As I sit on the crowded 32 bus for my usual 50-minute-plus journey to get to work, I find myself wondering why no one seems to care that people who ride these buses regularly have to squeeze together as if trying to fit into a human sardine can. The 32, which is almost always packed, worsens traffic on the already congested Hyde Park Avenue. It runs from Wolcott Square in Hyde Park, through Roslindale, to Forest Hills in Jamaica Plain. I’ve been taking the 32 bus my entire life; I lived in Roslindale until I was thirteen, then moved to Hyde Park. However, it hasn’t been until recently that I’ve started questioning the priorities of the MBTA. Taking the 32 bus to Forest Hills then switching to the orange line read more…

There’s nothing like a major summer heat wave to help you appreciate the value of rivers, lakes, and ponds that are safe for swimming.  Like the massive herds of animals that you see on nature shows congregating by a communal watering hole, we all have a primal urge to be submerged in cold, clean water as a cure for oppressive summer heat. Thanks to the Clean Water Act, many of our nation’s waters are once again safe for swimming most of the time.  But sadly there are still many lakeshores, oceanfronts, and riversides close to major population centers where high bacteria levels and noxious algae often make swimming unattractive and unsafe. All across New England, from Cape Cod to Lake Champlain, wastewater pollution, polluted runoff from parking lots and streets, read more…

Global Warming is real . . .  and I don’t just say that because it is really hot outside. Yet again the core science presented by such reliable sources as the National Research Council has been vindicated. As the New York Times reports a fifth official commission report (know as the “Muir Report”)  has come out debunking the fake “scandal” generated by public release of illegally obtained emails between scientists.   Opponents of action on global warming had attempted to portray those emails as showing the existence of some sort of conspiracy to distort science to meet a political agenda.  These were ironic accusations as the small band of climate deniers (whose lack of credentials and credibility is documented in this recent paper in the Proceeding of the National Academy read more…

Another radioactive fish was found near the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant in southern Vermont. This is the second time a fish contaminated with Strontium-90 was found in the Connecticut River. Vermont Yankee officials defy common sense.  They continue to claim there is no connection between the contaminated fish and the nuclear reactor on the banks of the river. CLF refutes these silly claims.  In testimony CLF filed with the Vermont Public Service Board last Friday, CLF refutes claims that contamination is not moving with water through the ground. CLF’s expert showed that radioactive isotopes are not limited to areas near the leak.  Instead, they migrated through the site with the release of tritium.  Hydrogeologist Stratton French testified: “A more likely explanation for their occurence at these distant locations is that read more…

Last night, in keeping with the long and rich tradition of Massachusetts political debate, the candidates in this fall’s gubernatorial election appeared at Boston’s Old South Meeting House to discuss the most pressing environmental issues facing the Commonwealth. Several hundred people attended the Gubernatorial Forum on Energy and the Environment, which was sponsored by CLF and a coalition of other local environmental organizations. Governor Deval Patrick (Democrat), Dr. Jill Stein (Green-Rainbow Party), State Treasurer Tim Cahill (Independent) and State Representative Brad Jones (appearing as a representative for Republican Charlie Baker’s campaign) appeared in succession, each presenting opening remarks and then answering questions from panelists and audience members. The forum was moderated by George Bachrach, president of the Environmental League of Massachusetts, and panelists included Beth Daley of the Boston Globe read more…

Big announcement yesterday: In an ongoing effort to protect the environment and the public from the hazards of dirty coal-fired power plants, Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) today filed a federal suit against Dominion Energy of New England for repeatedly exceeding smokestack emissions limits at its Salem Harbor Station facility in Salem, Massachusetts.  The suit holds Dominion Energy accountable for willful and ongoing violations of the federal Clean Air Act’s “opacity” requirements. The Clean Air Act sets limits on opacity – a measure of the density of smokestack emissions – to minimize the amount of soot that is released into the air.  Soot, which contains harmful chemicals, metals and ash, has been linked to severe health and environmental problems. The suit would hold Dominion responsible for paying millions of dollars in read more…

Conservation Law Foundation gives a hearty round of grateful applause to Phish, the band’s excellent WaterWheel Foundation team, and the band’s fans!  A huge thanks to Beth Montuori-Rowles and Matthew Beck in particular for doing what you do to facilitate Phish’s amazing support for hundreds of charitable organizations throughout the country including supporting CLF back home in Vermont.  The band has provided incredible support to CLF over the years through its charitable giving foundation including several opportunities to talk to phans at the WaterWheel Foundation tables at concerts in New England and New York. Last night, an intrepid team of CLF’ers was given the opportunity to talk about CLF’s work at the band’s local concert at the Comcast Center, in Mansfield, Massachusetts (for old schoolers like me a/k/a Great Woods).  read more…

Yesterday US District Federal Judge Martin Feldman revoked the six month moratorium on deep water oil drilling put into place by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar. The Obama administration immediately announced it would appeal the judge’s decision. Seems the Judge has concern that a halt on the use of 33 rigs already in place “cannot justify the immeasurable effect on the plaintiffs, the local economy, the Gulf region, and the critical present-day aspect of the availability of domestic energy in this country.” He disagreed there was a logical conclusion between the ongoing oil geyser and the six month lets-take-a-look-and-see-what’s-up moratorium. The State of Alaska — which has deemed BP an environmental felon for past spills on that state’s North Slope — sees a logical conclusion between the BP oil geyser and damage to their ocean waters. read more…

An earlier post on this blog pressed Google to donate money it was getting from BP for AdWords and search results around the Gulf oil catastrophe.  And full disclosure that Elizabeth Stillman, who happens to be married to me, independently came up with the idea and inspired the original CLF Scoop post. Some people think that making this request of Google is  a good idea – including a certain Todd C who has launched a Facebook campaign aimed at this goal. Taking action on this kind of thing is great – and almost as good an idea as calling your Senators and asking them where they have stood on maintaining the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency and moving forward new comprehensive legislation to address our climate and energy crisis.

What would make your neighborhood great? Is it more jobs, better transportation choices, diverse housing opportunities, improved access to open spaces like parks and playgrounds? The Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance (MSGA) Great Neighborhoods program wants to help turn your community’s dreams into reality. The MSGA is looking to partner with community groups to develop initiatives that will build better neighborhoods in the Greater Boston area. The MSGA wants to hear from you. To put your ideas into action, submit a letter of interest explaining your proposed project and how it will benefit your community by July 15, 2010. The letter should be no more than 2-3 pages in length. Click here to read more about the Great Neighborhoods program and view the MSGA’s official guidelines for writing and submitting your read more…