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Karen Hobbs, Senior Policy Analyst, Chicago
I live in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood with my husband and our 3-year-old daughter. I went to graduate school at the University of Chicago, and even though I spent five years in Washington, DC with the Clinton Administration, my heart has always been here. Now we live in the Logan Square neighborhood, where we can walk to the El, parks, restaurants, our community garden and a farmers market. My work at NRDC is about protecting the Great Lakes, with a focus on water conservation and efficiency and green infrastructure. I came to NRDC after overseeing the development of the Chicago Climate Action Plan as the First Deputy Commissioner of the City of Chicago’s Department of Environment; before that, I worked for the Chicago-based Center for Neighborhood Technology.
Recent Posts
Posted April 9, 2013 by Karen Hobbs in Curbing Pollution, Health and the Environment, Living Sustainably
- Tags:
- cleanwater, cleanwateract, water, waterpollution, waterprogram, waterquality
Today, NRDC announced a new partnership with craft brewers called “Brewers for Clean Water" to highlight the importance of clean water and the Clean Water Act. We are working with 20 of our country's most innovative brewers, whose commitment to...continued→
Posted March 27, 2013 by Karen Hobbs in Curbing Pollution, Health and the Environment
- Tags:
- cleanwateract, CWA, EPA, rivers, streams, water, waterpollution, waterprogram, waterquality
EPA released the results of a comprehensive survey yesterday that shows that more than half – 55 percent – of our nation’s streams and rivers are in poor condition. More than half. That’s a 10 percent increase from the 2002...continued→
Posted March 21, 2013 by Karen Hobbs in Curbing Pollution, Environmental Justice, Health and the Environment, U.S. Law and Policy
- Tags:
- cleanwater, cleanwateract, combinedseweroverflows, greeninfrastructure, water, waterpollution, waterprogram, waterquality
Despite the freezing temperatures in Chicago, my thoughts are turning to my garden, with dreams of bountiful harvests (and my much-anticipated pergola). Gardeners intrinsically understand the economic concept of opportunity cost – if we don’t get tomato seeds or seedlings...continued→
Posted October 18, 2012 by Karen Hobbs in Curbing Pollution, Environmental Justice, Health and the Environment, Living Sustainably, U.S. Law and Policy
- Tags:
- cleanwater, cleanwateract, water, waterpollution, waterprogram, waterquality
The next time you enjoy your favorite craft beer, take a moment to thank the Clean Water Act. You don’t have to remember a time – not so long ago -- when rivers caught on fire to appreciate the value...continued→
Posted October 17, 2012 by Karen Hobbs in Curbing Pollution, Environmental Justice, Health and the Environment, Living Sustainably, U.S. Law and Policy
- Tags:
- cleanwater, cleanwateract, water, waterpollution, waterprogram, waterquality
As I was explaining what NRDC’s EXPO CHICAGO booth would look like to our daughter, I mentioned that we worked with aritist Gordon Matta-Clark's estate to build a wall out of 2,000 pounds of garbage from the Illinois, Mississippi, Chicago...continued→
Posted June 27, 2012 by Karen Hobbs in Curbing Pollution, Green Enterprise, Health and the Environment, U.S. Law and Policy
- Tags:
- beaches, greeninfrastructure, sewage, stormwater, testingthewaters
My husband’s family is from the Cleveland area, so coming to Northeast Ohio always feels like a homecoming for me. And, because I think of it as my (second) home, I’m excited to be in Cleveland, at the Great Lakes Science...continued→
Posted June 21, 2012 by Karen Hobbs in Curbing Pollution, Environmental Justice, Health and the Environment, U.S. Law and Policy
- Tags:
- cleanwater, cleanwateract, non-navigablewaterbodies, riders, water, waterpollution, waterprogram, waterquality
The New York Times editorial page just asked the Obama Administration “Where Are the Clean Water Rules”? Kudos to the Gray Lady for calling attention to the critical need for improved national clean water policies, as my colleague Jon Devine has noted again...continued→
Posted June 7, 2012 by Karen Hobbs in Curbing Pollution, Environmental Justice, Health and the Environment
- Tags:
- cleanwater, cleanwateract, non-navigablewaterbodies, riders, water, waterpollution, waterprogram
Last week, the House of Representatives voted against clean water by a vote of 152-267 (you can see how your Member of Congress voted here). Later today, another vote is scheduled, in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, one that would...continued→
Posted May 16, 2012 by Karen Hobbs in Curbing Pollution, Environmental Justice, Health and the Environment, Solving Global Warming
- Tags:
- climatechange, combinedseweroverflows, flooding, greatlakes, preparedness, waterquality, wisconsin
Doubled Trouble: More Extreme Storms in the Midwest, a new report from NRDC and the Rocky Mountain Climate Organization, confirms what those of us living in the Midwest probably already guessed — violent storms have dramatically increased. The largest of storms —...continued→
Posted April 27, 2012 by Karen Hobbs in Curbing Pollution, Environmental Justice, Health and the Environment, Saving Wildlife and WIld Places
- Tags:
- great, illinois, indiana, michigan, minnesota, new, ohio, pennsylvania, recreation, water, wisconsin, york
Next week, the Ohio Senate will consider legislation to implement the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact (Compact). The bill, introduced by Rep. Lynn Wachtmann, ignores Compact protections for tributaries and opens the door to unregulated large water withdrawals, threatening wildlife...continued→
Posted April 5, 2012 by Karen Hobbs in Solving Global Warming
- Tags:
- adaptation, climatechange, globalwarming, greatlakes, ohio, preparedness, readyornot, water
Chances are, if you live in the Great Lakes Basin, you’re already experiencing the impacts of climate change from warmer temperatures (in both winter and summer), earlier snowmelt and reduced ice cover on lakes. But, if you’re like me, what...continued→
Posted March 21, 2012 by Karen Hobbs in Curbing Pollution, Environmental Justice, Health and the Environment, U.S. Law and Policy
- Tags:
- beaches, combinedseweroverflows, csos, greeninfrastructure, greenroof, metropolitanwaterreclamationdistrict, mwrd, raingarden, water, waterpollution, waterquality
There are competing theories as to where Chicago’s “Second City” nickname originated. Some trace the moniker to a New Yorker story by A.J. Liebling; others frame the nickname in a more positive light, as a testament to the “Second City”...continued→
Posted August 12, 2011 by Karen Hobbs in Curbing Pollution, Environmental Justice, Health and the Environment
- Tags:
- canada, greatlakes, illinois, indiana, michigan, minnesota, newyork, ohio, pennsylvania, recreation, water, wisconsin
The comment period for the City of Waukesha’s application for a diversion of Great Lakes water closes Saturday, August 13. Waukesha’s application is the first real test of the Great Lakes Compact’s provisions governing new and increased withdrawals. As such, it’s...continued→
Posted July 14, 2011 by Karen Hobbs in Curbing Pollution, Environmental Justice, Health and the Environment, U.S. Law and Policy
- Tags:
- canada, greatlakes, illinois, indiana, michigan, minnesota, newyork, ohio, pennsylvania, recreation, water, wisconsin
New York State officially weighed in on the Ohio legislature's attempt to undermine the Great Lakes Compact yesterday. Joseph Martens (Commissioner, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation) writes to his Ohio counterpart, David Mustine, Director, Ohio Department of Natural...continued→
Posted July 13, 2011 by Karen Hobbs in Curbing Pollution, Environmental Justice, Health and the Environment, U.S. Law and Policy
- Tags:
- canada, great, illinois, indiana, lakes, michigan, minnesota, newyork, ohio, pennsylvania, recreation, water, wisconsin
Three weeks ago, NRDC released a report detailing states’ progress in implementing the water conservation and efficiency requirements of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Water Resources Basin Compact. We singled out the excellent work done by Ohio’s Compact Advisory Board to...continued→