CLF president Bradley Campbell said in a statement that its settlement with Exxon “should put operators of similar climate-vulnerable facilities on notice that they cannot turn a blind eye to the extreme weather dangers driven by climate change.”
“Governor Healey’s commitment to transparency around the state’s climate goals is a much-needed change of pace from the previous administration,” said Caitlin Peale Sloan, Vice President of CLF Massachusetts. “The data shows that we are clearly missing the mark in some critical areas, and it’s so important that we do not leave frontline communities behind in this process. The report card is a good baseline, but it’s time to put in place some new regulations to get us where we need to go on slashing emissions and preparing our communities.”
“It is unconscionable that anyone would build such a dirty power plant right across the street from a residential neighborhood,” said CLF attorney Johannes Epke. “Inefficient biomass plants like the one proposed here don’t make sense anywhere in 2023, and especially not in a community in Springfield already overburdened by air pollution. Burning wood for electricity worsens asthma and other respiratory conditions and sets us back in reaching mandatory climate goals, and the court made the right decision.”
COP28 is a reminder that local governments can act on climate even when political debate stymies global negotiations
“It’s plain and simple: burning wood pollutes our air and worsens the climate crisis,” said Elena Mihaly, Vice President of CLF Vermont. “McNeil is a dirty facility that’s approaching the end of its life, and this proposal will give it a lifeline to pollute for years to come. From a climate perspective, we have no choice but to move past burning wood for electricity in favor of clean energy like wind and solar.”
The last thing we need is for this air- and climate-damaging plant to expand – which is why Burlington’s City Council should vote “no” on the proposed District Energy Project.
The climate crisis is here. That means we must not only focus on how to prevent future climate impacts but also on how to preserve life and prevent damage to our homes, neighborhoods, and cities today. Here’s how.
We’ve just seen the planet’s hottest summer. Torrential rains and flooding have cost billions and threatened lives in Vermont and Massachusetts. Ocean waters off our coast are heating more rapidly than any in North America, and wildfires have given us sore throats, dirty air, and brown skies. We need to do better. The ISO needs to pursue rapid change — now.
“While Shell tries every trick in the book to avoid coming clean about its involvement in the climate crisis, our community is in danger,” said Darrèll Brown, vice president of CLF Rhode Island.
“While Shell tries every trick in the book to avoid coming clean about its involvement in the climate crisis, our community is in danger” said Darrèll Brown, Vice President of CLF Rhode Island. “The evidence we have seen shows that the company has left this facility woefully unprepared for extreme weather. Major risks exist now and they’re only going to get worse as the oceans rise and storms intensify.”
