As of September 2009, Noah is halfway through a two-year Fellowship. Below is a summary of his first year's activities:

Noah's primary responsibility is advocacy to develop and maintain California's model energy efficiency policies. He worked in NRDC's advocacy at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to ensure that California's energy efficiency policies for the investor-owned utilities (IOUs) continue to serve as a model for others around the world. He has also started to work with the Northwest Energy Coalition to advocate for energy efficiency policies (including decoupling and other regulatory means of shifting utility incentives) in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana.

In addition, Noah has worked with NRDC's team to develop other aspects of the AB 32 implementation package. Key among his responsibilities was to author several sections of an extensive set of comments to the CPUC and CEC on the energy agencies' recommendations to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) for implementing AB 32. Another key are is monitoring of SB 1368 compliance and ensuring the law's intent is carried through implementation. SB 1368 was AB 32's companion bill in 2006 and was the world's first greenhouse gas performance standard for power plant investments.

The legal defense of AB 32 implementation continues to be a priority. Noah worked to ensure that implementation of California's landmark Global Warming Solutions Act is defended from legal challenge. He helped conduct legal analyses, in close coordination with CARB's legal staff, to ensure that the implementing regulations for AB 32 are designed to be able to withstand challenge.

He helped develop NRDC's position and advocate on a number of bills for the California Legislature. Noah helped develop and put in writing NRDC's institutional position on feed-in tariffs; He develops and advocates for the pair of bills aimed at increasing California's Renewable Portfolio Standard to 33% from 20%, which passed the legislature, but were unfortunately vetoed by the Governor; and he led NRDC's effort to improve legislation to create a system for disposal of fluorescent light bulbs and will continue that work in the coming year.