If there was one issue where candidate Donald Trump seemed to offer a promise that both sides of the aisle could get behind, it was his vow to spend $1 trillion on public works over the next decade. It would be an investment, he said, in repairing and upgrading the nation’s transportation systems. Unlike the… Continue reading We’re Not Waiting for Trump’s Promised Infrastructure Investment
We are at a defining moment in the effort to avert the threat of climate catastrophe. President Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord has put the United States on the wrong side of history. With renewed urgency, CLF is escalating our work to develop legally binding climate laws, like the one we helped create and enforce here in Massachusetts, in every New England state.
Rhode Island is fortunate to have an active network of food producers, both on land and at sea. And we’re leading the way when it comes to growing our local food economy.
The 2017 Rhode Island General Assembly session recessed on June 30, leaving the fate of lots of proposed legislation up in the air. The House and Senate reconvened on September 19 to handle much of the unfinished business. It appears that this year’s session is now done until January (save for PawSox hearings). CLF was… Continue reading Rhode Island 2017 Legislative Recap: Food and Water
When discussing the tragedy of childhood lead poisoning, I’m often met with the incredulous response “Haven’t we already solved that problem?” It’s a fair question. After all, we’ve known that lead is a dangerous toxin, especially for kids, for decades – even long before the federal government banned lead from paint in 1978 and from… Continue reading Lead Poisoning is 100 Percent Preventable – So Why Is It Still a Problem Today?
Maine has taken significant strides in preventing childhood lead poisoning by implementing a more protective standard for what constitutes poisoning. But a stronger standard will only help Maine’s children if local officials can actually implement it. And here’s where the State is falling short. As National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (October 22–28, 2017) approaches, we… Continue reading Maine Makes Progress in Efforts to Prevent Lead Poisoning
“Mr. Rafael’s crimes put the health of our fisheries directly in harm’s way, and today’s order helps ensure that he pays a price for that corruption,” said CLF attorney Megan Herzog. “Though this amounts to just a small slice of Mr. Rafael’s assets, it sends a signal that anyone who crosses the line will be held criminally accountable. By reinvesting proceeds associated with this case into stronger monitoring and redistributing Mr. Rafael’s forfeited quota among the fishermen harmed by his egregious crimes, we can begin to turn the page on this dark chapter in New England’s fisheries.”
In a decision with significant implications for open space planning and protection across Massachusetts, the Supreme Judicial Court has ruled that municipal parklands are protected by the state’s Constitution as long as the land has been dedicated and used as a public park. The open space at issue was the Cross Street Playground in Westfield,… Continue reading City Park Land Constitutionally Protected, says Massachusetts Supreme Court
Self-driving cars feel like the stuff of science fiction. Given the speed at which self-driving cars are joining conventional vehicles on the road, it’s important to address some myths about them. Only by getting at what’s really happening right now can we make sensible plans for how self-driving cars can be safely and sensibly integrated into New England’s transportation network.
Self-driving cars are no longer a dream of the future, but are here now. While we’re still in the early stages of testing and adoption, it’s expected that we will see a major proliferation of self-driving cars here in the States soon. That means we need to plan for them now – and what a proliferation of self-driving cars will mean for our roadways, our environment, and our daily lives.
