Emma Cotter is CLF’s Senior Donor Relations Coordinator. In this position, she supports the Development Department’s donor relations and events programs in providing opportunities to meaningfully connect with our members. Through working in Boston with CLF, Emma is fulfilling a lifelong dream of living in New England. She grew up in New York State and… Continue reading Emma Cotter
Wendy Sheu is the senior director of the Senior Fellows Program and of Attorney Professional Development, where she helps to expand and strengthen CLF’s capacity through the implementation of a pro bono fellowship program for experienced professionals. She recruits and supports Senior Fellows and other volunteers across all New England states with diverse professional backgrounds… Continue reading Wendy Sheu
Our nation’s long journey to building a truly inclusive democracy is far from over. Voter suppression remains a real and enduring challenge in this country.
“This settlement is a major win for cleaner air in Boston communities,” said Heather Govern, Director of CLF’s Clean Air and Water program. “Toxic tailpipe pollution threatens the health of our most vulnerable neighbors and contributes to the climate crisis. With increased training and monitoring at bus lots, Transdev will be better able to stop excessive bus idling and the spread of this harmful pollution.”
“It is in no way a solution to say we’re going to post warnings around these beloved waters and allow them to be degraded and that will keep the public safe,” declared Christopher Kilian, a senior attorney with the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF).
While superficially a snooze fest, energy efficiency is a powerful tool in the fight against climate change and towards a more equitable future. (It can also save you money, clean up our air, and even improve your health.)
Low-income, immigrant, and communities of color experience more environmental burdens than whiter, wealthier neighborhoods. Having strong environmental justice legislation would make a significant difference in these neighborhoods, in part by simply ensuring residents have a voice in what happens in their own communities.
Private developers deliberately obscure the lines between public and private space along Boston’s waterfront – with the goal to make the general public feel unwelcome – even though we all have the legal right to access much of our waterfront lands. It’s time for private developers to become part of the solution to create a vibrant and welcoming Boston Harbor for all.
Environmental justice requires reversing and repairing the impacts of decades of environmental racism. Residents of environmental justice communities are the most likely to bear the burdens polluting industries and infrastructure, while having to fight for their share of resources we all need — healthy homes, schools, transit, food, and open space.
For decades, low income, immigrant, and communities of color across the Commonwealth have disproportionately born the burdens of air pollution from power plants, congested freeways, and industrial activity. After generations of disenfranchisement, what would having strong environmental justice protections mean for these communities?
