For centuries, Atlantic cod has been essential to New England’s identity. Yet today, you can rarely find locally caught cod in a grocery store or on a menu – because it has been fished to the brink of disaster. Here’s what it’s going to take to save New England’s founding fish.
We’re turning promises into meaningful climate action.
“While today’s guilty plea hopefully brings some element of closure in this disaster, the risks that fracked gas poses to our communities and our climate can only be addressed by breaking our addiction to fossil fuels,” said Greg Cunningham, Vice President & Director of CLF’s Clean Energy Climate Change program. “As the Commonwealth considers transferring the utility privileges held by Columbia Gas to a new owner, it must ensure that gas utilities are truly committed to safety and combatting the climate crisis. The funds from this settlement must be directed towards the historically marginalized communities that have been hit hardest by this disaster.”
Getting serious about climate change means getting serious about our gas use. It means all of us working together to build a clean energy future that doesn’t require the expensive and polluting buildout of more fracked gas. We don’t need it. And we can’t afford it.
“The climate emergency is already impacting our communities,“ said Jen Duggan, Vice President and Director of CLF Vermont. “If we’re serious about tackling this crisis, strong climate laws like the Solutions Act are the answer. We are running out of time, but the strong vote today and the leadership in the House shows we can still get back on track to cut emissions and build healthy and resilient communities if we take action now.”
The Vermont legislature is considering a critical bill that will cut climate-damaging emissions across the state and smooth the way for a more resilient future. The bill, the Vermont Global Warming Solutions Act, will simultaneously slash pollution and build climate-ready communities.
“I like this car because of the gas money it saves me,” says CLF Staff Attorney Elena Mihaly about her plug-in electric hybrid. Elena lives on a dirt road in Vermont and commutes 40 miles each way to the CLF office in Montpelier. To save on gas and reduce her carbon footprint, she’s leasing an electric car.
UPDATE: Rhode Island has still not corrected how it measures dangerous greenhouse gas emissions. The State continues to dramatically underestimate the amount of methane – an extremely potent greenhouse gas – leaking from its pipes. To ensure Rhode Island makes real progress in cutting its carbon pollution, the legislature should adopt the Act On Climate 2020 bill – which would turn the State’s existing emission reduction goals into mandatory targets and hold the State accountable for achieving them.
From more severe storms to prolonged heat waves, climate change is here and it’s happening now. Luckily, clean energy solutions like solar panels can help both our planet and our economy.
Vermont’s legislature hit the ground running this year. Lawmakers are taking up critical bills to tackle climate change – bills that put the state on a path to slash polluting emissions while making sure rural communities and hardworking Vermonters prosper.
