“The climate crisis will touch every aspect of our lives and the consequences of inaction today will be ruinous tomorrow,” said Brad Campbell, President of CLF. “Governor Baker’s crucial directive puts Massachusetts in the vanguard of states and nations combatting climate change and embracing a clean energy future. We look forward to working with the administration on the bold steps that need to follow.”
“The reality of the climate crisis demands that we end our reliance on dirty fossil fuels,” said CLF Senior Attorney Jerry Elmer. “This commitment to 100% renewable electricity is a major step towards reaching that goal. The Governor must now make good on her promise to support a law that goes beyond mere talk and makes Rhode Island’s climate goals mandatory, including slashing emissions beyond the electric sector.”
In 2015, energy giant Invenergy announced its plan to pave over a pristine forest in Burrillville, Rhode Island, to build a 1,000-megawatt fracked gas and diesel oil power plant. For the next four years, CLF and the town of Burrillville fought to keep the polluting behemoth from being built.
While Vermont has made strides advancing energy efficiency and renewable energy, we are falling behind in reducing toxic climate pollution from burning fossil fuels in our cars and homes. Passing the Vermont Global Warming Solutions Act will change that, putting us back on track to cutting our emissions and securing a brighter future.
“The climate crisis demands bold action and Vermont is long overdue,” said Jen Duggan, Vice President and Director of CLF Vermont. “We’re off track, but we can eliminate all carbon pollution by 2050 while building healthy and resilient communities. This legislation will make sure we reach our emissions goals and confront this crisis with everything we have.”
Ever winter, as the cold rolls in and New Englanders turn up their heat, the gas industry starts calling for more pipelines. But if we want to avoid a climate catastrophe, we need to end fossil fuel use—including the use of fracked gas—by 2050 at the very latest.
CLF is no stranger to tough fights and seemingly impossible odds. In our 50-plus-year history, we’ve taken on – and taken down – Goliaths, from Big Coal to Big Gas. Here’s what we have learned from the biggest battles of the past decade – and what we must, and will, do before we reach 2030.
“This state agreement moves us toward much-needed regional collaboration to confront the climate crisis,” said Amy Laura Cahn, Director of CLF’s Healthy Communities and Environmental Justice program. “Urgent and bold action is necessary to tackle the scourge of carbon emissions and jumpstart clean transportation options for New Englanders. We also need more immediate solutions that improve air quality for residents in pollution hotspots.”
Fracked gas was once considered part of a lower-carbon future. But this volatile, dangerous, and polluting fossil fuel now needs to be shown the door. Thankfully, as New England’s growing investment in cleaner energy ramps up, this transition is becoming easier. But standing in its way are the last gasps of the dirty fossil fuel industry. And they are not going quietly.
Home to some of the world’s strongest offshore winds, the Gulf of Maine can play an essential role in helping meet New England’s climate goals. But the energy of those winds has yet to be harnessed. Over the last decade, progress on this front stalled due in large part to the anti-wind policies of former… Continue reading Offshore Wind in the Gulf of Maine Back on Track
