city of Barstow, CA, for approving a 5,000-acre rail yard and warehouse project that will worsen already poor air quality in nearby communities, endanger public health, and destroy desert habitat, threatening wildlife like the Mojave desert tortoise and western burrowing owl. Read more >

Beneath the ocean’s surface, industrial and military noise is disrupting one of Earth’s most important ecosystems. Take a deep dive into the remarkable world of marine mammals and the threats they face in the Emmy award-winning documentary Sonic Sea — co-produced by NRDC and narrated by Rachel McAdams.

The film shares the story of a former US Navy officer who solved a tragic mystery and changed the way we understand our impact on the ocean. And it’s now available to watch for free on YouTube.

Experience the underwater world of whales and ocean noise — watch Sonic Sea on YouTube today >

• Say No to the Drilling Onslaught Near the Grand Canyon: The Trump administration is trying to hand over an additional 200,000+ acres of public lands for oil and gas leasing near the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Speak up for public lands today >
• Big Oil Must Pay for Their Pollution: Trump’s Interior Department is attempting to weaken the Oil and Gas Leasing Rule, which increases the risk of oil and gas companies not cleaning up their wells when they’re done drilling on public lands. Submit a public comment by 8/24 to hold oil and gas companies accountable >
• Help Stop Data Centers from Polluting Your Air: Trump’s EPA wants to end the legal requirement for industrial polluters like power plants and data centers to prove their facilities won't pollute and harm the air you breathe. Send your letter to the EPA now >

Text NRDC to 61636 to sign up for urgent text alerts.

By providing your mobile number you'll sign up to receive recurring urgent texts from NRDC to your cell phone from 61636. Recurring msgs; msg & data rates may apply; text STOP to quit anytime, HELP for more info. Read our privacy policy.

Donations will be used to fight climate change and for other campaigns that allow NRDC to protect the environment in the most effective way possible.