Sep 21, 2021

Coventry Landfill Ordered to Treat Runoff for PFAS

“Toxic garbage water has no place in Lake Memphremagog or any of Vermont’s waters,” said CLF attorney Peter Blair. “Landfill leachate contains a toxic soup of chemicals, including PFAS, which cause serious health issues in humans and animals. Waste companies need to take responsibility for the damage they’re causing to our waters, and this new permit is a huge step towards making that happen in Vermont.”

Aerial view of Newport Vermont.
Sep 10, 2021

New Legal Challenge to Federal Right Whale Rule Filed

“Fishermen should be recognized for the changes they have made to protect right whales from extinction, but we have much more work to do,” said Erica Fuller, senior attorney at Conservation Law Foundation. “The existence of an entire species is at stake, and we must keep pressing forward. Fishery managers must take immediate action to reduce entanglements and we look forward to standing up for right whales in court to make sure they do.”

A right whale swimming off the coast of New England
Sep 09, 2021

Brookfield Sued For Repeatedly Breaking the Law and Killing Endangered Atlantic Salmon

“Maine can achieve a healthy Kennebec River that supports expanding fish populations and meets the needs of riverfront communities, including the continued operation of the SAPPI paper mill in Skowhegan. This future is only possible if Brookfield stops violating the law and starts to play a constructive role in solving the problems its four dams cause. Instead, the company is spreading fear and misinformation and violating one of America’s landmark environmental laws.”

A dam in Skowhegan, ME on the Kennebec River. Robby Virus via Flikr
Sep 01, 2021

Mass. AG Allows Fuel Tax Ballot Question

“The language of the proposed ballot question is ambiguous and will very likely confuse and mislead voters,” said Staci Rubin, Vice President, Environmental Justice, CLF. “This effort comes at exactly the wrong time. With the impacts of the climate crisis becoming clearer by the day, options should be on the table to reduce transportation fossil fuel use and prepare our communities for what’s to come.”

Clean car standards are good for our health, good for the environment, and good for our wallets.
Aug 31, 2021

NOAA Issues New Right Whale Protection Rule

“While this rule is a step in the right direction, it does not go far enough or fast enough to stop the precipitous decline of this species,” said Erica Fuller, Senior Attorney at CLF. “We plan to challenge the new rule in court to ensure that right whales recover rather than become an extinction statistic. That means reducing the risk of serious injuries and deaths by at least 80 percent immediately, not fiddling while Rome burns.”  

A right whale adult and calf near the water's surface
Aug 30, 2021

“Invisible Train” of Gentrification and Displacement Forcing People Further from Their Neighborhoods

“We aren’t just seeing moves. We’re seeing forced moves that are caused by social and economic forces which create ripple effects in communities,” said Reann Gibson, Senior Research Fellow at Conservation Law Foundation and manager of the Healthy Neighborhoods Study. “It’s so important to listen to residents to deepen our understanding of their lived experiences, to identify the data that best captures those experiences, and to interpret the findings in a way that truly demonstrates the impact of displacement on health and wellbeing. We must now use this data to enact real change in these neighborhoods.” 

Aug 26, 2021

Mayor Janey Withdraws Boston’s Downtown Municipal Harbor Plan

“Mayor Janey made the right decision today,” said CLF President Bradley Campbell. “Boston’s developer-driven MHP process is fundamentally flawed, and the Downtown MHP would have resulted in less public access to one of the city’s greatest treasures – Boston Harbor. It’s time to reform the planning processes for all waterfront neighborhoods to elevate the public’s voice and right to access the water. We look forward to working with the city to achieve this goal.”

Aug 16, 2021

Kennebec River Dams Must be Removed

“Federal officials are threatening to wipe out the progress Maine has made restoring endangered Atlantic salmon,” said Sean Mahoney, Executive Vice President and Director of CLF Maine. “The state has found innovative solutions that both protect critical species and allow people to benefit from the river. FERC needs to start from scratch and admit that the only path forward is to remove these dams.”

A dam in Skowhegan, ME on the Kennebec River. Robby Virus via Flikr
Aug 05, 2021

Darrèll Brown to Lead CLF Rhode Island

“Environmental impacts touch every aspect of our lives and it’s time policies here in Rhode Island caught up with that reality,” said Darrèll Brown, Vice President and Director of CLF Rhode Island. “It’s no mistake or coincidence that incinerators and power plants are placed in poor and minority communities and that those residents get sick and die at higher rates. I’m eager to get to work supporting these communities and pushing for meaningful changes in the state house and the courtroom.”

Aug 03, 2021

Merrimack Station Permit Sent Back to Drawing Board

“The Merrimack Station coal plant is destroying the health of the Merrimack River and it’s time they’re held accountable,” said Greg Cunningham, Vice President and Director of CLF’s Clean Energy and Climate Change program. “The permit for this fossil fuel plant must do more to protect this iconic waterbody, and the appeals board clearly agrees. CLF will continue to work with the EPA to make sure the next iteration of this permit protects the wildlife that call the river home.”

Merrimack Station in Bow, New Hampshire