Apr 06, 2018

Saving Lake Champlain

If there’s one thing that most Vermonters can agree on, it’s that Lake Champlain is in trouble. The iconic lake is central to Vermont’s identity and its tourism economy. It provides drinking water and feeds thirsty farms throughout its large watershed. It’s also dying a slow death due to unchecked pollution. How to stop that… Continue reading Saving Lake Champlain

Lake Champlain, Vermont
Apr 02, 2018

EPA’s Roll Back of Clean Car Standards Will Cost Americans

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced its plans to reverse the nation’s landmark clean car standards. The impacts of weakening the standards will be widespread and severe, and will include raising costs for American families and businesses on gas, while dirtying the air that we breathe and harming the health of our families and… Continue reading EPA’s Roll Back of Clean Car Standards Will Cost Americans

Mar 19, 2018

Natural Gas Under Assault in Some States After Brief Reign at the Top

… “In New England, like California, we are past the point where more gas can help us,” said David Ismay, a senior attorney at the Conservation Law Foundation, which is fighting new gas plants in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Massachusetts, the region’s most populous state, wants 40% of its power from clean- energy resources by… Continue reading Natural Gas Under Assault in Some States After Brief Reign at the Top

Mar 07, 2018

Study Proves Clean Energy Can Power New England’s Future

The regional grid operator ISO-New England‘s long-awaited Operational Fuel-Security Analysis shows that more renewables, not more gas, will keep New England’s electric power system reliable – especially during winter cold-snaps. That supports what CLF, and the markets, have been saying now for several years – New England doesn’t need more gas-fired power plants or expensive… Continue reading Study Proves Clean Energy Can Power New England’s Future

Mar 02, 2018

Vermont Yankee Settlement Leaves Communities Vulnerable

“Vermonters are the losers in a recent agreement aimed to sweeten the deal for the sale of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant,” said CLF Senior Attorney Sandra Levine. “In a rush to secure a possible – and by no means certain – quick clean-up of the site, the settlement excludes reasonable protection for Vermont communities. The deal Entergy and NorthStar proposed leaves Vermonters vulnerable to picking up the tab if something goes wrong.”

Feb 23, 2018

Pruitt on the Clean Water Attack

Once again, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt and the Trump administration are taking aim at one of our most vital and effective environmental laws. On February 20, 2018, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a public notice asking for comments on the Clean Water Act’s coverage of pollution that enters our nation’s lakes, rivers, and oceans via groundwater.

Feb 07, 2018

Vermont Legislators Debate Enforcement of Clean Water Laws

A summer of horrific blue-green algae outbreaks, particularly in Lake Carmi and along the shores of Lake Champlain, has many Vermont state legislators turning to the question of enforcement of our environmental laws. The fact is, we have protective laws on the books, but without enforcement, our water will remain polluted, threatening the health of… Continue reading Vermont Legislators Debate Enforcement of Clean Water Laws

Photo: JTyler/IStock
Jan 30, 2018

Climate Adaptation and Liability: A Legal Primer and Workshop Summary

Climate change impacts are affecting New England communities now, so CLF set out to determine the liability risks of government entities and other decision makers if they fail to prepare for these impacts. The result is the CLF Climate Adaptation and Liability report, which looks at the theories of legal liability for design professionals (such as… Continue reading Climate Adaptation and Liability: A Legal Primer and Workshop Summary