Recent testing found that bottled water sold across New England has dangerously high levels of toxic PFAS chemicals. Without strong federal regulations, states have an important role to play to protect the public from exposure to these dangerous toxics. Vermont appears to be the only New England state that took the necessary steps to ensure that the contaminated water is off store shelves.
The owners of the Coventry landfill are champing at the bit to supersize Vermont’s only active disposal site. But state regulators are holding out on approving one last permit needed for the expansion. This is because Casella has not yet addressed how it will safely dispose of one of the landfill’s most toxin-laden byproducts: leachate.… Continue reading Is Toxic Landfill Wastewater Coming to a Stream or Farm Near You?
UPDATE: As we head into the Labor Day weekend, Florida is preparing for Hurricane Dorian – which could strengthen to a category four storm by Monday. While we call our loved ones down South with reminders to stay safe, it’s also time to revisit whether or not New England is ready for extreme weather. Our… Continue reading Is New England Ready for a Hurricane Harvey?
“The problem here is that we’re putting the cart before the horse a little bit … before we have the results back from investigations that are going on into what is the safest way to treat it,” she said.
On August 15, Massachusetts lost a powerful voice for justice. Michaelann Bewsee was a fearless ally and treasured friend whose passion and selflessness profoundly impacted the lives of her neighbors in Springfield and beyond for generations. In her honor, we want to share this piece, originally published in March of 2015, about her work to… Continue reading Protecting New England Together
CLF succeeds because we have people like you by our side. In this special annual report issue of Conservation Matters, we are honoring just a few of our many local heroes, people who have devoted their time, energy, and passion to defending our homes, protecting our children’s health, and supporting the vibrancy of our communities.
Getting serious about tackling the climate crisis means getting around without burning fossil fuels. Unfortunately, most cars and trucks still run on gasoline, which pollutes both our air and our climate. In fact in New England, the exhaust from cars, trucks, and buses accounts for more than a third of our climate-damaging emissions. This needs to change. Vermont needs to put at least 50,000 electric cars and trucks on the road by 2025 to meet the goals set forth in the State’s energy plan. With only around 3,000 on the road right now, we are far from on track to get there.
Extreme weather caused by climate change may damage coastal infrastructure by degrading equipment containing hazardous chemicals or by flooding storage facilities. But fossil fuel companies like ExxonMobil and Shell would rather take their chances and do nothing to ready their facilities. CLF knows, however, that these companies have a legal duty (not to mention an ethical one) to adapt their facilities to the foreseeable effects of climate change.
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.
“It is really important for people to understand that this is not just isolated to Bennington,” said Jen Duggan, director of Conservation Law Foundation Vermont. “This has the potential to impact a large portion of the state.
