Air 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.
CLF’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.
Alex Linkow is the Senior Manager for Impact Investment at Conservation Law Foundation. In this role, Alex works with the CLF Ventures team and its partners to grow thriving New England communities by developing and deploying market-based solutions to address the region’s social and environmental challenges, with a specific focus on creating impact investment approaches.… Continue reading Alex Linkow
“Waterfront spaces in Massachusetts are owned by the public, and those ownership rights are being threatened,” said Bradley Campbell, President of CLF. “Developers continue to wall off access to the water, even as climate change threatens to render useless the precious few open spaces that do exist. This event was critical in bringing together people from communities across Boston to learn how to advocate for their right to access the waterfront.”
As the Trump administration continues to shirk its responsibilities on climate, New England states have recognized the need for local leadership to fill the federal void.
“The waterfront and Boston Harbor belong to all of us, not just the white and wealthy,” said Brad Campbell, President of CLF. “Too many developers have been allowed to wall off access to the water for the benefit of a few, and the rest of the city is finally taking note. We all paid for the cleanup of Boston Harbor and we all deserve equal access to it.”
“Given that every resident contributed to the billions of dollars it took to clean up the harbor, we think it’s important that everyone have access to the use of and enjoyment of it,” CLF president Brad Campbell said.
Advocates have been calling for additional transportation funding for years, and those in power have finally taken note. While this funding is much-needed and comes not a moment too soon, it’s time we step up and treat all riders equally, whether they take the bus or the train.
“We are really hoping to impact air quality for communities disproportionately impacted by asthma and upper respiratory diseases that are exasperated by poor air quality,” said Alyssa Rayman-Read, vice president and Massachusetts director for the Conservation Law Foundation. “Boston has disproportionate rates of asthma and upper respiratory problems.”
As the saying goes, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. President Trump revoked the National Ocean Policy last summer, but here in New England, ocean planning – the idea that we can be smarter and more coordinated about how we collectively use and manage our ocean – lives on.
