2017-05-15T12:20:19-05:00 2016-06-30 GRANT THORNTON LLP 757 THIRD AVE 3RD FLOOR NEW YORK NY 100172013 990 2015-07-01 132654926 Natural Resources Defense Council Inc % STEVEN BAGINSKI CFO NATU 2127272700 40 West 20th Street New York NY 10011 STEVE BAGINSKI CFO 2127272700 2017-05-15 true Scott Thompsett P00741490 2125990100 2015 2021-01-29 14:40:06Z Rhea Suh President 40 WEST 20TH STREET NEW YORK NY 10011 210267389 false X www.nrdc.org X 1970 NY NRDC's mission is to safeguard the earth: its people, its plants and its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends. 38 36 677 0 12852 -65612 134361787 127497252 701716 1089789 19445143 380773 683991 841447 155192637 129809261 3739477 4927829 0 0 63511162 66697751 461523 930163 10109673 59037524 60879746 126749686 133435489 28442951 -3626228 306293488 301556189 62607924 65029561 243685564 236526628 X THE NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL'S PURPOSE IS TO SAFEGUARD THE EARTH: ITS PEOPLE, ITS PLANTS AND ANIMALS AND THE NATURAL SYSTEMS ON WHICH ALL LIFE DEPENDS. WE WORK TO RESTORE THE INTEGRITY OF THE ELEMENTS THAT SUSTAIN LIFE - AIR, LAND AND WATER - AND TO DEFEND ENDANGERED NATURAL PLACES. WE SEEK TO ESTABLISH SUSTAINABILITY AND GOOD STEWARDSHIP OF THE EARTH AS CENTRAL ETHICAL IMPERATIVES OF HUMAN SOCIETY. NRDC AFFIRMS THE INTEGRAL PLACE OF HUMAN BEINGS IN THE ENVIRONMENT. WE STRIVE TO PROTECT NATURE IN WAYS THAT ADVANCE THE LONG-TERM WELFARE OF PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS. WE WORK TO FOSTER THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT OF ALL PEOPLE TO HAVE A VOICE IN DECISIONS THAT AFFECT THEIR ENVIRONMENT. WE SEEK TO BREAK DOWN THE PATTERN OF DISPROPORTIONATE ENVIRONMENTAL BURDENS BORNE BY PEOPLE OF COLOR AND OTHERS WHO FACE SOCIAL OR ECONOMIC INEQUITIES. ULTIMATELY, NRDC STRIVES TO HELP CREATE A NEW WAY OF LIFE FOR HUMANKIND, ONE THAT CAN BE SUSTAINED INDEFINITELY WITHOUT FOULING OR DEPLETING THE RES false false 112671530 4927829 1089789 See Schedule O for a detailed description of all of NRDC's various environmental programs. 112671530 true true false true false false false false false true true true false false true true false true false true true true false true true false false true false true true false false false false false false false false false true true false false false false true true false true false true 386 0 true 677 true true true true CH false false false true true false false false false X 38 36 true true false false true true true true true false false true true true true true true true true false AL AK AR CA CO CT DC FL GA HI IL KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC TN UT VA WA WV WI X X STEVEN BAGINSKI CFO 2127272700 40 WEST 20TH STREET NEW YORK NY 10011 John H Adams Trustee 20.0 1.0 X 189583 0 77323 Adam Albright Trustee (Thru 12/2015) 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Anne Slaughter Andrew Trustee 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Richard E Ayres Trustee 1.0 1.0 X 0 0 0 Patricia Bauman V Chair (thru 12/2015)/Trustee 1.0 1.0 X X 0 0 0 Anita Bekenstein Trustee 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Claire Bernard Trustee 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Anna Scott Carter Trustee 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Sarah Cogan Trustee 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Laurie David Trustee 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Leonardo DiCaprio Trustee 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 John Echohawk Trustee 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Michel Gelobter Trustee (Thru 12/2015) 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Kate Greswold Trustee 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Arjun Gupta Trustee 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Alan Horn Vice Chair 1.0 0.0 X X 0 0 0 Victor Hymes Trustee (As of 12/2015) 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Nicole E Lederer Trustee 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Shelly Malkin Trustee 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Josephine A Merck Trustee 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Kelly Chapman Meyer Trustee 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Mary Moran Trustee/Treasurer 1.0 1.0 X X 0 0 0 Peter Morton Trustee 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Wendy Neu Vice Chair 1.0 0.0 X X 0 0 0 Frederica P Perera Trustee 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Robert Redford Trustee 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Laurance Rockefeller Trustee 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Jonathan F P Rose Trustee (Thru 12/2015) 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Thomas Roush Trustee 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 William H Schlesinger Trustee 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Wendy Schmidt Trustee 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Frederick A O Schwarz Jr Chair Emeritus/Trustee 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Max Stone Vice Chair (as of 12/2015) 1.0 0.0 X X 0 0 0 James Taylor Trustee 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Daniel R Tishman Chairman 1.0 1.0 X X 0 0 0 Gerald Torres Trustee 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 David Vladeck Trustee 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 David Welch Trustee 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Kathleen Welch Trustee (as of 12/2015) 1.0 1.0 X 0 0 0 Eric Wepsic Trustee 1.0 1.0 X 0 0 0 George Woodwell Trustee 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Maripat Alpuche Secretary 1.0 1.0 X 0 0 0 Lauren Colasacco Assistant Secretary 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Steven Baginski Chief Financial Officer 40.0 1.0 X 438404 0 0 Mitchell Bernard COO (as of 11/2015) 40.0 1.0 X 233965 0 50714 Peter Lehner Thru 082015 Executive Director 40.0 1.0 X 567053 0 39448 John Murray thru 122015 Director of Development 40.0 0.0 X 238172 0 33909 Rhea Suh President 40.0 1.0 X 541142 0 10157 Lisa Benenson Chief Communications Director 40.0 0.0 X 295402 0 37666 Dale Bryk Director of Programs 40.0 0.0 X 211112 0 48999 Susan Casey-Lefkowitz Director of Programs 40.0 0.0 X 214235 0 48999 David Goldston Director of Government Affairs 40.0 0.0 X 221459 0 21216 David Hawkins Senior Attorney III 40.0 0.0 X 225976 0 49986 Joel Reynolds Western Director & Sr Attorney 40.0 0.0 X 221831 0 50250 Abby Schaefer Orfaly Dir., Bd & Strategic Relations 40.0 0.0 X 225796 0 33837 Raya Salter Senior Utility Advocate 40.0 0.0 X 209320 0 12522 Frances Beinecke Former President 5.0 1.0 X 183372 0 0 Sarah A Gillman Former Chief Financial Officer 40.0 1.0 X 189146 0 9245 Judy Keefer Former Chief Operating Officer 0.0 0.0 X 259640 0 0 Ashok Gupta Former Key Employee 40.0 0.0 X 211457 0 48856 Linda Lopez Dir. of Membership Public Ed. 0.0 0.0 X 210404 0 0 5087469 0 573127 167 true true false Thompson Mailing 21 Naus Way BLOOMSBURG PA 17815 Mailing Services 2130000 Princeton South Inc 200 Ludlow Drive Bldg E EWING NJ 08638 Mailing Services 1564585 CANAL PARTNERS MEDIA LLC 25 WHITLOCK PLACE SW SUITE 201 MARIETTA GA 20064 Media Consultants 1535619 GCCI General Contractors 875 Battery Street SAN FRANCISCO CA 94111 Construction 1202626 RR Donnelly PO Box 93514 CHICAGO IL 606733514 Mailing Services 1157439 108 162934 26781107 237390 208644 100107177 4015120 127497252 COURT AWARDED FEES 900099 1080770 1080770 BOOK INCOME (ON EARTH) 900099 9019 9019 1089789 2314441 -65151 2379592 0 0 727164 727164 0 727164 78003 649161 78388483 80322151 -1933668 -1933668 -1933668 48128 237390 135977 -87849 -87849 0 0 MAIL LIST RENTAL 900099 133703 133703 HONORARIA 900099 6152 6152 MISCELLANEOUS 900099 62277 62277 202132 129809261 1089789 12852 1209368 3206552 3206552 0 1721277 1721277 0 2788167 2039818 332871 415478 0 49151699 41466641 4499702 3185356 4945528 4145446 459575 340507 6323121 5324118 600389 398614 3489236 2924752 324245 240239 605636 507657 56280 41699 1443485 1209960 134139 99386 283340 237502 26330 19508 80837 67759 13078 930163 930163 1495745 1253765 138996 102984 20270829 19895368 375461 4661417 4461997 48841 150579 11760805 8790403 366004 2604398 797216 719125 41006 37085 0 6047314 5074725 559607 412982 4578417 3933487 464155 180775 0 1113652 796447 207750 109455 0 0 2735048 2292710 254083 188255 347366 291169 32280 23917 TEMPORARY CLERICAL 1711378 123552 1564951 22875 LIST RENTALS 1164303 856082 308221 RECRUITING EXPENSE 458522 398914 51 59557 ENVIRONMENT COALITION 18500 18500 1305936 913804 154492 237640 133435489 112671530 10654286 10109673 X 7323870 4509254 2814616 0 0 28842455 17030576 19789031 23568510 187599 1068067 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4265807 5228909 60960342 22035273 36668777 38925069 82942535 110627508 133597284 105107550 0 0 0 0 0 0 306293488 301556189 16760823 16767803 0 0 0 0 10923786 10634197 0 0 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These fees represent only a portion of the lobbying expenditures NRDC reports on Schedule C, Part II-A. Employee time that is directed toward lobbying initiatives (and categorized as lobbying expenditures on Schedule C) have been reported on Part IX in lines 5, 7, 8, 9, & 10 rather than on line 11d. 153068276 8759097 514555 5288000 1408282 155645646 147155091 6885168 5612797 5111524 1473256 153068276 128985641 6426811 18880522 5605988 1531894 147155092 117964925 7207546 12339658 7057075 1469413 128985641 121644788 4607210 1523175 9022568 787680 117964925 0.81770 0.12920 0.05310 false false 46264685 17249985 29014700 1076108 352639 723469 10454107 4447367 6006740 3180160 3180160 38925069 HEDGE FUNDS 40049938 F PRIVATE EQUITIES 2591273 F VENTURE CAPITAL FUNDS 44108 F EX FOSSIL FUELS INDEX FUND 42274922 F INT. IN SPLIT INT. AGREEMENTS 20147309 F 105107550 0 CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITIES 13089751 POOLED INCOME FUNDS 335053 DEFINED BENEFIT PLAN OBLIGATION 12848884 26273688 X 133297513 1346500 4116644 5463144 127834369 1495744 479148 1974892 129809261 136178495 4102773 4102773 132075722 1495744 -135977 1359767 133435489 ENDOWMENT FUNDS FORM 990, SCHEDULE D, PART V, LINE 4 NRDC's endowment fund is intended to support its environmental and conservation programs (specifically, those described in detail in Part III to the Form 990). The trustees have adopted a spending policy that allows for up to 5% of the average fair value of quasi-endowment and permanent endowment funds to be used in support of operations on an annual basis. NRDC's endowment consists of 55 individual funds (26 permanently restricted, 15 temporarily restricted and 14 quasi-endowments) and is an aggregation of gifts provided by donors with the requirement they be held in perpetuity to generate earnings now and in future years to support a variety of purposes, including funding its program and administrative operating costs. It also includes funds designated by NRDC's board of trustees to function as an endowment (quasi endowment). Net assets associated with endowment funds, including funds designated by NRDC's board of trustees to function as endowments, are classified and reported based on the existence or absence of donor-imposed restrictions. INCOME TAXES FORM 990, SCHEDULE D, PART X NRDC follows guidance that clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return, including issues relating to financial statement recognition and measurement. This guidance provides that the tax effects from an uncertain tax position can only be recognized in the consolidated financial statements if the position is "more-likely-than-not" to be sustained if the position were to be challenged by a taxing authority. The assessment of the tax position is based solely on the technical merits of the position, without regard to the likelihood that the tax position may be challenged. NRDC has processes presently in place to ensure the maintenance of its tax-exempt status; to identify and report unrelated income; determine its filing and tax obligations in jurisdictions for which it has nexus; and to review other matters that may be considered an uncertain tax position. The tax years ended June 30, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 remain open to audit for both federal and state purposes. This standard had no impact on NRDCs 2016 and 2015 consolidated financial statements. NRDC does not believe its 2016 and 2015 consolidated financial statements include any material uncertain tax positions. Form 990, schedule d, parts xi and xii NRDC does not receive standalone financial statements; its operations are consolidated with two affiliated organizations, the NRDC Action Fund and NRDC limited. The Parts XI and XII reconciliation on Schedule D tie back to NRDC's financial information within the audited financial statements and not to the consolidated numbers. Form 990, schedule D, part XI, Line 4b special event expenses allocated against special event revenue on part VIII ($135,977) Bad Debt Expense Adjustment 615,124 ---------- $479,148 EXPENSE ON BOOKS NOT ON RETURN FORM 990, SCHEDULE D, PART XII, LINE 4b special event expenses allocated against special event revenue on part VIII ($135,977) true East Asia and the Pacific 1 32 Program Services CLEAN ENERGY ADVOCACY 6137215 South Asia Program Services CLEAN ENERGY ADVOCACY 270956 South America Program Services CLEAN ENERGY ADVOCACY 23687 North America Program Services ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY 343414 Europe (Including Iceland and Greenland) Program Services ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY 190059 Sub-Saharan Africa Program Services CLEAN ENERGY ADVOCACY 6375 Central America and the Caribbean Investments 31504146 1 32 1 32 38475852 38475852 East Asia and the Pacific Clean Energy Advocacy 70000 wire East Asia and the Pacific Clean Energy Advocacy 70000 wire East Asia and the Pacific Clean Energy Advocacy 70000 wire East Asia and the Pacific Clean Energy Advocacy 80000 wire East Asia and the Pacific Clean Energy Advocacy 109849 wire East Asia and the Pacific Clean Energy Advocacy 100000 wire East Asia and the Pacific Clean Energy Advocacy 70000 wire East Asia and the Pacific Clean Energy Advocacy 500000 wire East Asia and the Pacific Clean Energy Advocacy 140000 wire East Asia and the Pacific Clean Energy Advocacy 70000 wire East Asia and the Pacific Clean Energy Advocacy 100000 wire East Asia and the Pacific Clean Energy Advocacy 21428 wire Europe (Including Iceland and Greenland) Biogems Advocacy 100000 wire North America Biogems Advocacy 100000 wire North America Biogems Advocacy 50000 wire South Asia Clean Energy/Water Advocacy 70000 WIRE 16 true false true true true false ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES SCHEDULE F, PART I, LINE 3 NRDC monitors all expenditures to ensure that amounts are used properly. Outside of salaries and benefits (U.S. Headquarters processes directly), NRDC used the below process to review and monitor discretionary expenditures such as travel and consulting. Program assistants in China verify all invoices to ensure accuracy. All invoices are then reviewed and signed off by the direct supervisor of the requestor (either project leader/ project manager). Next, the Director and Deputy Director of China Program review and approve large items of expenditure. Finally, all invoices and approval forms are forwarded to the U.S. Headquarters' Accounting Department for final review. Schedule F, Part IV The Natural Resources Defense Council invests in domestic and foreign limited partnerships that may own an interest in a foreign corporation, passive foreign investment company, or foreign partnership. Nevertheless, the Council's investment activities may not reach the thresholds required for filing the Forms 926, 5471, 8621 or 8865. To the extent such a form was completed, it has been filed with the Organization's Form 990-T. X X X X X X X true DONOR SERVICES TELEMRKTNG false 92549 68276 24273 TELEFUND Inc TELEMRKTNG false 55925 20444 35481 O'Brien Garret fundraising consultant false 181669 -181669 YOUR VOICE MEDIA TELEMRKTNG false 126395 106291 20104 SD A Teleservices Inc TELEMRKTNG false 81866 39670 42196 356735 416350 -59615 AL AK AR CA CO CT DC FL GA HI IL KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC TN UT VA WA WV WI MONTAUK EVENT 119650 111476 8174 19740 22976 SF BENEFIT 63658 57158 6500 14242 9522 6 102210 68756 33454 13020 56477 285518 237390 48128 47002 88975 135977 -87849 Schedule G, Part 1, Fundraisers Fundraiser O'Brien Garret does not specifically raise funds for Natural Resources Defense Council. O'Brien Garret provides consulting services with relation to NRDC's activities, and determining an accurate allocation of receipts specifically related to their endeavors is difficult for 990 purposes. true Alliance to Save Energy 1850 M St NW Ste 1050 Washington DC 200365803 521082991 501(c)(3) 10000 Env. Advocacy American Wind Wildlife Institute 1110 VT Ave NW St 950 Washington DC 200053544 261587829 501(c)(3) 10000 Env. Advocacy Association for Energy Affordability Inc 105 Bruckner Boulevard Bronx NY 10454 133374285 501(c)(3) 7000 Env. Advocacy Blacks In Green 6011 S St Lawrence Ave Chicago IL 60637 452453557 501(c)(3) 10000 Env. Advocacy Blue Frontier Campaign PO Box 19367 Washington DC 20036 141861309 501(c)(3) 7000 Env. Advocacy Blue Green Alliance Foundation 1300 Godward St NE ste 2625 Minneapolis MN 55413 203477309 501(c)(3) 105000 Env. Advocacy Blue Hills Community Services Corporation 5008 Prospect Ave KC MO 641302651 510141323 501(c)(3) 50000 Env. Advocacy California League Of Conservation Voters 350 Frank H Ogawa Plaza Oakland CA 94612 943232552 501(c)(3) 8000 Env. Advocacy Carnegie Mellon University 5000 Forbes Avenue Pittsburgh PA 15213 250969449 501(c)(3) 50000 Env. Advocacy Catskill Mountainkeeper PO Box 1000 Livingston Manor NY 12758 510583769 501(c)(3) 65000 Env. Advocacy Center For Rural Affairs PO Box 1074 Hudson NY 12537 470553823 501(c)(3) 12500 Env. Advocacy City of Atlanta Office of Sustainability 55 Trinity Avenue SW Altanta GA 30303 586000511 gov't 50000 Env. Advocacy Clean Water Fund 23885 Denton STE B Clinton Township MI 48036 521043444 501(c)(3) 12500 Env. Advocacy Climate and Energy Project Inc PO Box 1858 Hutchinson KS 67504 263450854 501(c)(3) 25000 Env. Advocacy Coalition for Green Capital 1875 CT Ave NW Washington DC 20009 900868299 501(c)(3) 207000 Env. Advocacy Colorado Nonprofit Development Center 789 Sherman St STE 250 Denver CO 80203 841493585 501(c)(3) 13000 Env. Advocacy Deep South Ctr For Envir Justi 7325 Palmetto St NO LA 701251098 562466977 501(c)(3) 5500 Env. Advocacy Dream Corps 1611 Telegraph Avenue Oakland CA 94612 261140201 501(c)(3) 10000 Env. Advocacy Earthjustice 633 17th Street Denver CO 802022536 941730465 501(c)(3) 23000 Env. Advocacy Elevate Energy 322 S Green St STE 300 Chicago IL 60607 364443093 501(c)(3) 50000 Env. Advocacy Environment America Research 600 Penn Ave SE Washington DC 20003 134339865 501(c)(3) 20000 Env. Advocacy Environment North Carolina R & PC Inc 1543 Wazee St Ste 400 Denver CO 80202 421712369 501(c)(3) 579463 Env. Advocacy Evangelical Environmental Network 9365 Counselors Row Indianapolis IN 46240 232827214 501(c)(3) 70000 Env. Advocacy Faith in Place 70 E Lake St STE 920 Chicago IL 60601 364540756 501(c)(3) 31000 Env. Advocacy Global Green USA 2218 Main St 2 Floor Santa Monica CA 90405 770387124 501(c)(3) 50000 Env. Advocacy Grant Housing & Economic Development Corp 10435 S Central Ave LA CA 90002 470553823 501(c)(3) 27000 Env. Advocacy Grassroots Global Justice PO Box 610663 North Miami FL 33261 264633127 501(c)(3) 6000 Env. Advocacy Green Latinos 801 PA Ave NW 1010 Washington DC 20004 263386082 501(c)(3) 25000 Env. Advocacy Illinois PIRG Education Fund 328 S Jefferson Chicago IL 60661 363848017 501(c)(3) 12500 Env. Advocacy Interwest Energy Alliance PO Box 8526 Santa Fe NM 87504 473109672 501(c)(6) 10000 Env. Advocacy League of Conservation Voters Education Fund 1920 L St Nw STE 800 Washington DC 20036 521379661 501(c)(3) 18000 Env. Advocacy Maryland Public Interest Research Fdtn Inc 3121 St Paul St STE 26 Baltimore MD 21218 521033638 501(c)(3) 20000 Env. Advocacy Monarch Watch 1200 Sunnyside Ave Lawrence KS 660457435 480680117 501(c)(3) 57346 Env. Advocacy National Association of City 120 Park Ave 23rd fl NY NY 10017 201874085 501(c)(3) 25000 Env. Advocacy National Hispanic Medical Association 1920 L St Nw Ste 725 Washington DC 20036 521884446 501(c)(3) 18000 Env. Advocacy National Religious Partnership for the Environment 110 MD Ave NE STE 203 Washington DC 20002 136996770 501(c)(3) 61800 Env. Advocacy NCSL Foundation for State Legislature 7700 East First Place Denver CO 80230 742232576 501(c)(3) 17500 Env. Advocacy NEO Philanthropy Inc 45 W 36th St 6th Fl NY NY 10018 133191113 501(c)(3) 45000 Env. Advocacy New York League of Conservation Voters Ed Fund 30 Broad Street New York NY 10004 133727122 501(c)(3) 7500 Env. Advocacy Northeast Sustainable Energy Association 50 Miles Street Greenfield MA 01301 237437167 501(c)(3) 10000 Env. Advocacy Oceana Inc 1350 Connecticut Ave NW - 5th Floor Washington DC 20036 510401308 501(c)(3) 10000 Env. Advocacy Biogems Advocacy Biogems Advocacy Biogems Advocacy Biogems Advocacy Biogems Advocacy Clean Energy Advocacy Clean Energy Advocacy Clean Energy Advocacy Clean Energy Advocacy Clean Energy Advocacy Clean Energy Advocacy Clean Energy Advocacy Clean Energy Advocacy Clean Energy Advocacy Clean Energy Advocacy Clean Energy Advocacy Clean Energy Advocacy Clean Energy Advocacy Clean Energy Advocacy Clean Energy Advocacy Clean Energy Advocacy Water Advocacy Water Advocacy Oil Change International 714 G Street SE Washington DC 20003 203272355 501(c)(3) 100000 Env. Advocacy Oregon Environmental Council 222 NW Davis Street Portland OR 972093900 930578714 501(c)(3) 15000 Env. Advocacy Partnership Project Inc 1501 M St NW STE 1010 Washington DC 20005 522192070 501(c)(3) 595000 Env. Advocacy Physicians for Social Responsibility 617 S Olive Street Los Angeles CA 90014 237059731 501(c)(3) 10000 Env. Advocacy Princeton in Asia 194 Nassau Street Princeton NJ 08542 136163215 501(c)(3) 49443 Env. Advocacy Project South 9 Gammon Avenue Atlanta GA 30315 581956686 501(c)(3) 11000 Env. Advocacy Renewable Northwest Project 421 SW 6th Avenue Portland OR 97204 911815618 501(c)(3) 15000 Env. Advocacy ReVision International 4200 Morrision Road Denver CO 80219 261204343 501(c)(3) 10000 Env. Advocacy Small Business Majority Foundation Inc 4000 Bridgeway Sausalito CA 94965 030576666 501(c)(3) 175000 Env. Advocacy Centennial Valley Association Inc PO Box 240076 Dell MT 59724 202063285 501(c)(3) 6000 Env. Advocacy Keystone Center 1628 Saints John Road Keystone CO 80435 840688506 501(c)(3) 13000 Env. Advocacy Tom Miner Basin Association LLC 527 Tom Miner Creek Rd Emigrant MT 59027 472837284 9000 Env. Advocacy Transit Alliance 1536 Wynkoop Denver CO 80202 841483080 501(c)(3) 50000 Env. Advocacy Trust for America's Health 1730 M St NW Ste 900 Washington DC 20036 522257066 501(c)(3) 10000 Env. Advocacy University of Illinois 28392 Network Place Chicago IL 606731283 376000511 501(c)(3) 20000 Env. Advocacy University of Kansas Endowment Association PO Box 928 Lawrence KS 660440928 480547734 501(c)(3) 130000 Env. Advocacy US Climate Action Network 50 F St NW 8th Fl Washington DC 20001 204597308 501(c)(3) 20000 Env. Advocacy Virginia Poverty Law Center 919 E Main Street Richmond MD 23219 541093402 501(c)(3) 32000 Env. Advocacy Watts Century Latino Organization 10360 Wilmimgton Ave Los Angeles CA 90002 954429533 501(c)(3) 12000 Env. Advocacy West Harlem Environmental Acti 1854 Amsterdam Ave New York NY 10031 133800068 501(c)(3) 10000 Env. Advocacy Yale University 195 Prospect St New Haven CT 065112189 060646973 501(c)(3) 7500 Env. Advocacy 60 2 Form 990, Schedule I, Line 2 In fiscal year 2016, the NRDC provided various grants to public charities (and other tax-exempt organizations) to support environmental initiatives. NRDC only provides funding to organizations that have an environmental mission that aligns with NRDC's own mission. Grantees are expected to provide NRDC with periodic status reports about their environmental projects. X X true true X X X X true false false false false false false true false John H Adams Trustee 189583 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 77323 0 266906 0 0 0 Frances Beinecke Former President 86372 0 97000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 183372 0 0 0 Steven Baginski Chief Financial Officer 438404 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 438404 0 0 0 Lisa Benenson Chief Communications Director 289902 0 5500 0 0 0 19397 0 18269 0 333068 0 0 0 Mitchell Bernard COO (as of 11/2015) 233965 0 0 0 0 0 32445 0 18269 0 284679 0 0 0 Dale Bryk Director of Programs 211112 0 0 0 0 0 30730 0 18269 0 260111 0 0 0 Susan Casey-Lefkowitz Director of Programs 214235 0 0 0 0 0 30730 0 18269 0 263234 0 0 0 Sarah A Gillman Former Chief Financial Officer 64396 0 0 0 124750 0 4630 0 4615 0 198391 0 0 0 David Goldston Director of Government Affairs 221459 0 0 0 0 0 19866 0 1350 0 242675 0 0 0 David Hawkins Senior Attorney III 225976 0 0 0 0 0 31717 0 18269 0 275962 0 0 0 Peter Lehner Thru 082015 Executive Director 211953 0 0 0 355100 0 27902 0 11546 0 606501 0 0 0 John Murray thru 122015 Director of Development 238172 0 0 0 0 0 29000 0 4909 0 272081 0 0 0 Joel Reynolds Western Director & Sr Attorney 221831 0 0 0 0 0 31981 0 18269 0 272081 0 0 0 Linda Lopez Dir. of Membership Public Ed. 3904 0 5000 0 201500 0 0 0 0 0 210404 0 0 0 Abby Schaefer Orfaly Dir., Bd & Strategic Relations 215796 0 10000 0 0 0 25910 0 7927 0 259633 0 0 0 Rhea Suh President 446142 0 55000 0 40000 0 0 0 10157 0 551299 0 0 0 Ashok Gupta Former Key Employee 211457 0 0 0 0 0 30587 0 18269 0 260313 0 0 0 Judy Keefer Former Chief Operating Officer 12540 0 0 0 247100 0 0 0 0 0 259640 0 0 0 Raya Salter Senior Utility Advocate 90020 0 0 0 119300 0 6199 0 6323 0 221842 0 0 0 COMPENSATION INFORMATION SCHEDULE J PART I, LINE 1 NRDC's policy is to reimburse its employees, officers and trustees for all business-related expenses, such as telephone, fax and travel related expenses. In fiscal year 2016, NRDC also provided companion travel for one individual reported on part VII - John Adams. In addition, NRDC reimbursed Trustee John Adams for social club dues. To the extent Mr. Adams uses the social club for business purposes, he is reimbursed for the social club expense. Part I, Line 4a Judy Keefer, Sarah Gillman, Peter Lehner, Raya Salter and Linda Lopez received severance payments in Calendar Year 2015; these amounts are reported in Schedule J, Part II, Column B(iii). Part I, Line 7 Non-fixed payments During the calendar year 2015, the organization paid a bonus to Former President Frances Beinecke $97,000, Chief Communications Director Lisa Benenson $5,500, Director of Board and Strategic Relations Abby Schaefer Orfaly $10,000, and President Rhea Suh $55,000. Part II, Compensation Reporting of Trustee, Mr. John H Adams COLUMN B(I): BASE COMPENSATION ------------------------------ AFTER THIRTY-FIVE YEARS OF COMMITTED SERVICE AS nrdc'S FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT, Mr. JOHN ADAMS RETIRED ON APRIL 1, 2006 and BECAME A PART-TIME CONSULTANT FOR NRDC. This fiscal year, Mr. Adams received $189,583 FOR THESE SERVICES. COLUMN D: NONTAXABLE BENEFITS ----------------------------- AS PART OF A RETIREMENT AGREEMENT, NRDC PROVIDED Mr. JOHN ADAMS WITH MEDICAL AND DENTAL BENEFITS AND A LONG TERM CARE PLAN. THE VALUES OF THESE BENEFITS ARE: MEDICAL $13,706 LTC $63,617 PER YEAR Part II, Compensation Reporting of CFO, Mr. Steve Baginski STEVE BAGINSKI, SERVED AS NRDC'S INTERIM CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER FROM APRIL 27TH, 2015 THROUGH DECEMBER 21ST, 2015. DURING THAT TIME, MR. BAGINSKI WAS THE EMPLOYEE OF AN EXTERNAL THIRD PARTY EXECUTIVE SEARCH FIRM AND NRDC PAID THAT THIRD PARTY FOR MR. BAGINSKI'S SERVICES. STEVE BAGINSKI WAS HIRED AS NRDC'S FULL-TIME CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER ON DECEMBER 22ND, 2015, AND HE RECEIVED HIS COMPENSATION FROM NRDC FROM THAT DATE. On the Form 990, amounts reported in Part VII, Column (d) represent a combination of amounts NRDC paid to the third party executive search firm for Mr. Baginski's services as well as amounts NRDC paid Mr. Baginski directly. Form 990, Schedule J Compensation Some of the officers reported on the NRDC Form 990, Mitchell Bernard, Rhea Suh, Peter Lehner, and John Murray provided services to an affiliated organization, the NRDC Action Fund. On Part VII and Schedule J, all compensation is being reported as having been paid by NRDC; however, a portion of each such officer's compensation is reimbursed by the Action Fund based on services rendered to that organization. In the interest of clarity, NRDC is disclosing the following salary and benefits amounts as having been reimbursed by the NRDC Action Fund: Salary Benefits Sarah A. Gillman $1,097 $304 Mitchell Bernard $440 $121 Rhea Suh $24,696 $6,828 Peter Lehner $14,145 $3,925 Lisa Benenson $7,917 $2,189 Dale Bryk $213 $59 Susan Casey-Lefkowitz $1,411 $391 David Goldston $33,491 $9,249 Joel Reynolds $441 $122 Abby Schaefer Orfaly $1,716 $475 John Murray $6,363 $1,760 A NEW YORK CITY CAPITAL RESOURCE CORPORATION 204099098 649437AD2 2008-01-24 12730000 REFINANCING AND RENOVATION false false false A 2095803 0 12760914 0 0 0 360472 30000 0 12369528 0 0 2011 false false false true A false true false false 0.00010 0.00010 0.00020 false false false false A false false false true true false 0 false 0 true false A true Arbitrage - Installment Arbitrage Rebate Report Part II - Gross Proceeds Included within the gross proceeds amount reported in part II is $30,914 of interest earned on the bond proceeds before they were expended. Part IV - Arbitrage The Natural Resorces Defense Council, Inc. had an installment arbitrage rebate report completed for the period ending January 15th, 2013 that calculated a negative rebate and yield restriction amount. Private Business Use Form 990, Schedule K, Line 7 NRDC has not undertaken the complex calculations necessary to determine whether it has met the private security or payment test. Policies & Procedures NRDC has not formally adopted any written procedures to monitor its bond compliance; however, the organization's management monitors the bonds routinely to ensure compliance with all federal requirements. Wendy Neu Board of Trustees Member 358042 See Part V false Form 990, Schedule L, Part IV Board of Trustees member, Wendy Neu, has an ownership interest in a building in which NRDC leases space. The annual rent under the lease agreement is $358,042 per year. The aforementioned transaction was entered into by both parties at arm's length and the lease terms are determined by utilizing current market rates. X 270 4000790 FMV X Misc. Donated Items 24 14380 FMV false true true Schedule M, Line 32(a) To the extent that the organization receives contributions of stock, the organization uses its investment broker to convert those stocks into cash. GOVERNING BODY AND MANAGEMENT Part VI, Line 1B - The NRDC Board of Trustees is comprised of 36 independent voting Board Members. Board of Trustees member John Adams is not independent by virtue of receiving compensation from the organization. Board of Trustees Member Wendy Neu is not independent because of the relationship disclosed on Schedule L of the Form 990. Part VI, LINE 2 - Board of Trustees Members, Frederick A.O. Schwarz, Jr. and Frederica Perera, have a family relationship. Board of Trustees Member, Sarah Cogan and officers Maripat Alpuche and Lauren Colasacco, have a business relationship. Board of Trustees Members, Wendy Neu, Josephine Merck and Jonathan Rose have a business relationship. Board of Trustees member, Eric Wepsic and Board of Trustee/Vice Chair, Max Stone, have a business relationship. Board of Trustees members, Jonathan Rose and Shelly Malkin, have a business relationship. Form 990, Part VI, Line 3 STEVE BAGINSKI, SERVED AS NRDC'S INTERIM CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER FROM APRIL 27TH, 2015 THROUGH DECEMBER 21ST, 2015. DURING THAT TIME, MR. BAGINSKI WAS THE EMPLOYEE OF AN EXTERNAL THIRD PARTY EXECUTIVE SEARCH FIRM AND NRDC PAID THAT THIRD PARTY FOR MR. BAGINSKI'S SERVICES. STEVE BAGINSKI WAS HIRED AS NRDC'S FULL-TIME CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER ON DECEMBER 22ND, 2015, AND HE RECEIVED HIS COMPENSATION FROM NRDC FROM THAT DATE. On the Form 990, amounts reported in Part VII, Column (d) represent a combination of amounts NRDC paid to the third party executive search firm for Mr. Baginski's services as well as amounts NRDC paid Mr. Baginski directly. Form 990, Part VI, Lines 7a & B Line 7A - NRDC's members are entitled, as part of their membership, to elect individuals to the NRDC Board of Trustees, Line 7B - The NRDC Board of Trustees acts autonomously. Nevertheless, NRDC's members have certain approval rights pursuant to the New York Not-for-Profit Corporation Law, including, approval over any amendments to NRDC's certificate of incorporation. 990 REVIEW PROCESS Form 990, part VI, section B, Line 11 The Form 990 was prepared by a nationally recognized accounting firm in conjunction with the organization's senior management and audit committee of the Board of Trustees. A copy of the Draft Form 990 was presented to the Audit Committee of the Board of Trustees for discussion and comment. Once the Audit Committee approved the Form 990 for filing, a copy was circulated to the full Board of Trustees for their review. Each Board Member was provided opportunity to comment on the information contained in the Form 990 prior to its filing with the Internal Revenue Service. conflict of interest policy enforcement and monitoring form 990, part VI, Section B, LINE 12 Each officer, trustee, and key employee of the organization is required to annually disclose any conflicts of interest that arise by virtue of employment, board service, or position with the organization. The organization monitors compliance with its conflict of interest policy through an annual questionnaire/disclosure statement that is distributed to these individuals. Potential conflicts are investigated immediately. Process for determining compensation form 990, part VI, section B, LINE 15a & 15b The organization undertakes a thorough process to ensure that the executive compensation it pays to its top management official and all of its officers and key employees is reasonable, given the market in which the organization operates. In relevant part, the Board of Trustees has established a Compensation Committee of independent persons that have no personal interest in the proposed compensation. The Compensation committee contracts with a compensation consultant to complete a market assessment and competitive position analysis for the organization's top executives. The compensation consultant utilizes comparability and benchmarking surveys to ensure that the organization compensates its executives commensurate with the market. Based on its review of the analyses provided by the compensation consultant and other relevant information, the compensation committee makes recommendations to the executive committee of the board of trustees. Compensation decisions and reports are contemporaneously documented in the minutes of the meeting of the executive committee at which such decisions are made. DISCLOSURE FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION C, LINE 19 The organization makes its Form 990 available to the public by retaining a copy at its place of business. The Form 990 and audited financial statements are likewise published on NRDC's website at www.nrdc.org. The organization's governing documents and conflict of interest policy may be provided at management's discretion, if requested. Form 990, Part XI Reconciliation of Net Assets Other Changes in Net Assets or Fund Balances Change in Value of Interest Rate Swap Agreements ($817,573) Change in Value of Split-Interest Agreements ($698,330) Pension related activity other than net periodic expense ($2,762,051) Bad Debt Expense Adjustment ($615,124) Total Other Changes in Net Assets ($4,893,078) program service Accomplishments part III, line 4 The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is the most effective and influential environmental organization in the United States and around the world, combining the grassroots power of more than 2.4 million members and online activists with courtroom clout and the expertise of more than 500 scientists, advocates, lawyers, and other professionals. NRDCs priorities are: - Curbing global warming and creating a clean energy future $56,039,672 - Reviving the worlds oceans $6,879,249 - Defending endangered wildlife and wild places $15,714,551 - Protecting public health by preventing pollution $13,067,358 - Ensuring safe and sufficient water $7,110,246 - Fostering sustainable communities $13,860,453 Over the past year, we worked both in the U.S. and abroad to curb global warming, put in place clean energy solutions; protect public health; foster sustainable communities; and safeguard our natural resources. Curbing Climate Change and Creating a Clean Energy Future NRDCs climate efforts focus on helping to deliver an 80 percent reduction in U.S. carbon pollution from 1990 levels by 2050, the level that scientists say is required to keep the global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius and avoid the most dangerous effects of climate change. In 2016, we drove historic climate commitments by the United States, China, and India; pushed for policies and tools that scale up clean energy and efficiency at the federal and state level; waged and won campaigns to block reckless oil and gas projects; and helped communities build their resilience to the impacts of climate change. Our climate and energy milestones included: - In August 2015, backed by overwhelming public support, President Obama released the Clean Power Plan. The Clean Power Plan put in place nationwide regulations designed to reduce carbon pollution from coal-fired power plants by more than 30 percent by 2030. Power plants are the single biggest source of carbon pollution, which drives climate change. The U.S. Supreme Court ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to halt enforcement of the plan in February 2016 until a lower court ruled on a lawsuit challenging it. In the meantime, NRDC has continued to work with state partners to meet its requirements by increasing their investment in clean energy and efficiency. - In California, our legislative and policy experts helped ensure the adoption of a groundbreaking law that doubles energy efficiency savings targets, increases renewable energy generation 50 percent by 2030, and puts more Californians behind the wheels of electric vehicles. A second approved measure boosts energy efficiency standards in buildings and helps residents better understand their home energy bills and use. Meanwhile, a new report by NRDC and a partner group found that Californias 40-year commitment to energy efficiency has saved Californians $90 billion on their utility bills, created hundreds of thousands of efficiency jobs, and will have avoided the pollution from 41 power plants by the end of the next decade. - On the other side of the country, New York Governor Cuomo formally set in a motion a process to enact its own new clean energy standard requiring that the state get 50 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. The action doubled the proportion of renewable energy sources. NRDC will be working to ensure the success of the standard by working with the Public Service Commission, which regulates the states utilities, to develop smart implementation plans that maximize the amount of renewable energy installed per dollar invested. - In November 2015, President Obama officially rejected the proposal for the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline, citing our nations obligation to be a leader on climate action. The pipeline would have moved more than 800,000 barrels of Canadian tar sands oil across six U.S. states. This win was made possible by NRDC research, advocacy, and by the dedication of a grassroots coalition of partners. When TransCanada first filed the permit for the pipeline in 2008, NRDC was one of the first environmental groups to stand up against its construction. - The U.N. climate conference in Paris culminated in December 2015 with an ambitious global agreement to tackle climate change and accelerate the shift to clean energy. On the ground at the conference, NRDC staff helped broker and secure strong climate commitments from key countries such as China and India. Meanwhile, actor and NRDC Trustee Robert Redford took the stage at UNESCO with indigenous artists, activists, and storytellers from across the globe to share stories about special places threatened by climate change. Nearly 180 countries signed the Paris climate accord on Earth Day April 22, 2016, agreeing to pursue efforts to hold the global temperature rise to "well below" 2 degrees Celsius. - In a major step forward in curbing the climate and health impacts of fossil fuels development, the Department of the Interior ordered a halt to the decades old coal-leasing program on federal lands to reexamine its health and environmental impacts. Burning coal is one of the biggest contributors to climate change and hundreds of thousands of NRDC members and activists called on President Obama in 2016 to end the development of fossil fuels on our public lands. In 2015, more than 40 percent of the 900 million tons of coal produced in America came from our public lands, mainly in the Interior West. - Methane, the primary component of natural gas, is an extremely potent climate pollutant, many times more harmful to the climate than carbon dioxide. In March 2016, the Environmental Protection Agency launched a voluntary program to address methane pollution from the oil and gas sector. NRDC and our coalition partners advocated for strengthening the proposal in several key ways, including addressing both new and existing sources of methane pollution. While the EPAs final standards, released in May 2016, applied only to new sources, we helped move the agency to announce that it would begin the process for setting existing source standards by initiating a formal information collection request that called for comprehensive data from a range of methane sources throughout the oil and gas industry. - The U.S. Department of Energy released energy efficiency standards for new rooftop air conditioners, heat pumps, and furnaces that heat and cool more than half of America's commercial floor space. The standards, which are the result of negotiations among a broad group of stakeholders that included NRDC and other environmental groups, manufacturers, utilities, and consumer groups, will save nearly enough energy over the next 30 years to offset the annual carbon dioxide emissions of more than 120 million homes. Reviving the World's Oceans Oceans help feed the world, provide a living for multitudes, and sustain most of the life on the globe. NRDC is working to protect and restore our seas from rampant exploitation. Weve worked for decades to spotlight whats happening below the surface, to strengthen laws that allow overfished species to rebound and to advocate for the protection of coastal communities from offshore drilling. From the United Nations to regional fishery councils, we promote healthy oceans by advocating for international agreements that protect ocean biodiversity and measures that restore depleted fish populations. Healthy oceans support trillions of dollars in economic activity. NRDC made important progress this year on several key fronts: - In October 2015, following powerful advocacy by NRDC, our millions of members and activists, and our environmental partner groups, the Obama administration canceled proposed oil and gas lease sales in America's Alaskan Arctic waters, the last pristine sea on the globe, whose shores are home to polar bears, seals, and other iconic wildlife. The previous month, Royal Dutch Shell abandoned drilling in the region after its exploratory well failed to yield enough oil and gas to make its mission worth the tremendous risk and cost. - In a related victory, in March 2016, the Obama administration announced it was excluding waters off the Atlantic coast from its next five-year plan for drilling and leasing. One month earlier, a coalition of groups, including NRDC, delivered more than 2 million petitions of protest, calling on the president to move beyond fossil fuels and not open any more of our federally owned offshore areas to dangerous oil and gas drilling. Over the previous year, opposition to drilling had built quickly along the southeastern coast, from Virginia to Georgia, where the local economies are heavily dependent on tourism and fishing. - Meanwhile, NRDC took the U.S. Navy to court over its high-intensity sonar and explosives training off the coasts of Southern California and Hawaii, which was threatening the wellbeing of more than 60 whale, dolphin, seal, and sea lion populations. In September 2015, following a major legal victory and extensive negotiations, the U.S. Navy agreed to designate significant habitat in the Pacific as off-limits to such military exercises. - Following advocacy by NRDC and our partners, the Obama administration announced in September 2015 that it would consider giving marine national monument status to several New England deep sea canyons and underwater mountains. The canyons and seamounts are exceptional for their diversity and abundance of deep sea corals, which, together with associated species including sponges and anemones, form the foundation of deep-sea ecosystems. They are also extremely vulnerable to disturbance. The designation would be the first ever marine monument anywhere off the continental United States. Defending Endangered Wildlife and Wild Places NRDC protects wildlife and unspoiled lands from the threats of industrial development, commercial exploitation, pollution, and climate change. We partner with ranchers, farmers, clean energy companies, and the government to promote solutions that help wild predators coexist with livestock and people. We push for international agreements and domestic policies that shield elephants, rhinos, and other animals from being killed for trade. And we fight to keep reckless oil and gas drilling out of wild areas, from Utahs red rock country to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Several long-term efforts came to fruition this year with the protection of some of the worlds most fragile and embattled wildlife and wild places: - The greater sage grouse is an icon of the American West, and a bellwether of the health of its vase sagebrush-sea ecosystem. As that grassland habitat has shrunk, so has the birds population. In recent decades, NRDC has gone to court for the sage grouse, and local conservation groups have joined forces to protect its habitat. In a major milestone in our campaign, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced in September 2015 that it would protect 35 million acres of western sagebrush habitat. - In a big victory for elephants and for NRDC members who have called for an end to our nation's role in the ivory trafficking that fuels poaching, the Obama administration issued the last in a series of regulations that add up to a near total ban on the U.S. commercial ivory trade. While commercial imports of African elephant ivory are already banned, these new rules will strengthen the ban by closing loopholes in the intrastate trade of elephant ivory and restrict the number of elephants that trophy hunters can import into the U.S. The tough new rules do not cover sales within states, but NRDC has helped enact laws shutting down the nation's three biggest ivory markets: New York, California, and Hawaii. - Meanwhile, after South Africas president introduced a plan to legalize the international rhino horn trade, a misguided move that almost certainly would have increased demand, NRDC fought back with careful analysis and tireless advocacy. As a result, South Africa announced in April 2016 that it would shelve the disastrous proposal. Over the past three years, rhino killings have risen 7,000 percent, a rate that if sustained, would push the animals to extinction within a decade. - The monarch butterflys annual migration is one of the most awe-inspiring on earth, but heavy use of herbicide called glyphosate (marketed by Monsanto as Roundup) is putting this majestic species at serious risk. NRDC filed a lawsuit in 2015 that led the EPA to admit in court that its approval of Enlist Duo, an herbicide containing glyphosate, should be withdrawn due to inadequate environmental review. And we mobilized more than 113,000 of our Members and activists to sign a petition demanding Dow AgroSciences remove Enlist Duo from the market. - After years of campaigning by NRDC and our allies, Montana agreed to expand year-round habitat outside Yellowstone National Park for Americas most famous bison. Historically, thousands of wild bison have been hazed or slaughtered in the spring as they migrated out from Yellowstone into Montana in search of food for survival. While there is still work to do to win stronger protections, expanding the bisons range is a major advance in the fight to save this icon of our natural heritage. - In November 2015, the Department of the Interior released a milestone plan for conservation and renewable energy development on public lands in Californias Mojave Desert. The long awaited plan addresses solar, wind, and geothermal development and features elements of "smart from the start" siting that NRDC has been championing for years, including landscape level planning; steering development toward areas that minimize impacts to wildlife and wildlands; coordinating transmission and generation; and strategic, regional mitigation for project impacts. - In July 2015, in a victory for our fight to protect Americas western natural heritage, President Obama designated three new national monuments, protecting an area spanning roughly 704,000 acres in central Nevadas Basin and Range and smaller ones in Californias Berryessa Snow Mountain and Texas Waco Mammoth. The three monuments will safeguard some of Americas most biodiverse mountain ecosystems, wild tracts of desert and nationally significant fossil beds. Protecting public health by preventing pollution Getting rid of toxic chemicals in our environment, in the food we eat, the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the products we buy, can help protect the health of millions of people. When public agencies fail to protect consumers, workers, and children from dangerous chemicals, NRDC takes them to court. We build pressure on major food companies to adopt safer and more sustainable practices throughout their supply chain. And we team up with local communities to eliminate health dangers in their homes. Here are some key milestones from the year: - Over the course of more than a decade, the chemical company Mallinckrodt dumped tons of toxic mercury into Maines Penobscot River. NRDC and the Maine Peoples Alliance sued the company in 2000, and in September 2015, after years of tenacious litigation and citizen action, a judge ordered Mallinckrodt to find viable effective ways to clean up the river. A shining example of community justice, the victory holds the promise of protecting the health of countless people, preserving the states longstanding tradition of lobster and crab fishing, and restoring an ecosystem that spans more than 20 miles along this great waterway. - Following years of steady advocacy by members of Congress, the White House, NRDC, and other groups, federal lawmakers unveiled an agreement to overhaul the Toxic Substances Control Act, a 1976 law governing the Environmental Protection Agencys regulation of toxic chemicals. The bill, Congress's first major rewrite of a fundamental environmental statute in two decades, will give the EPA a clear and enforceable mandate to review chemicals, and will require the agency to evaluate chemicals based on their impact on human health. It also contains loopholes and rollbacks sought by the chemical industry and NRDC will press hard to ensure the strong implementation of the bill. - Livestock producers routinely give antibiotics to animals to make them grow faster or help them survive crowded, stressful, and unsanitary conditions. When these drugs are overused, some bacteria become antibiotic-resistant, threatening the future effectiveness of these medicines for human health. In October 2015, an NRDC campaign helped persuade the restaurant chain Subway to commit to eliminate antibiotics from its meat supply and California set the strictest antibiotics standards in the nation with a measure NRDC helped strengthen. We scored another big win in April 2016 when the restaurant chain Taco Bell also pledged to eliminate antibiotics from its meat supply. - Meanwhile, a new report and scorecard released by NRDC and several consumer, health, and environmental groups graded Americas 25 largest fast food and fast casual chains on their meat and poultry antibiotics policies, with all but five of them earning "F"s for allowing routine antibiotic use by their meat suppliers. - In a tremendous victory for at-risk communities across the country, NRDC and our partners reached a legal settlement with the Environmental Protection Agency that will force the agency to put in place new safeguards to help protect communities from chemical spills at thousands of industrial facilities nationwide. Chemicals released in industrial spills can contaminate waterways and exposure to these substances can be dangerous, and in some instances, fatal. These health effects are experienced disproportionately by residents of low-income neighborhoods and communities of color, where facilities that manufacture, store, and use hazardous substances tend to cluster. - In response to a lawsuit filed by NRDC and our partners, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed a ban on all agricultural uses of the pesticide chlorpyrifos due to the health risks from contaminated drinking water. The EPA had already eliminated household uses in home gardens, insect sprays and other products in 2000, in response to a lawsuit by NRDC and other groups-because the chemical damages the developing brains of children. During the public comment period on the EPAs proposal, more than 80,000 people spoke out in favor of the ban. Ensuring Safe and Sufficient Water Water is one of the most critical natural resources when it comes to sustaining our communities, economies, and health. NRDC fights for a clean, safe, and sufficient water supply. We push the federal government to strengthen protections for drinking water, and we find ways for cities to keep pollution out of rivers and lakes. Our work also helps homes, buildings, farms, and power plants use water as efficiently as possible, so that there's plenty for all of us and for future generations. - More than 18 million Americans got their drinking water from systems with lead violations in 2015, according to a report published by NRDC. The problem could be significantly more pervasive because many more water systems known to have such violations, including that in Flint, Michigan, do not show up as having lead violations in the government database designed to track such problems. Our report also highlighted that water systems can use testing methods to avoid detecting lead problems. In cities like Flint, Chicago, and Philadelphia, where localized lead spikes may put the public at risk, officials allegedly have "gamed" water testing in ways that may obscure lead contamination. - NRDC has placed special focus on the water crisis in Flint, where residents still did not have access to safe tap water more than two years after lead began leaching from water pipes. Alongside local partners, NRDC petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency in October 2015 to use its emergency powers to secure safe, lead-free water for the citys children and families. The following month, NRDC joined residents of Flint and many of the same groups and announced their intent to sue city and state officials in federal court. - President Obama acted promptly in January 2016 to veto a measure passed by Congress designed to kill the Clean Water Rule. This critical rule, issued in 2015 by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers, restored protection under the Clean Water Act to lakes, streams, and wetlands that help prevent flooding, filter pollution and supply one in three Americans with safe drinking water. More than 800,000 NRDC supporters and other activists sent messages in support of the rule. - By showing how rebuilding in the wake of floods leads to steep federal costs, a new interactive map and analysis unveiled in November 2015 by NRDC illustrated why its so important for Congress to keep updated federal flood protection standards in place. The updated standards, which will guide the design of federally funded projects along coastlines or near floodplains, will require an additional margin of safety and account for the rising risk of flooding and future impacts of sea level rise and climate change. President Obama issued an executive order earlier in 2015 that updated the standards, which dated back to the 1970s. - As California continued to suffer through an epic drought, the states energy commission followed NRDCs recommendations in August 2015 and approved new standards for showerheads that go beyond the Environmental Protection Agencys WaterSense performance criteria. As new products gradually replace existing showerheads in the years ahead, water savings are expected to reach 38 billion gallons of water per year by 2028, which is approximately the amount used annually by the city of San Francisco today. Earlier in the year, at the urging of NRDC, the commission set similar standards for toilets, urinals and faucets, which will save California billions of gallons of water. - Meanwhile, a report card released by NRDC in December 2015 found that California was making mixed progress on solutions that would make the state more resistant to future droughts. Though the state had made strides in some key areas, it scored poorly in agricultural efficiency, stormwater capture and management of the Bay-Delta. Our report card described specific ways that California should improve its target-setting, implementation, enforcement, and incentives. - In a significant legal victory, a federal court sided with NRDC and our partners and ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency had failed to protect U.S. waters from aquatic invasive species. We argued successfully that the EPAs ballast water permit was ineffective and would not stave off future invasions of non-native species. The courts decision has ramifications for waters across the country, from Long Island Sound to the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico to San Francisco Bay. - Following NRDC legal action, a federal court approved a settlement in which the Environmental Protection Agency agreed to implement an earlier court order to update national regulations for stormwater runoff, one of America's most widespread forms of water pollution. In response to a 2003 NRDC lawsuit, a federal court had ordered the EPA to correct and strengthen urban runoff rules for communities with populations under 100,000 and make a science-based determination of whether polluted runoff from forest roads is so severe that national pollution control standards are necessary. - A report released in November 2015 by NRDC found that cover crops can absorb tons of carbon pollution from the air, significantly cut crop losses, and prevent the loss of a trillion gallons of water. In fact, planting cover crops on half the corn and soybean acres in the top 10 agricultural states (California, Iowa, Texas, Nebraska, Minnesota, Illinois, Kansas, Wisconsin, North Carolina, and Indiana) could sequester more than 19 million metric tons of carbon annually, which is the equivalent of taking more than 4 million cars off the road. Fostering Sustainable Communities More than 80 percent of Americans live in cities and nearby suburbs-and this number is growing rapidly. As our cities grow, NRDC works to make sure they become healthier, more sustainable places to live. Our lawyers go to court on behalf of communities seeking to defend themselves from polluters. We partner with communities to increase energy efficiency in their buildings and expand access to clean energy solutions and healthier food. We help empower communities to find solutions that work and then take the best ideas nationwide. - In an important victory for the nearly half million New Yorkers who live in public housing, a federal judge ruled in December 2015 that the New York City Housing Authority had failed to provide timely and sufficient repairs to rampant mold and moisture problems in public housing that aggravate tenants asthma, as required by a settlement reached with NRDC and the National Center for Law and Economic Justice two years earlier. As part of the settlement, the housing authority had agreed to respond to mold and moisture complaints within a specific, reasonable timeline: The simplest of repairs in seven days and more complex repairs in 15 days, among other measures. - Meanwhile, a report released by NRDC and Energy Efficiency for All, a coalition of energy, environmental, and housing organizations, detailed cost-saving strategies to upgrade the most prevalent type of heating system in New York City apartment buildings: steam generated from burning oil or natural gas. Buildings are the single largest source of climate pollution in the city, and a lot of that pollution is the result of energy used to heat them. Making the upgrades in this report is critical to helping the city reach its goal of reducing climate change pollution 80 percent by 2050. - In December 2016, the city of Los Angeles passed the most comprehensive building efficiency policy of any big city in the nation. As part of the effort, the City Energy Project, a joint initiative of NRDC and the Institute for Market Transformation, joined forces with the Department of Building and Safety and convened a transparent and inclusive stakeholder process to help develop a package of policies and programs to improve the energy and water efficiency of Los Angeles' existing buildings. The ordinance will reduce L.A.s greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 10 percent in 2025 and energy consumption by 7 percent. - A climate resilience toolkit, released by NRDC and our partners in December 2015 at the U.N. climate conference in Paris, is designed to help cities plagued by dangerous heat waves and soaring temperatures to better protect their most vulnerable citizens. The toolkit, which serves as a step-by-step guide for the development of local and regional early warning systems and heat preparedness plans, is based on the Indian city of Ahmedabad's pioneering "heat action plan," as well as international experiences and best practices. In March 2016, India launched new heat action plans in the Nagpur region of Maharashtra and the Bhubaneswar coastal region of Odisha, the first regional early warning systems and preparedness plans in South Asia. BUILDING A MOVEMENT NRDC is committed to engaging the public around solutions to environmental challenges. Our federal, national, and international media teams ensure that NRDC is cited in the press on a daily basis. Our experts are quoted in top-tier newspapers, and we are frequent guests on leading national TV and radio news outlets. Our communications team publishes more than 100 policy documents every year, ensuring that NRDCs environmental solutions are at the forefront among the professional community. We have a strong social media presence that keeps followers informed of wins, setbacks, and breaking news. We communicate via our membership newsletter, Natures Voice, and across digital channels supported by our English and Spanish websites. We also publish cutting-edge journalism on NRDCs digital news channels, Earthwire and OnEarth. In 2016, we: - Grew the audience on our global Facebook page from 345,395 fans to 581,060 fans (an increase of 68 percent) and reached an average of more than 7 million Facebook users monthly through our messaging. On Twitter, our global channel grew its audience from 179,363 followers to 201,771 followers (an increase of 13 percent) and generated 50,048,774 impressions. We began building an audience on Instagram as well, reaching more than 45,000 followers. - Launched a dynamic new version of our primary online platform, NRDC.org, which aims to help foster collective action by building awareness, driving action, and spurring donations. The site provides compelling entry points and paths for environmental enthusiasts, as well as deep, policy-specific sections for environmental experts. - Rolled out a national campaign urging Kentucky Fried Chicken, the largest fast-food chicken chain in the country, to commit to phasing out chicken raised with the routine use of antibiotics. The campaign featured a series of online videos; a mobile billboard near KFCs headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky; an online petition addressed to KFC CEO Roger Eaton; and social channels on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. - Partnered with the Ad Council to launch "Save The Food," a major national public service campaign to combat food waste from its largest source, consumers, who collectively waste more food than grocery stores, restaurants or farms. The initiative aims to encourage consumers to reduce the amount of food they trash in their homes, thereby saving the water, energy and money that are lost along with it. - Created an award-winning documentary film, Sonic Sea, about the devastating impact of human-produced ocean noise on whales and other marine life that premiered globally on the Discovery Channel and toured both the United States and Europe. The film is narrated by the Oscar-nominated actress Rachel McAdams and features interviews with Grammy Award-winning musician, human rights and environmental activist, Sting, as well as the renowned oceanographic explorers and educators, Sylvia Earle and Jean-Michel Cousteau. 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