“The vessel speed restrictions and adaptive management measures agreed to by South Fork Wind will go a long way toward protecting these whales from being injured or killed by project vessels,” said Priscilla Brooks, vice president and director of ocean conservation at the Conservation Law Foundation.
New federal and state laws and policies require government agencies to invest in environmental justice populations. The details behind these requirements must recognize the primary predictor to experience environmental burdens: race. CLF is working to ensure that government investments reach the populations who have endured the brunt of pollution and other consequences of climate change.
“Strong vehicle emissions standards are critical to tackling the climate crisis given that transportation is the nation’s largest source of polluting emissions,” said CLF attorney James Crowley. “Toxic tailpipe pollution wreaks havoc on our health, air quality, and climate. It’s time we act. The Biden Administration made the right call in restoring California’s ability to set stricter standards, and we’re defending the rights for other states to follow suit”
As New Englander’s, we are lucky to have our very own marine National Monument in our backyards. But it shouldn’t be the last. Here are 5 reasons why we must continue to protect special places in our ocean.
For too long, the world has treated plastic as a waste disposal problem. But plastic pollutes from the moment we extract fossil fuels from the ground. To truly tackle this crisis, we need to stop plastic production at its source. And the UN plastic treaty can do just that – on a global scale.
We need clean energy without having to risk our health and climate. Responsible offshore wind offers a viable solution, but it has to be done right – including to protect marine species. That’s why CLF and our partners worked to develop best practices for developers to utilize and get offshore wind right for North Atlantic right whales.
New England’s industrial rivers are starting to turn a new page thanks to the Clean Water Act. But more work needs to be done. The Blackstone River still suffers from industrial pollution, including lead, iron, oil, grease, and foam. The Mystic River also endures harmful levels of oil, grease, foam, and petroleum pollution, while aluminum contaminates the Merrimack River.
“Pollution from cars and trucks chokes our communities and worsens the climate crisis,” said CLF attorney James Crowley. “The science is clear: the only way to reach our climate goals is by drastically curbing transportation emissions, and fast. This new rule must be allowed to stand, and we look forward to helping defend it in court.”
Big Beverage companies drive the global plastic pollution crisis, thanks to the single-use bottles in which they sell their beverages. They also do everything they can to maintain the status quo by sabotaging efforts to reform our recycling systems. That’s why we’re exposing Big Beverage’s playbook – because we can no longer afford to let them avoid responsibility while we drown in plastic pollution.
“For decades, the beverage industry has done everything in its power to keep our failed recycling systems in place and prevent new solutions,” said Kirstie Pecci, Director of CLF’s Zero Waste Project. “Most bottles and cans in the U.S. still end up buried in landfills, burned in incinerators, or littering our communities. We must hold Big Beverage accountable for the mess it’s made and invest in real solutions for bottle and can recycling.”
