Strategy: Protecting Special Places

Dec 27, 2019

Atlantic Marine Monument Withstands Federal Appeals Court Challenge

“The fishermen have had the ocean all to themselves for centuries,” says Peter Shelley, senior counsel for the Conservation Law Foundation in Boston. Shelley says the lawsuit challenging the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts National Monument, and the presidential authority that created it, failed to acknowledge other “values” such as conservation and preservation as powers granted in the Antiquities Act of 1906.

Dec 27, 2019

U.S. Court of Appeals Rejects Fishermen’s Challenge to Monument

“Today’s decision is a clear victory for our oceans and for the Atlantic’s only marine national monument,” said Peter Shelley, Senior Counsel at CLF. “This decision upholds protections for one of the most fragile and scientifically important areas in the North Atlantic from destructive activities like oil drilling and industrial fishing. Safeguarding the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts ensures that we are leaving a proud legacy for the people of New England.”

Dec 13, 2019

On Boston’s Waterfront, Climate Resiliency and Public Access Go Hand in Hand

We recently headed out to Boston’s Seaport district to remind the people who live and work there about the unique challenges the neighborhood faces due to its waterfront location. our annual reminder took the form of a message projected onto prominent outdoor spots in the neighborhood. We called for action to make the Seaport – and all of Boston – resilient in the face of the climate impacts, like sea level rise, that we know are coming.

Dec 11, 2019

It’s Time to Stop Draining the Swamp

Some Vermont lawmakers seem hell-bent on eliminating the state’s few wetlands that have survived three centuries of filling and draining. And if they have their way, our remaining wetlands could be at risk at the upcoming state legislative session, starting in January. It’s time to gear up and raise your voice for the under-appreciated, yet critically important values of Vermont’s wetlands. 

Dec 10, 2019

Warren releases ‘Blue New Deal,’ a plan to help ailing oceans

“With the ocean getting hotter and more acidic and wildlife facing extinction, the ocean must be a top issue this election season,” said Priscilla Brooks, Director of Ocean Conservation at CLF. “It’s time for bold action to confront the crisis facing our oceans.”

Oct 03, 2019

The Ocean Has Saved Us. Now, It’s Our Turn to Save the Ocean.

The world’s oceans are in dire straits. A startling UN report confirms what we at CLF have been saying for years: Without drastic measures to halt climate-damaging emissions and protect our oceans, life in New England, and around the world, will be forever changed. If we act now, we can still protect our oceans and way of life for future generations. But we don’t have a moment to waste.

Acadia Ocean
Sep 13, 2019

Happy Birthday to Our Marine National Monument

As the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument turns three, we’re celebrating the critical role it plays in safeguarding the health of New England’s ocean for generations to come – and highlighting the need for more places like it in our ocean. 

octopus
Sep 11, 2019

Public Rights Violated on Boston’s Waterfront… Again

On a recent visit to the Battery Wharf in the North End, we found some of the most egregious violations of the public’s rights to access and enjoy the waterfront that we’ve ever seen. Battery Wharf has not only privatized spaces that belong to the public, it has capitalized on them, charging high-end rental fees for areas that are supposed to be available to the public 24 hours a day, free of charge.