Jan 04, 2018
[Update: On Jan. 4, 2018, the Trump administration announced a new five-year plan that would open up most U.S. continental shelf waters, including protected areas of the Arctic and the Atlantic, to oil and gas drilling. CLF joined 63 other groups in opposing this plan. Read the full joint statement here.] Over the past year, we’ve… Continue reading Not on Our Watch: Protecting New England’s Ocean from Offshore Drilling
Dec 15, 2017
“This is quite possibly the worst decision ever made on who has access to our public tidelands and waterfront,” said CLF senior counsel Peter Shelley. “And it now sets a precedent for even worse privatization of public tidelands in the future. It comes at a time when the public is justifiably upset that wealthy developers and luxury condominiums are walling off Boston Harbor from the people who paid to clean it up and make it attractive in the first place — the people of Massachusetts.”
Oct 26, 2017
“Our natural treasures are resources that belong to all of us, and concealing these recommendations sends a strong message that public interest comes second to political expediency,” said Priscilla Brooks, CLF Director of Ocean Conservation. “The Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument is the only ocean monument in the Atlantic, protecting a vibrant ecosystem full of scientific potential. Withholding recommendations that could decimate this monument’s protections is a slap in the face to New Englanders and to all Americans.”
Oct 11, 2017
“Mr. Rafael’s crimes put the health of our fisheries directly in harm’s way, and today’s order helps ensure that he pays a price for that corruption,” said CLF attorney Megan Herzog. “Though this amounts to just a small slice of Mr. Rafael’s assets, it sends a signal that anyone who crosses the line will be held criminally accountable. By reinvesting proceeds associated with this case into stronger monitoring and redistributing Mr. Rafael’s forfeited quota among the fishermen harmed by his egregious crimes, we can begin to turn the page on this dark chapter in New England’s fisheries.”
Oct 06, 2017
In a decision with significant implications for open space planning and protection across Massachusetts, the Supreme Judicial Court has ruled that municipal parklands are protected by the state’s Constitution as long as the land has been dedicated and used as a public park. The open space at issue was the Cross Street Playground in Westfield,… Continue reading City Park Land Constitutionally Protected, says Massachusetts Supreme Court
Sep 19, 2017
National monuments without protections from commercial activities won’t do what they’re meant to do – comprehensively protect our natural, scientific, and cultural treasures In late August, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke submitted to President Trump a report on his summer-long, unnecessary “review” of 27 of America’s treasured national monuments, including two of the newest: the Northeast… Continue reading Monuments on Paper Only?
Sep 18, 2017
“Our marine monument – the only one in the Atlantic – protects rare and fragile ocean life and serves as an important deep-sea laboratory that will propel forward our nation’s commitment to scientific understanding and innovation. We intend to continue to fight for full, comprehensive protection of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts monument on behalf of all New Englanders who rely on a healthy ocean.”
Aug 30, 2017
The conversation around public access and rampant development along the Boston Harbor is heating up. But some waterfront properties seem a little confused about the rules for public access – for existing establishments and for the many new projects popping up. Here’s why this matters: Much of the land in the Seaport District is subject… Continue reading Pitch-a-Blanket Day: The Story Behind the #PeoplesHarbor
Aug 24, 2017
“The fate of these treasures shouldn’t be left hanging in the balance,” said Peter Shelley, Senior Counsel for Conservation Law Foundation. “Some 3 million people — more than 98 percent of commenters — voiced their support for keeping our national monuments intact. Submitting recommendations that defy the will of the American people and then withholding these recommendations from the public is utterly unacceptable. The president has no legal authority to alter national monuments, and we will take him to court if he tries.”
Aug 14, 2017
I recently returned from a trip to Washington, D.C., where I met with senior officials at the Departments of Commerce and Interior to urge the continued preservation of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument – the only such monument in the Atlantic and an ecological gem of immense significance. Our Nation’s Natural Treasures… Continue reading There’s Still Time to Speak Up for New England’s Marine Monument
