Sarah Chasis is a senior attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. (NRDC). She has worked at NRDC for more than 30 years and currently serves as Director of its Ocean Initiative. Her advocacy for oceans and coastal waters has been wide-ranging. She has worked to protect sensitive ocean areas from offshore oil drilling, promote the clean up of polluted waters at the nation’s beaches, strengthen coastal zone management and oil spill prevention programs, and improve domestic and international fisheries management.
She helped convince Congress to pass legislation requiring an end to unsustainable harvest of ocean fisheries and has successfully promoted state initiatives to strengthen ocean protections. In recognition of her work, Ms. Chasis was selected as the first Coastal Steward of the Year by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Ms. Chasis has participated in a wide variety of commissions and coalitions including serving on the Marine Board of the National Research Council and three years staffing NRDC’s President while he served on the Pew Oceans Commission. She is an Adjunct Professor of Clinical Law at the New York University School of Law. In 2007, she received the Smith College Medal awarded to women who have risen to the top of their fields while contributing their talent and expertise to the improvement of others’ lives.
Posted May 7, 2012 by Sarah Chasis in Reviving the World's Oceans
As kids start to trade in their backpacks for beach towels, they’re not the only ones with their eyes toward the ocean. In a backdoor attack on our ocean health, some Republicans in Congress are trying to attach amendments that...continued→
Posted March 28, 2012 by Sarah Chasis in Reviving the World's Oceans
Some of the most mysterious and enthralling places on Earth may be next in line for oil and gas drilling. Today the Obama Administration released its draft Environmental Impact Statement on its proposed plan to allow areas offshore the Mid- and South Atlantic...continued→
Posted March 22, 2012 by Sarah Chasis in Reviving the World's Oceans
Today the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs is holding a hearing entitled “Empty Hooks: The National Ocean Policy is the Latest Threat to Access for Recreational and Commercial Fishermen.” Unfortunately, the title of...continued→
Posted March 14, 2012 by Sarah Chasis in Reviving the World's Oceans
Smart ocean planning can bring our economy billions of dollars of benefits according to a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study examined where to best locate new offshore wind farms in coastal waters around...continued→
Posted March 7, 2012 by Sarah Chasis in Reviving the World's Oceans
Tonight marks the opening reception for the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival, an event dedicated to celebrating our oceans’ wonders. NRDC is proud that one of our new films – Ocean Oases – will kick off the second day of...continued→
Posted February 21, 2012 by Sarah Chasis in Reviving the World's Oceans
Today, New York Assembly Members Alan Maisel and Grace Meng announced the beginning of an important effort to help restore shark populations worldwide. Their bill, A.7707a/S.6431, which is sponsored in the Senate by Senator Grisanti, would end New York’s contribution...continued→
Posted February 16, 2012 by Sarah Chasis in Reviving the World's Oceans, U.S. Law and Policy
When President Obama released his budget proposal to Congress this week, his message to Congress was clear: “[Create] an economy that is built to last.” Unfortunately for our coasts and oceans—and the millions of Americans who depend on these resources...continued→
Posted January 26, 2012 by Sarah Chasis in Reviving the World's Oceans
In Tuesday’s State of the Union Address, President Obama declared that his administration would open 75 percent of American offshore oil and gas resources to drilling. Today, the President announced a new lease sale in the Gulf that will make...continued→
Posted January 10, 2012 by Sarah Chasis in Reviving the World's Oceans, U.S. Law and Policy
The year 2012 promises hope for the future of America’s oceans. Changes are expected that will help the creatures that live below the surface, the people who live and vacation along our coasts, and the clean energy developers who want...continued→
Posted October 26, 2011 by Sarah Chasis in Reviving the World's Oceans, Saving Wildlife and Wild Places, U.S. Law and Policy
Should we protect and restore our oceans so that we can swim, fish, enjoy and use our oceans and coasts now and for generations to come? Or should we let our beaches and oceans become more polluted, our ocean wildlife...continued→
Posted September 14, 2011 by Sarah Chasis in Moving Beyond Oil, Reviving the World's Oceans, Solving Global Warming
Reality TV has been trendy for a decade now. “American Idol”, “Dancing with the Stars”, “Survivor”, “The Amazing Race.” But tonight and tomorrow, there’s a new type of reality program on that’s a must-watch. The Climate Reality Project kicks off,...continued→
Posted August 9, 2011 by Sarah Chasis in Reviving the World's Oceans, Saving Wildlife and Wild Places
It’s been bad news down on Wall Street. But at the other end of New York City, off of the Bronx’s City Island, there was a heartening report: Dolphins were spotted and escorted through the western end of the Long...continued→
Posted August 1, 2011 by Sarah Chasis in Reviving the World's Oceans, Saving Wildlife and Wild Places
The computer you’re reading, right now, has to be upgraded periodically to keep pace with the evolution of software, which sometimes does seem to change like species do from natural selection. But while our technology and the World Wide Web...continued→
Posted June 16, 2011 by Sarah Chasis in Reviving the World's Oceans
Before journalist Juliet Eilperin, the national environmental reporter for the Washington Post, first swam in the Caribbean with a large school of good-sized sharks, she jotted down a list of why she would survive: All the biologists on this trip...continued→
Posted May 6, 2011 by Sarah Chasis in Reviving the World's Oceans
Come be part of the blue vision! From May 20-23, I, along with many of my colleagues and other marine community leaders, will be in attendance at the Blue Vision Summit 3 in Washington, D.C. NRDC is a proud co-sponsor...continued→
Switchboard is the staff blog of the Natural Resources Defense Council, the nation’s most effective environmental group. For more about our work, including in-depth policy documents, action alerts and ways you can contribute, visit NRDC.org.
