A Step Closer to Cleaner Water on Boston’s Rivers
The Charles, Neponset, and Mystic Rivers are one step closer to getting cleaned up, thanks to action by CLF.
The Charles, Neponset, and Mystic Rivers are one step closer to getting cleaned up, thanks to action by CLF.
“The stench and polluted air and water from Twin Rivers has negatively impacted the health and quality of life of community members for too long,” said CLF attorney Erica Kyzmir-McKeon. “Everyone in this community has a right to clean air and water. This facility needs to own up to its unlawful actions and prioritize stopping this pollution for good.”
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CLF’s new senior vice president of law and policy is a veteran environmental advocate primed to oversee the organization’s advocacy efforts across New England.
Numerous beach closures in the summer of 2023 were a result of climate change and stormwater pollution.
Beaches across the Boston area are closed during the hottest week of the year. Climate-driven extreme rainfall is to blame.
“These iconic rivers are inundated with stormwater pollution that makes boating, fishing, and swimming unsafe,” said Heather Govern, CLF’s Vice President of Clean Air and Water. “The court’s decision today sets a timeline to clean up this problem that has plagued the Charles, Mystic, and Neponset Rivers for far too long. EPA is now on the hook to issue draft permits by September 2024, which is a clear victory for clean water in Greater Boston.”
Conservation Law Foundation lawyer Erica Kyzmir-McKeon said area residents have been “subjected to odors and pollutants” affecting their “health and quality of life” for more than a decade. She said litigation could be avoided if, before Aug. 14, Twin Rivers “can find a way to operate successfully without burdening the community it exists in.”
Cape Cod’s waters are at risk from nitrogen pollution but the region’s towns have been slow to implement solutions.
Ineffective septic tanks release high levels of nitrogen in wastewater which can cause toxic algae outbreaks in the Cape’s waters, which in turn place people at risk, harm fish and wildlife, and dampen tourism. CLF released the following statement in response to today’s news.
“Pollution from septic tanks has pushed Cape Cod’s waters to the brink of disaster,” said CLF attorney Maggie Nivison. “Toxic algae outbreaks destroy our waters, sicken people, and threaten the Cape’s critical tourism economy. The state has finally taken this crisis seriously, and these new rules are a tremendous first step in finally combatting this pervasive problem.”