The Sierra Club and the Conservation Law Foundation sued in federal court Monday regarding the Merrimack Station power plant in Bow. The plant was owned by Eversource until last year, when it was sold to Connecticut-based Granite Shore Power. Both are named as defendants.
“Merrimack Station has seriously undermined the health of the Merrimack River for decades,” said Tom Irwin, Vice President and Director of CLF New Hampshire. “This dirty coal plant is damaging our climate and endangering public health, all while polluting an iconic natural resource.”
Environmental advocates gathered on the State House steps on Thursday in support of bills aimed at reducing plastics pollution and tackling climate change. “We’re here today to act on climate,” said Amy Moses, director of the Conservation Law Foundation Rhode Island.
CLF issued a brief statement on behalf of president Bradley Campbell, saying the project has the potential “to be a major win” for the climate and for families and businesses throughout New England. Central Maine Power, Campbell said, appears willing to make the necessary concessions to generate broad support.
“EPA has completely failed to protect the public from dangerous PFAS chemicals over the past two decades, and their plan for drinking water is just more foot-dragging,” said Jen Duggan, vice president and director of Conservation Law Foundation of Vermont.
One bill sponsored by Stoneham Democratic state Rep. Michael Day seeks to help save taxpayer dollars spent trying to recycle what the Conservation Law Foundation describes as wasteful packaging. Another piece of legislation supported by CLF would require all large-scale fleets of vehicles in Massachusetts — public and private — to go electric by 2035.
Brad Campbell, president of the Boston-based advocacy group Conservation Law Foundation, calls the plan “an empty promise of future steps.”
Our kids shouldn’t have to play a dangerous game of chance every time they drink from a fountain in their school. Where there is lead, there is a risk of lead poisoning.
Jen Duggan, Vermont director of Conservation Law Foundation, said that CLF sees the drinking water standard as an “important step” and was encouraged to see the state is looking to move beyond setting chemical by chemical limits.
“We are encouraged by ANR’s commitment to evaluate options to protect Vermonters from the PFAS class of chemicals,” said Jen Duggan, director of CLF Vermont. “ANR’s decision to regulate five PFAS chemicals is an important first step. There are thousands of these harmful substances, and CLF will continue to fight to get them out of our water.”
