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October 12, 2017 | Rhode Island 2017 Legislative Recap: Food and WaterThe 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 |  |
October 12, 2017 | Rhode Island 2017 Legislative Recap: EnergyWith the Rhode Island General Assembly on hiatus until January, we’re reviewing progress made on key bills this past year – and highlight bills that we will be pushing forward when the Assembly reconvenes in the new year. In this blog, we’ll talk about bills related to energy. You can find our round-up of food-… Continue reading Rhode Island 2017 Legislative Recap: Energy |  |
October 12, 2017 | Lead Poisoning is 100 Percent Preventable – So Why Is It Still a Problem Today?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? |  |
October 11, 2017 | Maine Makes Progress in Efforts to Prevent Lead PoisoningMaine 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 |  |
October 6, 2017 | City Park Land Constitutionally Protected, says Massachusetts Supreme CourtIn 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 | |
October 6, 2017 | Advocating for More Renewable Energy in MassachusettsCLF is working with our partners to advance clean energy jobs for people in New England and to help make dirty fossil fuels a thing of the past. That’s what brought me to the State House recently, where I testified in favor of a strong renewable energy policy for Massachusetts. Updating Our Clean Energy Directives I… Continue reading Advocating for More Renewable Energy in Massachusetts |  |
October 4, 2017 | UPDATE: Fighting the Vermont Gas Pipeline – at the State Supreme CourtUPDATE: CLF argued our case this morning, taking Vermont gas to task for trying to charge hardworking vermonters for a polluting pipeline. The Vermont Supreme Court was engaged in our argument – we’re asking that the Vermont Public Utilities Commission follow its own rules and re-examine this project based on ballooning costs. We’ll let you… Continue reading UPDATE: Fighting the Vermont Gas Pipeline – at the State Supreme Court |  |
September 29, 2017 | Codfather Penalties Set New England on Path to Better AccountabilityOn Monday, September 25, a federal court sentenced New England fishing magnate Carlos Rafael – “the Codfather”– to 46 months incarceration, a $200,000 fine, and three years’ probation, during which he is barred from the fishing industry. The sentence sends a strong message that systemic abuse of our fishery resources and management mechanisms will not… Continue reading Codfather Penalties Set New England on Path to Better Accountability |  |
September 29, 2017 | Why We Need Solar Energy NowWe all know that climate change is a big problem. 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. In the last five years, the amount of power generated by solar panels has… Continue reading Why We Need Solar Energy Now |  |
September 26, 2017 | Connecticut Needs a More Ambitious Energy StrategyBy Caitlin Peale Sloan and Max Greene Last month, CLF reported on Connecticut’s new Comprehensive Energy Strategy, which is designed to help the state meet its clean energy goals. The plan would lock in Connecticut’s addiction to climate-damaging fossil fuels – a bad idea when Connecticut is already floundering on its climate commitments and urgently… Continue reading Connecticut Needs a More Ambitious Energy Strategy |  |