Distributed solar energy has numerous benefits - improving grid resiliency, avoiding unnecessary infrastructure investments, cutting air pollution and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. While solar energy’s environmental and societal benefits are clear, our report The True Value of Solar, with Environment America Research & Policy Center, found that many utilities don’t account for these aspects when conducting value-of-solar studies. To craft energy policy that accurately reflects the value of solar energy resources, policymakers should account for the societal as well as the grid benefits of solar energy. 

Greentech Media, Electrek and PV Magazine covered the report. 

Pittsburgh is no longer the “Smoky City” of years gone by, but industrial air pollution still inflicts immense damage on the health of area residents. For decades, industrial facilities have spewed excessive amounts of pollution into the air and violated the terms of their emissions permits. Cutting Through the Smoke, written with PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center, traces the public health toll of years of lackluster enforcement of the Clean Air Act, reveals some signs of stronger clean air enforcement in Allegheny County, PA (which is home to Pittsburgh) and makes recommendations to further protect public health. 

90.5 WESA, Next Pittsburgh and other local media outlets covered the findings. 

The Clean Water Act, adopted in 1972, had the goal of making all our waterways safe for swimming. Yet 46 years later, Americans visiting their favorite beach are often met by an advisory warning that the water is unsafe for swimming. Unsafe for Swimming, written with Environment America Research & Policy Center, analyzed bacteria sampling data from beaches in 29 coastal and Great Lakes states and Puerto Rico, finding that 2,580 beach sites – more than half of all sites tested – were potentially unsafe for swimming on at least one day in 2018. A total of 546 sites were potentially unsafe at least 25 percent of the days that sampling took place. 

The report was covered by Today, The Guardian, CNN and numerous local media outlets. 

Senior Policy Analyst Tony Dutzik attended the biennial Asilomar Conference on Transportation and Energy, and came away with a list of four things cities must do to clean up their transportation systems … Managing Director Susan Rakov spoke about the coming clean energy revolution at the Netroots Nation conference in Philadelphia and attended the Aspen Ideas Festival with Policy Analyst R.J. Cross … Policy Analyst James Horrox wrote about his experience living as a “foot person” seeking to walk in both Europe and Los Angeles on the Frontier Group blog.

Susan Rakov, Director

Tony Dutzik and Elizabeth Ridlington, Senior Policy Analysts

Gideon Weissman, R.J. Cross, Abigail Bradford and James Horrox, Policy Analysts

Jon Sundby and Linus Lu, Policy Associates