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Environmental Defense Fund Archive Record Group 2: New York Office Scope and Content Note The records of the New York Office document the organization from its inception in 1967 to the last year of President Brown's tenure in 1983. The bulk of the material is litigation papers and primary & secondary sources used in research. Included are: testimony and statements before governmental committees; media and public relations records; and memoranda and minutes of the Executive Committee and Board of Trustees. The administrative, communications, and litigation files concentrate on 1972-79. During this period, EDF opened new offices, changed Executive Directors, finalized the structure of the programs, and increased in membership. The organizational years 1967-69 are represented by the certificate of incorporation, the EDF prospectus, and the minutes of the Board of Trustees. The records of the Executive Directors consist of copies of memoranda about programming, activities of the various regional offices, and clippings related to research topics. The public information and communication files derive from the media, fundraising
and public relations functions of EDF. The annual reports span 1971-2004. The EDF Letter served as the newsletter to members and began publication in 1970. With the change
of organization name, the newsletter became Environmental Defense Newsletter in 2000 and Solutions in 2003. The books & pamphlets series contains publications designed to raise public
awareness about timely issues. Also included are inter-office communications summarizing the monthly work of each office. Represented here are the New York, Colorado, Washington, and Berkeley offices during the first decade of EDF’s existence. There is also a sample of EDF grant proposals for the Ford Foundation, the George Gund Foundation, the Dodge Foundation and others. The program files are divided into two sub-groups: research and dissemination and legal papers. The research section is collections of government documents, environmental impact statements, reprints and manuscripts compiled by program staff. This research was the basis for litigation; testimony; research papers and publications; and policy statements. Also collected are the comments, testimony and statements by EDF scientists and economists on topics such as: acid rain, ozone depletion, and dams and reservoirs. The legal papers are the crux of the record group as it stands now. Although EDF has shifted tactics in recent decades, the original focus of combining scientific and legal expertise is represented in the legal files. Below is a sample of the major holdings in the New York Office record group, located in Sub-group V. Stream Channelization: Reservoir Projects: Energy: Insecticides: Sewage Disposal: Real Estate Development: |