Online Research Resources

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AirNow – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Park Service, tribal, state, and local agencies developed the AirNow system to provide the public with easy access to national air quality information. State and local agencies report the air quality index (AQI) for cities across the US and parts of Canada and Mexico.

 AirNow Workshop for Teachers – This Toolkit is designed for anyone who would like to conduct an air quality workshop for teachers.

The Canary Coalition – In case you didn’t know it, right here in our midst we have a gem of an organization–an organization that has been fighting for clean air and water for all of us here in western north Carolina since 1999.

Clean Air Carolina – Our mission is to ensure cleaner air quality for all North Carolinians through education and advocacy and by working with our partners to reduce sources of pollution. We are based in Charlotte with a satellite office in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Clean Water for North Carolina – A nonprofit organization promoting clean, safe water and empowered, just communities through community organizing, advocacy, education and technical assistance, with offices in Durham and Asheville.

The Cook Political Report – Founded in 1984, The Cook Political Report is an independent, non-partisan newsletter that analyzes elections and campaigns for the US House of Representatives, US Senate, Governors and President as well as American political trends. In 2004, we moved to an online-based publication.  Among the subscribers to The Cook Political Report are lobbyists, trade associations, corporations, labor unions, Members of Congress, political action committees and interest groups across the political spectrum. All have come to rely upon The Cook Political Report for objective information and analysis about who is running in what races, what the most important dynamics are in the races, who’s ahead and what factors to look for as the campaigns progress.

Federal Election Commission – (Research campaign donations here.) The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is the independent regulatory agency charged with administering and enforcing the federal campaign finance law. The FEC has jurisdiction over the financing of campaigns for the U.S. House, Senate, Presidency and the Vice Presidency.

Frack Free NC – “Frack-Free NC” is a network of grassroots organizations who believe that shale gas development using “fracking” and horizontal drilling cannot be done without bringing harm to our waters, land, air, communities and public health. We are working to keep North Carolina frack free.

Lawfare Blog – We mean to devote this blog to that nebulous zone in which actions taken or contemplated to protect the nation interact with the nation’s laws and legal institutions. We will, I am sure, construe this subject broadly to include subjects as far-flung as cybersecurity, Guantánamo habeas litigation, targeted killing, biosecurity, universal jurisdiction, the Alien Tort Statute, the state secrets privilege and countless other related and not-so-related matters. . . .

NASA in PubMed Central – PubMed Central (PMC) is a full-text, online archive of journal literature operated by the National Library of Medicine. NASA is using PMC to permanently preserve and provide easy public access to the peer-reviewed papers resulting from NASA-funded research.

North Carolina Legislature – Use this web site as a tool to track bills, find and communicate with your state House and Senate members, and to follow chamber activity, meetings and issues before the General Assembly.  Read the NC Constitution here.

NC Warn – NC WARN is a 501c3 nonprofit organization tackling the accelerating crisis posed by climate change by building people power for a swift North Carolina transition to clean power, and by promoting energy and climate justice.  Please click the links below to learn more about NC WARN.

Open Secrets – The Center for Responsive Politics is the nation’s premier research group tracking money in U.S. politics and its effect on elections and public policy. Nonpartisan, independent and nonprofit, the organization aims to create a more educated voter, an involved citizenry and a more transparent and responsive government.

Project Vote Smart – Vote Smart’s mission is to provide free, factual, unbiased information on candidates and elected officials to ALL Americans.

ProPublica – The Mission: To expose abuses of power and betrayals of the public trust by government, business, and other institutions, using the moral force of investigative journalism to spur reform through the sustained spotlighting of wrongdoing.

Public Schools First NC – Public Schools First NC is a statewide, nonpartisan organization focused solely on public education issues. We collaborate with teachers, parents, business and civic leaders, students and communities across North Carolina in support of an effective public education system that will prepare each child for life.

2015-17 NC Biennial Budget

Key (Selected) Education Bills & Policy Issues Pending

Quick Facts: A-F School Performance Grades

Randolph Education Forum Facebook – The Randolph Education Forum is a coalition of Conservatives, Liberals, Republicans, Democrats and others that is united in seeking solutions for North Carolina public education through conversation and action. We believe in promoting positive solutions through education and advocacy. Randolph Education Forum Website

Smith Environment Blog – provides nonpartisan discussion and analysis of  environmental issues with a special focus on water law  and energy policy. The blog has its roots in North Carolina, but follows environmental  issues at the state and national level.

SourceWatch – The Center for Media and Democracy publishes SourceWatch to track corporations.  We provide well-documented information about corporate public relations (PR) campaigns, including corporate front groups, people who “front” corporate campaigns, and PR operations.

Southeast Coal Ash – Is toxic coal ash stored near you? Use this webpage to find out. The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE) a group of environmental and community organizations that have come together to focus on coal ash issues in the Southeast.