Midwest
Downtown Chicago and the Chicago River
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The American Midwest is renowned for its agriculture and abundant sunlight and wind. But given its historic reliance on coal and prevalent role in the oil and gas industry, it is also ground zero for our national transition away from fossil-fired power and the battle to solve climate change. Embracing clean energy in the United States’ breadbasket brings significant public health, environmental, and economic benefits to the Midwest, an area encompassing Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, and Missouri.
See Our Work in Other Regions
NRDC is helping to bring this brighter future to life while also protecting drinking water in places like Flint, Michigan, and defending critical species and habitats, including the Great Lakes ecosystem. From our Chicago office, we tackle state, local, and regional issues through strong, productive collaborations with local entities, including labor and faith-based groups, environmental justice allies, farmers, businesses, and state agencies.
- After suing the city of Flint and Michigan state officials for their role in the ongoing water crisis, NRDC worked with former governor Rick Snyder’s administration to adopt the most protective Lead and Copper Rule in the country. We continue to defend the rule—which mandates full lead service line replacement within 20 years—from attacks by regional water authorities.
- Following our report on the widespread contamination of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Michigan’s water supplies, NRDC called on the state to create drinking water standards for five PFAS substances and establish a treatment technique.
- NRDC is protecting pollinators from toxic neonic pesticides, which have caused bee and butterfly populations to plummet, and working to restore critical native wildflower habitat. In Minnesota, we’ve advocated for neonic-free wildlife management areas and helped pass legislation that compensates homeowners for converting their turf lawns to pollinator-friendly plantings. NRDC also advanced laws in Illinois and Missouri that encourage solar farm operators to plant pollinator habitat at their installations. We hope to repeat that success in Kansas and across the Midwest.
- NRDC advocates for agricultural policies that improve water quality, address climate change, and regenerate soil health—helping farmers manage risk. For example, with our local partners, we’ve won passage of “good farmer” crop insurance reward programs in Iowa and Illinois, giving farmers who plant cover crops a $5-per-acre break on their crop insurance bills. Now, we’re working to bring similar programs to other Midwest states, including Minnesota and Wisconsin.
- Experts from across NRDC provide scientific, technical, and legislative expertise to help the Standing Rock Sioux tribe in South Dakota protect their land and water from damage by Energy Transfer Partners’ Dakota Access Pipeline.
- Through the Strong, Prosperous, and Resilient Communities Challenge, NRDC is working with partners in the Chicago area to support inclusive, equitable, climate-wise, and healthy community development through training and technical assistance, capital, and a network for shared learning. With local groups, NRDC is reforming city land-use and environmental policies that harm low-income communities and communities of color.
- NRDC has achieved bipartisan success in moving the Midwest toward a low-carbon economy featuring ambitious wind and solar goals, cost-effective energy efficiency programs, and a cleaner electric grid to power the region’s transportation, homes, and buildings. In Ohio we’re supporting utility-scale solar power and spurring the development of a clean energy workforce in the heart of coal country. We’re strategizing in Michigan to shift utility portfolios away from coal- and natural gas–fired power and toward renewables and long-term net-zero carbon goals. In Missouri we are supporting utility efforts to invest heavily in wind power. Collectively, wind and solar across the region are now delivering renewable energy to millions of homes and businesses.
- NRDC helped push Illinois’s Clean Energy Jobs Act, which will accelerate renewable energy generation in the state to 45 percent by 2030, on a path to 100% renewables. The legislation includes programs ensuring that the benefits of clean energy and electrification are available to all people. Illinois is also leading the region in opening up the promise of solar power to communities that haven’t historically seen jobs and economic investment tied to renewable energy.
- Through the Bloomberg American Cities Climate Challenge, NRDC advisers are working with Chicago, Cincinnati, Columbus, Indianapolis, St. Louis, and Minneapolis–St. Paul to guide ambitious new projects that will reduce pollution from each city’s buildings and transportation sectors.
Meet Our Experts
Latest News & Commentary
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Q&A: We Can’t Wait 40-Plus Years for Chicago to Get the Lead Out
Expert BlogUnited States, ChicagoChakena D. Perry
The city with the most lead service lines in the nation has been given 40 years—or more—to replace its lead pipes, according to the EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Improvements proposal.
Why Do Water Bills Vary So Wildly?
Expert BlogUnited States, Arizona, Georgia, Wisconsin, New HampshireLarry Levine
A new study holds lessons for water affordability
Illinois Gas Rate Cases Victory for Illinois Consumers and Communities
Expert BlogIllinoisMadeline Semanisin
ICC initiates a forward-thinking "Future of Gas" proceeding and a robust low-income discount rate.
EPA Wants Lead Pipes Out in a Decade: Chicagoans Could Wait 40+ Years
Expert BlogIllinois, ChicagoChakena D. Perry
Chicago's lead pipes could be replaced by 2067 or later based on the EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Improvements proposal.
Electric Vehicles: A Win-Win for Illinois Drivers & Utility Customers
Expert BlogIllinoisMuhammed Patel, Annie Minondo
Widespread adoption of electric vehicles in Illinois will benefit all utility customers as we transition towards a cleaner transportation system.
Farm-to-Glass Supports Organic Farming
Expert BlogWashington, D.C., Ohio, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Michigan, Maine, CaliforniaAllison Johnson
Cheers! NRDC and our partners toasted a good cause on Capitol Hill: growing organic!
The Belvidere Plant's Transition to an EV Plant Has a Bright Future
Expert BlogUnited States, IllinoisGina Ramirez
The United Auto Workers’ historic strike results in important benefits, including a path for reopening the Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois.
National Scorecard Says Illinois Can Do Better on Transportation
Expert BlogIllinoisMuhammed Patel, Samantha Henningson
A new scorecard from NRDC shows that Illinois is trailing behind its neighbors in building a clean and equitable transportation system.
When You Poison Our Lands, You Poison Us
PerspectivesArizona, South DakotaHannah Throssell
The granddaughter of a Navajo uranium miner stands with the Standing Rock Sioux against DAPL.
Solar Gets Backing Before the Ohio Supreme Court
Expert BlogUnited States, OhioDaniel Sawmiller
The Ohio Supreme Court has received written arguments in a case that could decide the future of large-scale solar projects in Ohio.
Latest Policy Resources
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Edwards Coal-Fired Plant Settlement
Legal filingsIllinois, PeoriaSelena Kyle, Jared Knicley, Alyssa Brown
In 2019, the court approved a settlement that required the E.D. Edwards plant to close and provides $8.6 million in funding for projects to benefit the Peoria region. Read more about these programs and grantees.
Energy-Burdened Communities Tool
MapLos Angeles, Phoenix, Houston, New Orleans, Birmingham, Atlanta, Memphis, Cincinnati, Louisville, St. Louis, Kansas City (Kansas), Chicago, Milwaukee, Flint, Buffalo, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Richmond (Virginia), Greensboro
Energy burden has disproportionately impacted low-income communities of color for decades. NRDC is actively working to bring justice to these communities through this mapping tool.
Causes and Effects of Lead in Water
GuideUnited States, Flint, Michigan, IllinoisKeith Mulvihill
How this harmful neurotoxin got into our taps and what it’ll take to get it out.
Flint Safe Drinking Water Case Documents and Status Updates
Legal filingsMichigan, Flint
The legal filing and status updates for our lawsuit against the city of Flint and Michigan state officials.
Waiting Game: How the Interconnection Queue Threatens Renewable Development in PJM
ReportUnited States, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington, D.C.Dana Ammann
New NRDC analysis has found that even under recent reforms, the country’s largest grid operator is unlikely to approve new renewable projects quickly enough to meet even mandatory minimum state standards.
State-Based Food Waste Policy Gap Analysis and Inventory Reports
ReportMaryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, ColoradoDarby Hoover, Yvette Cabrera
Food waste costs the US $408 billion each year. Producing food that we do not consume swallows up roughly 18 percent of America’s cropland and 14 percent of our fresh water, and generates about 270 million metric tons CO2 equivalent…
NRDC Polling on a Potential Lead and Copper Rule
PollingIllinois, Missouri, Wisconsin
This nationwide polling survey was conducted nationally and in Illinois, Missouri, and Wisconsin on opinions on various provisions of a potential lead and copper rule. The poll was conducted in mid-October, 2022.
Fighting for Safe Drinking Water in Flint
OverviewMichigan, Flint
Partnering with NRDC and ACLU, residents of Flint, Michigan took their local government to court in a battle for safe drinking water.
What Is the Keystone XL Pipeline?
GuideNorth Dakota, Alberta, Montana, South Dakota, NebraskaMelissa Denchak, Courtney Lindwall
How a single pipeline project became the epicenter of an enormous environmental, public health, and civil rights battle.
Engaging Health Departments: Overview Guide
OverviewUnited States, Colorado, Denver, Tennessee, Nashville, Minnesota, Minneapolis
We outline some of the ways that health inspectors can help educate food facilities on how to prevent wasted food and donate surplus.
Chicago has more lead service lines than any city in the country.
Urge Mayor Lightfoot to replace the city's 400,000+ lead service lines and protect residents!
Protect Chicago's residents from lead service lines!
Demand that Mayor Lightfoot speed up the replacement of these dangerous pipes.