You know that sinking feeling? The one where you think you’ve done a good job, but it turns out you didn’t? That’s the boat Vermont finds itself in when it comes to tackling climate change. We thought we were leading. But in fact, we are falling behind on our climate goals. Vermont’s climate-damaging emissions are… Continue reading New England Can’t Fall Behind on Climate
When Representative Carlos Curbelo proposed a price on carbon recently, he garnered a lot of attention among energy hawks, and not just because he is a Republican. The Trump administration has been busy scrubbing all references to human-caused climate change from its policies – and instead pushing hard to deepen our addiction to coal, oil,… Continue reading Federal Proposal to Price Carbon Should be Considered, then Rejected
CLF’s Zero Waste program has identified eight New England landfills that want dangerous expansions, a surefire way to increase the pollution they emit into the air, soil, and water. We’re working to stop them from expanding.
“The EPA and NHTSA are prioritizing fossil fuel interests over the health of our communities,” said CLF Staff Attorney Emily K. Green. “Strong vehicle emissions standards are critical to addressing climate change, and weakening them will put the health of millions of Americans at risk. This decision disproportionately harms the most vulnerable among us, while forcing families and businesses to pay more at the pump. We will continue to fight this rollback with every tool available.”
“Vermont cannot be a champion of conservation when state authorities are giving towns the green light to dump more toxic pollution into Lake Champlain,” said Elena Mihaly, Staff Attorney, Conservation Law Foundation. “Lake Champlain is a natural treasure and economic driver for Vermont and it is the agency’s obligation to protect our waters. Granting permits that will increase pollution flowing into this iconic lake is irresponsible, reckless, and unlawful.”
The prosperity of future generations of New Englanders depends on the health of our waters and marine resources and the public’s ability to access them.
All landfills leak – some over time and some from day one of operation – leaching toxic chemicals into the ground and the water supply. Despite state and federal regulation, landfills are harming the health and environment of communities in New England.
Nutrient pollution impacts waterways across New England, from Lake Champlain to Narragansett Bay. These waters all carry excess levels of nitrogen or phosphorous – a problem caused by fertilizer running off of farms and lawns and animal waste from confined animal feeding operations. Another major cause is human sewage improperly treated by septic systems or overflowed… Continue reading 10 Things You Can Do to Help Protect Our Waters
The Coventry Landfill sits on over 600 acres in northern Vermont, and Casella Waste wants to expand it an additional 51 acres. This expansion is unnecessary and dangerous to the health of Vermonters.
Our electricity grid was designed over 100 years ago. But our technology has evolved since then. Clean, renewable energy from solar panels and wind turbines is available right where we live. But we need a smarter, more modern grid to make the most of it.
