doi:10.7916/vpha-9t63Oral history interview with Frances G. Beinecke, 2021Beinecke, Francesoral historiesmixed materialPresidents--United StatesEnvironmentalism--History.--United StatesEnvironmental justice--United StatesEnvironmental racism--United StatesClimatic changes--United StatesBP Deepwater Horizon Explosion and Oil Spill, 2010Keystone XL Project--United StatesBeinecke, FrancesObama, BarackNatural Resources Defense CouncilClean Power Plan (U.S.)United States National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore DrillingUnited States Secretary of Energy Advisory BoardUnited StatesConference of the Parties (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) Copenhagen, Denmark) 2009 : (15thAmerican Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009Frances Beinecke reflects on her participation in the environmental movement. She discusses her presidency of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) from 2006 to 2015 and service in the Obama administration on the National Commission on the British Petroleum (BP) Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling and as a member of the advisory board to the U.S. secretary of energy. Beinecke focuses on the historical development and trajectory of the environmental movement, and provides details about the major efforts and initiatives with which she was closely involved during the years of the Obama presidency, including advocacy for climate policy during the 2008 presidential campaign, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act's contribution to the advancement of renewable technologies, the failure of the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (Waxman-Markey), the rise of environmental justice activism in response to the more widespread recognition of the disproportionate distribution of environmental harms, and the increased participation of young people in the environmental movement during protests opposing the approval of the Keystone XL pipeline. Beinecke also discusses the structure and activities of the Deepwater Horizon commission, her trips to the gulf states during the cleanup operation, the BlueGreen Alliance between environmental groups and organized labor, the treatment of activists at the 2009 Copenhagen Summit, and the development and release of the administration's 2013 Climate Action Plan and 2015 Clean Power Plan