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.
Offshore wind power is on track to be a pillar of America’s energy future – and now is our moment to establish a clear leading role for the Commonwealth in making it happen.
Under an agreement with the Conservation Law Foundation, Massport is obligated to increase the number of Logan passengers who arrive in some form of high-occupancy vehicle to 40 percent by 2027. The people-mover proposal is unrelated to that agreement, but CLF vice president Rafael Mares said if enacted, it could help Logan meet or even exceed that goal.
Offshore wind can help reduce carbon emissions, but it’s critical to ensure they don’t harm underwater ecosystems, especially the endangered North Atlantic right whale, said Sean Mahoney, executive vice president of the Conservation Law Foundation.
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.
Erica Fuller, an attorney with the Conservation Law Foundation, observed the proceedings with growing frustration. “We’re facing extinction,” she said afterward. “We don’t have time to say nothing works, or everything is too expensive.”
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
No one would consider swimming, sailing, or fishing in a sewer, but that, in effect, is the choice facing people seeking to use polluted bays around Cape Cod. The Cape’s septic systems cause 85 percent of the nitrogen pollution plaguing our waterways. Every time a toilet flushes into a septic tank, our clean bays, our… Continue reading Help for Cape Cod’s Pollution Problem
