Blog
August 21, 2019 | Protecting New England TogetherOn August 15, Massachusetts lost a powerful voice for justice. Michaelann Bewsee was a fearless ally and treasured friend whose passion and selflessness profoundly impacted the lives of her neighbors in Springfield and beyond for generations. In her honor, we want to share this piece, originally published in March of 2015, about her work to… Continue reading Protecting New England Together |  |
August 19, 2019 | Pet Deaths Underscore Need for Urgent Action on Toxic AlgaeIn the last couple of weeks, the news has reported tragic stories of healthy dogs dying shortly after swimming in toxic algae-choked waters. These stories highlight the dangers of the algae pollution problem here in Massachusetts, where dog owners have been warned to keep their pets out of waters across the state. This is one of many reasons why CLF is fighting so hard to clean up our waters. |  |
August 8, 2019 | Maine Must Do the Right Thing for Right WhalesHumans pose the biggest threat to right whales’ survival, and it’s our responsibility to stop killing them. Last month, however, Maine’s state leadership rallied against a proposal that would help save our iconic whale. Fishing and right whales can co-exist, but it’s going to take close collaboration and forward-looking leadership, not obstruction. Maine must be part of the solution if we are to save the right whale from extinction. |  |
August 6, 2019 | Waterkeeper Boat Ride Leads to New Sustainability Committee in ExeterA group of Exeter activists turned a trip on the Great Bay-Piscataqua Waterkeeper boat into a town-wide call to better protect water resources, conserve energy, and be a more sustainable community. After their boat ride last fall, the four women worked to create Exeter’s Sustainability Advisory Committee, which recently for met for the first time. |  |
August 6, 2019 | Vermont Makes Slow Progress in Getting Electric Vehicles on the RoadGetting serious about tackling the climate crisis means getting around without burning fossil fuels. Unfortunately, most cars and trucks still run on gasoline, which pollutes both our air and our climate. In fact in New England, the exhaust from cars, trucks, and buses accounts for more than a third of our climate-damaging emissions. This needs to change. Vermont needs to put at least 50,000 electric cars and trucks on the road by 2025 to meet the goals set forth in the State’s energy plan. With only around 3,000 on the road right now, we are far from on track to get there. |  |
August 2, 2019 | Big Oil Can’t Shirk Its Responsibility to CommunitiesExtreme weather caused by climate change may damage coastal infrastructure by degrading equipment containing hazardous chemicals or by flooding storage facilities. But fossil fuel companies like ExxonMobil and Shell would rather take their chances and do nothing to ready their facilities. CLF knows, however, that these companies have a legal duty (not to mention an ethical one) to adapt their facilities to the foreseeable effects of climate change. |  |
August 1, 2019 | Update: Eversource’s Northern Pass Project Gets Final RejectionUPDATE: On July 19, 2019, the New Hampshire Supreme Court upheld the State’s rejection of the Northern Pass project. After the Site Evaluation Committee denied Eversource a permit to build in 2018, the energy company appealed the decision to the State Supreme Court. However, the Court stood behind the permit denials, rejecting the controversial transmission line for… Continue reading Update: Eversource’s Northern Pass Project Gets Final Rejection |  |
August 1, 2019 | Massachusetts Considers Bills to Slash Pollution from Cars, Trucks, and BusesAir pollution poses a serious threat to our health, and the emissions from cars, trucks, and buses are some of the most dangerous. In Massachusetts, this pollution does not affect all communities equally. |  |
July 31, 2019 | Disappointing Decisions Mark Rhode Island Legislative SessionThis session, the Rhode Island General Assembly missed opportunities to make progress on a wide range of environmental issues. CLF and other environmental organizations pushed for action on the climate crisis, toxic chemicals, and plastics pollution, but no substantial new laws were enacted. It was not a total loss, however, as we were successful in preventing passage of some harmful measures. |  |
July 26, 2019 | Sharing Boston’s Waterfront with Boston’s NeighborhoodsCLF’s annual Pitch a Blanket event shows how much people around Boston care about protecting public access to the waterfront. They also give people the chance to express their shared frustration about privatization of waterfront spaces and poor public access. This combination of factors has made the waterfront feel unwelcoming to many but the wealthy. |  |