After 14 years of development, a newly approved plan for managing New England’s fisheries should have prioritized protection of important ocean habitats and improved the long-term well-being of our fishing economy. Instead, in a short-sighted decision, fishery managers put fragile habitats and overfished species at even greater risk than they are today.
North Atlantic right whales could be extinct by 2040 if we don’t act quickly. Once a common target for whalers, the population now faces new and increasing threats from ship strikes and fishing gear. We need all hands on deck to save our right whales.
Greg Cunningham, director of the clean energy program at the Conservation Law Foundation, said he wants proof. He noted that Hydro-Québec also exports power to New Brunswick, Ontario, and New York, and has refused requests to disclose how much power its reservoirs and dams can produce, making it difficult to assess the company’s claims.
Last year, 17 North Atlantic right whales died, leaving the remaining population of less than 450 precariously close to extinction. Twelve of the deaths last year occurred in Canadian waters. Certain folks in the U.S. pointed their fingers at our northern neighbors saying that efforts here are pointless unless Canada makes necessary changes, but Canada is taking action – and they’re doing it much faster than we are.
In this special issue of Conservation Matters, we want to take you behind the scenes of our work, to give you a glimpse into how we break down challenges and take advantage of opportunities to create a healthy, thriving New England – not just for today, but for generations to come.
North Atlantic right whales are in crisis. Last year, we lost 17 whales out of a population of barely 460. If we don’t act now, this already-endangered species could go extinct in our lifetimes. CLF recently hosted a conversation with experts on right whales to discuss this crisis – and what can be done to… Continue reading WATCH: Right Whales on the Brink of Extinction
One of Governor LePage’s first official acts was to erect a sign on the New Hampshire border of the Maine Turnpike proclaiming that Maine is “OPEN FOR BUSINESS.” Unfortunately, LePage has not lived up to that promise. His most recent veto of legislation designed to undo damage to the solar industry in Maine while enhancing… Continue reading Maine’s Legislature Fails to Move State Forward on Solar
“Legislators loyal to the LePage ideology failed us by allowing the Governor and the PUC to unnecessarily raise electricity costs for all Mainers, while depriving us of the right to fairly produce and consume our own solar power,” said CLF attorney Emily Green. “Solar power is good for Maine, and leaders who block its progress are doing so at the expense of individuals, families, and local businesses. Fortunately, the legislature’s failure today is not the last word on the PUC’s regressive, harmful rule, because we have taken this fight to the state’s highest court and anticipate a decision soon.”
Northern Pass received two major blows in March, knocking it fully out of contention as the energy winner in Massachusetts. The Commonwealth, which initially selected the proposed transmission line for a lucrative clean energy contract in January, severed ties and announced on March 28 that it is moving on to a different project. Just two… Continue reading New England Closes the Door on Northern Pass
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced its plans to reverse the nation’s landmark clean car standards. The impacts of weakening the standards will be widespread and severe, and will include raising costs for American families and businesses on gas, while dirtying the air that we breathe and harming the health of our families and… Continue reading EPA’s Roll Back of Clean Car Standards Will Cost Americans
