In communities from Houlton, Maine, to Flint, Michigan, the safety of our drinking water can no longer be taken for granted. The newest threat comes from a suite of human-made chemicals collectively known as PFAS – per- and polyfuoroalkyl substances. These dangerous chemicals do not break down over time; they remain in the environment –… Continue reading There are Toxic Chemicals in Our Drinking Water
CLF is focused on cutting carbon and plastic pollution, protecting our children from lead poisoning, and securing funding to clean up Lake Champlain.
Along the banks of the Mystic River lies a huge petroleum storage terminal. Belonging to corporate giant ExxonMobil, the Everett Terminal borders the Island End and Mystic rivers on one side – and family homes on the other. ExxonMobil is putting both at risk.
“No one should be given a free pass to pollute Rhode Island waters,” said James Crowley, Staff Attorney at CLF. “Years of toxic runoff have endangered our waters, closed our beaches, and threatened important wildlife habitats. Our communities deserve to enjoy these areas without being sickened by toxic pollution that has gone unchecked for decades. The state has the power to hold these polluters accountable and it must act now to protect our waters for future generations.”
“The state’s Powder Mill hatchery is endangering public health by illegally polluting the iconic Merrymeeting River,” said Tom Irwin, Director of CLF New Hampshire. “Residents and visitors flock to New Hampshire’s rivers and lakes every summer to swim and boat, not to be told to stay out of the water, and certainly not to be sickened by toxic cyanobacteria outbreaks. Protecting public health must be the primary concern among our state leaders, and they must put a stop to the pollution coming from this facility.”
“Nitrogen pollution is killing the Cape’s beautiful waterways,” said Christopher Kilian, Vice President of Strategic Litigation at CLF. “Fish kills, unpleasant odors and scum are becoming the norm, threatening to drive away the millions of tourists that flock to the area every year. These resorts should be leaders in protecting our precious waters, instead of flushing our health and our economy down the drain.”
“Without clear information about what is safe to eat, people in the Lower Mystic River Watershed area are at risk,” said Alyssa Rayman-Read, vice president and director of CLF Massachusetts. “The advisory will ensure that people have the information needed to safely fish in the area. This kind of public-nonprofit collaboration should be a model for working on important environmental issues.”
“Nitrogen pollution has disastrous effects on the plant and animal life that live in these beautiful waterways,” said Chris Kilian, Vice President of Strategic Litigation at CLF. “This type of pollution is also harmful to the people who flock to Pleasant Bay and Wychmere Harbor for water sports and other recreational activities. It’s time we hold large polluters responsible for their destructive impacts on our environment.”
“These developers have failed to comply with water pollution control programs as they have rolled out the largest development plan ever conceived in Massachusetts,” said Christopher Kilian, Vice President of Strategic Litigation at CLF. “The discharge of harmful pollutants from this site is degrading the Nashua River and putting the health and safety of nearby residents at risk. The owners of the site have ignored the law, and it’s time they are held accountable.”
Water was a hot topic of the 2018 Vermont legislative session, with many bills that touched on clean water challenges. We made some progress, but we’re still too far behind when it comes to the long-term funding we need to make true progress on cleaning up Lake Champlain and other ailing waters across the state.
