Ensuring a just economic recovery from the pandemic means not following a business-as-usual model. Instead, we must prioritize people’s health, provide direct relief to families and individuals, and invest in the future of our communities.
Over 40% of New England’s climate-damaging emissions billow from the exhaust pipes of our cars, trucks, semis, buses, and trains. We cannot solve climate change without cutting that pollution. And in the process, we have a unique opportunity to reimagine our region’s transportation systems as ones that are both affordable and accessible to everyone.
Tuesday’s verdict was one welcome step toward change. But at CLF, we believe that real progress lies in systemic policy change that will break down the racist systems that have been in place for generations – ending white supremacy in this country.
We find ourselves on the cusp of a sea change in how we transport people and goods as we urgently work to cut the climate-damaging emissions that spew from New Englanders’ tailpipes.
“Updating Vermont’s bottle bill is a win-win for our communities and our environment,” said Jen Duggan, Vice President & Director of CLF Vermont. “These changes to the bottle bill will result in less climate pollution and waste in our landfills, more green jobs, and millions of dollars for the state’s clean water fund. Passing this legislation into law is just plain common sense.”
“The decision not to regulate more of these toxic chemicals in our water is deeply disturbing,” said Jen Duggan, Vice President and Director of CLF Vermont. “It doesn’t make sense to continue this whack-a-mole approach to removing these chemicals from drinking water. People’s health will suffer as a result of this decision.”
Biden’s infrastructure package represents a critical investment in our future, infusing much-needed funding to ramp up New England’s transition to a carbon-free economy by 2050.
We’re tackling transportation from all sides.
Regulators have known for more than 20 years that vessel strikes kill right whales at an alarming rate. But to date, they haven’t put forward a real solution.
No state here in New England has required its utilities to assess their vulnerability to climate change – or take action to prepare for it. With our homes, lives, and livelihoods at stake, allowing utilities to be so unprepared is irresponsible and simply too big a risk to take. CLF is pushing to change that – starting with Massachusetts.
