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Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) applauded an agreement announced today by Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut and other members of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) to strengthen the cap on carbon emissions from power plants in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states – from 165 million tons down to 91 million tons (2012 levels). CLF called the refinements to the RGGI program an important step toward meeting the climate imperative of an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, but cautioned that more sweeping action will be needed to get there.

Deepwater Wind and Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) today announced an agreement that will further protect endangered North Atlantic right whales during the construction of the Block Island Wind Farm.

Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), a leading environmental advocacy organization focused on New England, announced that Kate Saunders has joined the organization as Vice President for Development.

In response to yesterday’s vote at the New England Fisheries Management Council meeting to approve a 77 percent cut in the amount of cod New England fisherman can catch in the fishing year beginning May 1, 2013, Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) said the cuts don’t go far enough and called for the closure of the cod fishery to avoid a commercial collapse that could take decades to reverse. CLF issued the following statement from Peter Shelley, Senior Counsel:

Six Northeast Kingdom residents and landowners joined conservation groups in filing a request with the Act 250 District Coordinator in St. Johnsbury seeking affirmation that Exxon cannot use an existing 63 year-old pipeline to ship corrosive tar sands oil through Vermont without Act 250 state land use approval. The filing seeks a jurisdiction opinion that reversing the flow of the Portland-Montreal Pipe Line and using it to transport tar sands – a tarry, viscous, substance mined in Alberta – would be a “substantial change in use” requiring a state land use (Act 250) permit. Unrefined tar sands is different than conventional crude oil and poses major environmental and economic risks: it is extremely carbon intensive, must be transported at high pressures and temperatures which threaten pipeline integrity, and is more difficult and expensive to clean up when it does spill.

Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), Clean Water Action and Toxics Action Center today notified Dominion Energy New England that they intend to file a federal Clean Air Act citizen suit against the company for significant and ongoing violations of the Clean Air Act at Brayton Point Station (CLF) in Somerset, Massachusetts. The 50 year old coal and oil-burning power plant, which recently spent $1.2 billion to upgrade its facility, is exceeding legal limits on polluting soot coming from its smoke stacks and is failing to adequately monitor those emissions, as well as emissions of other harmful pollutants, including nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide. The plant is also in violation of the plant’s Acid Rain Permit monitoring requirements.

In a first of its kind collaboration, a coalition of leading environmental organizations and offshore wind developers has agreed to a series of voluntary measures that will protect critically endangered North Atlantic right whales, while helping to expedite responsible offshore wind development, in the Mid-Atlantic.

On Wednesday, November 28, the U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the U.S. District Court decision affirming the legality of Amendment 16 to the Northeast Groundfish Management Plan. In response, Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) issued the following statement from Peter Shelley, senior counsel:

Today the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) released a white paper that, for the first time, documents the enormous environmental and economic consequences of aging, leaky natural gas pipes around Massachusetts. These leaking gases, known as “fugitive emissions,” amount to a significant source of greenhouse gases, pollution that hinders the state’s efforts to achieve the mandates of the Global Warming Solutions Act. Meanwhile, gas customers are saddled with paying for all of the gas that is lost into thin air, to the tune of tens of millions of dollars each year.

In response to today’s decision by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (MA DPU) to approve NSTAR’s power purchase agreement with Cape Wind, Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) issued the following statement from Sue Reid, VP and Director, CLF Massachusetts:

Sara Molyneaux, a resident of Dover, Massachusetts, has assumed the role of Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), it was announced today by John Kassel, President of CLF.

Sean Mahoney has been named executive vice president and director of programs for the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), effective immediately. A resident of Falmouth, Maine, Mahoney joined CLF in 2007 as vice president and director of the Maine office of CLF. In the new position of executive vice president, Mahoney will assume management responsibilities for CLF’s advocacy throughout the New England region, with the goal of maximizing mission advancement while helping CLF achieve its membership and revenue goals.

The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) today filed a lawsuit against the State of Maine challenging the law that continues to prevent alewives, a key forage and bait fish, from accessing their native habitat in the St. Croix River watershed. A prior suit by CLF against the Environmental Protection Agency resulted in EPA determining that the Maine law was not consistent with the Clean Water Act and that the state should restore alewives to the St. Croix River.

Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), Arise for Social Justice, Toxics Action Center (TAC) and over a dozen individual residents today filed a new lawsuit in Hampden County Superior Court seeking to overturn a state permit that would allow the Palmer Renewable Energy (PRE) biomass power plant to emit harmful air pollution. The lawsuit takes aim at the September 11, 2012 “Final Decision” from Massachusetts Department of Environmental (DEP) Protection Commissioner Ken Kimmell upholding a DEP air permit for PRE’s wood-burning power plant project in Springfield. The organizations, together with a group of local residents, long have opposed the plant because it will add air pollution to a community with childhood asthma rates already double the state average. Through today’s action, they are seeking to reverse PRE’s air permit and hold DEP accountable for protecting against harmful air pollution that disproportionately affects the Springfield area.

11 years after it was first proposed, Cape Wind is still not built and Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) wants the public to know why. In a new campaign called Cape Wind Now, launched today, CLF promises to shine a bright light on the connections between Bill Koch, his fossil fuel interests, and the Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound, the principal opponent to Cape Wind. The campaign website at www.capewindnow.org reveals the legacy of dirty energy leadership and dollars fueling the Alliance as it continues to pursue its obstructionist strategies with coal and oil baron Bill Koch at the helm.

Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), Arise for Social Justice and Toxics Action Center (TAC) today issued the following statements regarding the September 11, 2012 “Final Decision” from Massachusetts Department of Environmental (DEP) Protection Commissioner Ken Kimmell in the groups’ appeal of a DEP air permit for the Palmer Renewable Energy (PRE) biomass power plant project in Springfield. The organizations, who, together with a group of 16 local residents, have long opposed the plant for adding air pollution to a community with childhood asthma rates already double the state average, decried the decision and vowed to hold DEP accountable.

Over the past year, Vermonters have come together to cope and to rebuild after the devastation caused by the state’s worst natural disaster in more than 80 years. And although much of Vermont sustained damage from the storm, two organizations are now sharing the untold story of what went right: successful land use planning meant that some towns that could have experienced extreme flooding were largely spared.

Almost thirty years after it filed the first federal lawsuit leading to the cleanup of Boston Harbor, Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) announced today that it has reached an agreement with the Boston Water and Sewer Commission (BWSC) to significantly enhance control of polluted runoff from storm drains and elimination of illegal sewer connections that can cause raw sewage discharges into the city’s rivers, including the Charles, Mystic and Neponset, and the water at harbor beaches.

BOSTON, MA August 17, 2012 – Leading local, regional and national environmental organizations and activists applauded the Patrick administration for the final biomass regulations which take effect today, calling the new Massachusetts rules a model for the nation and a win for science-based policy.

Boston, MA August 15, 2012 – In response to today’s Determination of No Hazard with respect to the Cape Wind Project issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the fourth such determination by the FAA after more than a decade of exhaustive review, Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) issued the following response by Sue Reid, Director of Conservation Law Foundation’s Massachusetts office:

In response to the First Circuit Court of Appeals’ ruling upholding the implementation of long-delayed limits on nitrogen and phosphorus pollution discharges from the Upper Blackstone Water Pollution Abatement District’s sewage treatment plant, the largest single discharge source of such pollutants to the Blackstone River and one of the largest sources of pollution to Narragannsett Bay, Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) issued the following statement:

The Green Communities Act Coalition (“GCA Coalition”) – a diverse group of business, labor, environmental, clean energy, low-income and other stakeholders who advocate for strong clean energy policies in Massachusetts – today praised the state’s legislative leaders and Governor Deval Patrick’s for passage and signing of important new energy legislation into law today.

In response to the announcement made today at the annual New England Governors’ Conference in which the New England States launched a first-in-the-nation program creating a regional market for clean renewable energy, Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) issued the following statement by John Kassel, CLF President:

Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) and consulting affiliate CLF Ventures have released a report that, for the first time, details the economic development potential for urban agriculture in Greater Boston, assesses its environmental and health co-benefits, and examines current market and policy barriers to expanded food production in Greater Boston. The report ‘s findings confirm that urban agriculture can play an important role in creating a more livable, carbon resilient, healthier, economically vibrant, and environmentally sustainable city—if we put smart policies in place and encourage the market for Boston grown produce.

In response to a letter issued today by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to Maine’s Attorney General that adopts the arguments made by Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) in a lawsuit aimed at restoring alewives, a key forage and bait fish, to the St. Croix River, CLF issued the following statement from Sean Mahoney, VP & Director, CLF ME.

Providing a rare view into the lush kelp forests up to 60 feet deep in New England’s ocean, a series of new photographs from renowned photojournalist Brian Skerry reveals the brilliantly colored seascape of Cashes Ledge, a jewel of the Gulf of Maine and one of the most productive biodiversity hotspots in the world. The dive was Skerry’s first expedition to Cashes Ledge and his first deep water dive for the New England Ocean Odyssey, a new campaign to build awareness of and appreciation for New England’s ocean. The New England Ocean Odyssey is a partnership between Skerry, an award-winning National Geographic photographer, and Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), a regional leader in ocean conservation.

coalition of non-profit organizations, local business and a Seacoast municipality seeking immediate action to control pollution threatening the Great Bay estuary has formed under the name Rescue Great Bay. The new coalition will work together to advance and foster public support for meaningful and immediate regulatory actions and sound management of the Great Bay estuary, according to its mission statement.

In response to today’s ruling by the DC Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals affirming EPA’s legal authority to regulate emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) under the Clean Air Act, Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) issued the following statement from N. Jonathan Peress, VP and director of CLF’s Clean Energy and Climate Change program.

In response to today’s vote on a resolution proposed by Senator Inhofe (R-OK), Conservation Law Foundation issued the following statement from Seth Kaplan, VP for Policy & Climate Advocacy.

In response to today’s oversight hearing on the GreenDOT Policy Directive held by the House Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change, Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) issued the following statement.

Congressman Darrell Issa of California, and Congressman Frank Guinta of New Hampshire, hosted a hearing entitled “EPA Overreach and the Impact on New Hampshire Communities.” The hearing included testimony from EPA Region I Administrator Curt Spalding, and four witnesses speaking on behalf of a coalition of five Seacoast municipalities with sewage treatment plants – the so-called Municipal Coalition.

The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) today filed a law suit against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to restore alewives, a key forage and bait fish, to the St. Croix River. The suit alleges that the EPA failed to review changes to a Maine law that blocks passage to 98% of alewives’ natural, available habitat on the St. Croix as they are required to do under the Clean Water Act (CWA). The suit further alleges that as a result of this unsubstantiated obstruction, the Maine legislature has intentionally and effectively changed the fundamental water quality standards of the St. Croix River, and that the EPA failed to fulfill its legal obligations to review and reject that change.

BOSTON May 29, 2012 — Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) and Buzzards Bay Coalition have filed a joint litigation schedule with the federal government in the U.S. District Court following the May 4 status report indicating that negotiations between the plaintiffs and EPA to address nitrogen pollution on the Cape were unlikely to produce a settlement. In conjunction with today’s filing, the groups issued the following statement: “Despite a substantial effort on the part of all involved, the parties have been unable to reach a mutually acceptable agreement to clean up the wastewater pollution that is fouling Cape Cod’s bays and estuaries. We look forward to having the Court apply the protections of the Clean Water Act to expedite the clean-up of Cape Cod’s waters.”

In conjunction with its Coal-free New England campaign, Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) has partnered with Phillips Exeter Academy’s Sustainability Program to present a free screening of “The Last Mountain” on Friday, May 4 at 7PM.

Leading local, regional and national environmental organizations and activists reacted positively to new biomass regulations released today by the Patrick Administration, calling the new Massachusetts rules nation-leading and a win for science-based policy.

Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) has filed a motion to intervene in the lawsuit recently brought by five municipalities – Dover, Portsmouth, Exeter, Newmarket and Rochester – against the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services regarding the issue of nitrogen pollution in the Great Bay estuary. The municipalities’ lawsuit challenges – on procedural grounds – a comprehensive analysis conducted by the Department of Environmental Services nearly three years ago.

“The final decision announced today by the Massachusetts DPU in the NU/STAR merger proceeding is a key step in bringing Massachusetts and the nation closer to a clean energy future,” said Sue Reid, vice president and director of Conservation Law Foundation’s Massachusetts’ office.“By adopting settlement agreements negotiated by the Patrick Administration and the AG’s office, the final decision will unleash the tremendous clean energy potential of Cape Wind and promote other clean energy advancements while putting merger-related savings directly back into the pockets of ratepayers. The decision ensures that one of the largest utilities in the nation will be a true partner in unleashing the potential of offshore wind while reducing energy waste and advancing small, local wind and solar projects. We welcome the DPU’s decision, which will benefit ratepayers and the environment in both the short and long-term.”

In response to the MBTA Board of Directors vote today approving the MBTA’s “Scenario 3” proposal to close a $159 million FY13 budget gap, Conservation Law Foundation issued the following statement from Rafael Mares, staff attorney:

Ocean enthusiasts are invited to join Rhode Island’s foremost ocean experts and leading stakeholders at the Rhode Island premiere of Ocean Frontiers: The Dawn of a New Era in Ocean Stewardship, a new documentary from Karen Meyer of Green Fire Productions. The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place on Wednesday, April 4 from 6:30-9:00 PM at the Corless Auditorium, University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography, at the Narragansett Bay Campus. The evening will begin with a reception at 6:30 PM. A discussion with the filmmaker and a panel of ocean experts will follow the screening.

In response to the passage today of the National Endowment for the Oceans (NEO) in the RESTORE Act amendment to the Surface Transportation funding bill -- an amendment proposed by Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (RI) and Olympia Snowe (ME) – Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) issued the following statement from Tricia Jedele, VP and Director, CLF Rhode Island:

New Hampshire’s leading environmental organizations will host a series of free screenings of the award-winning documentary film, Seeking the Current, at locations throughout the state, beginning in March. For a complete listing, visit this site. Each screening will be followed by a panel discussion featuring the director Nicolas Boisclair and experts on energy and environmental issues. The feature-length documentary provides a serious, unsparing look at Canadian power giant Hydro-Québec and its development of large-scale hydroelectric power facilities.

“The settlement announced today in the NU NStar merger proceeding ensures that this powerful new utility will be in lockstep with Massachusetts’ nation-leading clean energy policies and propel the state forward instead of backwards in implementing them,” said Sue Reid, vice president and director of Conservation Law Foundation’s Massachusetts’ office.

Bringing a clear end to the prolonged decline of Salem Harbor Station, Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) and HealthLink have secured an enforceable commitment from plant owner Dominion to shut down all four units at the 60-year-old coal-fired power plant by 2014. The settlement provides a template for the rest of the country for hastening plant shutdowns as changing market conditions, public health concerns and cleaner energy alternatives push the nation’s fleet of old, polluting dinosaurs to the brink.

In the midst of the battle over proposed cuts to MBTA service and fare hikes, the House Ways and Means Committee in Congress is moving to end guaranteed funding for public transportation, and leave even today’s inadequate funding levels for the MBTA in doubt.

The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), together with the WATERKEEPER Alliance, today launched the Great Bay-Piscataqua WATERKEEPER, a new program devoted to protecting the Great Bay estuary, one of New England’s most precious natural resources and a water resource facing mounting threats. The program, led by Peter Wellenberger, a 20 year veteran of the Great Bay Estuarine Research Reserve, is the state’s first WATERKEEPER.

Transportation for Massachusetts (T4MA) today issued the following statement in response to Massachusetts Transportation Secretary Davey’s recent remarks regarding the MBTA’s proposed service cuts and fare increases. Speaking on behalf of T4MA, Conservation Law Foundation staff attorney Rafael Mares said that Secretary Davey’s remarks were disappointing, if not surprising. “The MBTA has created a false choice between draconian service cuts and drastic fare increases. The reality is it’s a lose-lose situation for transit users and Massachusetts.”

Boston, MA January 21, 2012 - Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) and the Buzzards Bay Coalition (BBC) have reached an agreement in principle with EPA to settle two lawsuits regarding nitrogen pollution on Cape Cod. CLF issued the following statement:

In response to today’s decision by the U.S. District Court that Vermont Yankee may continue operation beyond March 2012, Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) issued the following statement from Sandra Levine, senior attorney:

In response to a report released today by an independent panel of experts who analyzed a slate of topics related to potential wind energy health impacts on behalf of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) issued the following statement from Sue Reid, VP and director, CLF Massachusetts:

Ivy Frignoca has been named staff attorney of Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), it was announced today by Sean Mahoney, vice president & director, CLF Maine. Frignoca joins CLF after an extensive career as a trial attorney preceded by years of work for the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources.

T4MA, a broad coalition of Massachusetts organizations working to promote a reliable, affordable, and environmentally sustainable transportation system for people across the Commonwealth, does not support the fare hike proposed today by the MBTA, saying that a stand-alone fare increase is the wrong solution to the T’s financial troubles.

In the wake of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court’s rulings today upholding the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities’ approval of a long-term power purchase agreement between the Cape Wind offshore wind project and electric utility National Grid, Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) issued the following statement from Sue Reid, VP and director, CLF Massachusetts.

Yesterday, advocates in the fight against Boston University’s proposed National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories (NEIDL) in Roxbury/ South End filed joint comments with Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EOEEA) Secretary Richard Sullivan supporting his draft decision which, if adopted as final later this month, will deny BU’s request to begin high level research at the NEIDL before a full risk assessment is reviewed by EOEEA. These comments were filed jointly by local residents represented by the law firm Anderson & Kreiger, Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law of the Boston Bar Association (the Lawyers’ Committee).

In response to the EPA’s announcement today on Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS), Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) issued the following statement from Jonathan Peress, VP and director of Clean Energy and Climate Change:

Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) today issued the following statement in response to Springfield City Council’s decision to appeal the building permits issued for Palmer Renewable Energy’s proposed biomass-fueled Power Plant.

BOSTON AND SPRINGFIELD, MA December 7, 2011 – Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), Arise for Social Justice (Arise), and Toxics Action Center (TAC) today issued the following joint statement in response to MA DEP Commissioner Kimmell’s decision to clear the path for petitioners to pursue the air permit appeal on the merits of the case regarding Palmer Renewable Energy’s proposed biomass-fueled Power Plant in Springfield, MA.

BOSTON, MA December 7, 2011 – Ben Carmichael has been named senior communications manager of Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), it was announced today by Karen Wood, director of communications.

BOSTON, MA and FALMOUTH, MA December 6, 2011 – Conservation Law Foundation and Buzzards Bay Coalition (“the Plaintiffs”), with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), jointly filed a status report today in U.S. District Court updating the Court on progress in the mediation discussions between the Plaintiffs and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) seeking to resolve two Cape Cod nitrogen pollution lawsuits. The status report proposes that another report be filed with the Court on January 20, 2012. If the parties’ request is approved by the Court, the parties will report on that date whether an agreement in principle has been reached, or whether the litigation will move forward.

PORTLAND, ME December 6, 2011—Conservation groups are charging that the deep cuts in, and ongoing reorganization of, personnel at the Maine Department of Environmental Protection have resulted in a clear case of bureaucratic malpractice. These groups and the State battled the owner of the Flagstaff Lake Hydropower Storage Project for 5 years to preserve Maine’s ability to have any say on the lake levels, water flows, recreational opportunities and other water quality issues, only to have the DEP recently and intentionally waive that right.

BOSTON, MA November 30, 2011 – Conservation Law Foundation, Arise for Social Justice, and Toxics Action Center today issued the following joint statement in response to the Massachusetts DEP’s recommended final decision on the air permit appeal for Palmer Renewable Energy’s proposed biomass-fueled Power Plant in Springfield, MA.

BOSTON, MA October 24, 2011—Deep in debt and facing mounting bills for overdue repairs and improvements to the state’s roads, bridges and transit systems, a report released today finds that the Massachusetts transportation system “is living largely on borrowed time and borrowed money” and squarely points the finger for the system’s financial woes at a longstanding reliance on borrowing that has left the state transportation system “maxed out.”

BOSTON, MA October 20, 2011 - Seth Kaplan, CLF's Vice President for Policy and Climate Advocacy, said the following regarding today's ACEEE announcement that Massachusetts tops the list of states for energy efficiency.

BOSTON, MA October 3, 2011 - Conservation Law Foundation issued the following statement and set of recommendations in connection with today’s U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation hearing on the first year of implementation of Amendment 16 to the Northeast Multispecies (Groundfish) Fishery Management Plan.

CONCORD, NH September 30, 2011—Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) has issued the following statement in response to the draft National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issued today by EPA for PSNH’s Merrimack Station coal-fired power plant in Bow, NH.

BOSTON, MA September 19, 2011 – Pressing forward with their effort to effect decisive action on the clean-up of Cape Cod’s severely polluted bays, Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) and Buzzards Bay Coalition (the Bay Coalition) today filed a federal Clean Water Act (CWA) lawsuit holding the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) accountable for failure to fulfill its obligation to oversee an Areawide Water Quality Management Plan (Areawide Plan) for Cape Cod that, if implemented, might have averted the Cape’s nitrogen pollution crisis, or addressed it earlier and at much lower cost. The lawsuit states that EPA’s failure to annually approve and require needed updates to the plan allowed nitrogen pollution to continue unabated, resulting in the serious degradation of water quality on Cape Cod. The lawsuit also states that EPA’s failure to abide by the planning process resulted in millions of taxpayer dollars being expended on projects in a manner that cannot be determined to be consistent with the Clean Water Act and that have failed to adequately address the nitrogen problem Cape-wide.

BOSTON, MA September 15, 2011 – On Wednesday, September 14, the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary proposed to establish an Ecological Research Area within the Sanctuary’s boundaries. Although the Sanctuary’s multi-stakeholder Advisory Council voted strongly in favor of the proposal, NOAA officials decided not to send the proposal on to the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) for further review. Conservation Law Foundation today issued the following statement in response to the proposal and NOAA’s disappointing move.

Boston, MA - September 7, 2011- Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) issued the following statement in defense of the Cape Wind power purchase agreement, currently being disputed by opponents of the project. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court heard oral arguments on the case today.

BOSTON, MA – August 17, 2011 – A forthcoming economic analysis leaked this week indicates a proposed Clean Fuels Standard could significantly strengthen the economy and boost energy self-sufficiency in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic by saving Americans billions in personal disposable income, bringing in billions more for participating states, and creating up to 50,000 jobs per year.

BOSTON, MA August 8, 2011—Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) announced today that it is partnering with renowned underwater photographer Brian Skerry to bring to light the natural treasures of New England’s ocean.

BOSTON, MA August 4, 2011— As budget woes continue to strain the Commonwealth’s ability to maintain its aging transportation system and constrain its vision for the system’s future, more than twenty Bay State organizations have formed Transportation for Massachusetts (T4MA) to advocate for alternative financing and improved accountability in pursuit of a modern transportation system that works for Massachusetts.

PROVIDENCE, RI July 22, 2011 – Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) applauded today’s announcement of federal approval of Rhode Island’s Ocean Special Area Management Plan (SAMP).

CONCORD, NH July 21, 2011 – The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) today filed a federal Clean Air Act citizen suit in New Hampshire federal district court against Public Service Company of New Hampshire (PSNH), the owner of Merrimack Station, an aging coal-fired power plant in Bow, for the plant’s repeated failures to obtain required air permits.

BOSTON, MA July 1, 2011 -- In a ruling Thursday by the Massachusetts District Court in a lawsuit by the City of New Bedford and others challenging the legality of the fishing regulations known as Amendment 16 , Judge Rya Zobel denied the plaintiffs’ motions for summary judgment in the case.

BOSTON, MA June 30, 2011 – In response to today’s announcement by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office and the state Department of Environmental Protection that they have settled claims over violations of air quality at the Mt. Tom Power Plant in Holyoke, MA, Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) issued the following statement.

PORTLAND, ME June 20, 2011—Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) and members of the Environmental Priorities Coalition (EPC) today jointly hailed the work by the 125th Legislature in exercising restraint in the wake of a record number of proposed bills that sought to weaken Maine’s environmental regulations.

MONTPELIER, VT May 31, 2011—Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) and Vermont Public Interest Group (VPIRG) today jointly filed an “amicus” or “friend of the court” brief in support of Vermont’s opposition to Entergy’s request for a preliminary injunction in its pending lawsuit against the state.

MONTPELIER, VT May 13, 2011 – Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) and Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG) today jointly filed a motion in the U.S. District Court to intervene on the side of Vermont in the lawsuit brought last month against the state by Entergy, owner of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant.

BOSTON, MA May 12, 2011 – Yesterday, the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) and Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) received an Environmental Merit Award from the New England office of the U.S. EPA in recognition of their exceptional work on reducing discharge of heated water from the GenOn Kendall Cogeneration Plant (formerly known as Mirant Kendall) in Cambridge, MA.

BOSTON, MA May 11, 2011 – In a move that signals the beginning of the end of coal’s dirty energy legacy, Dominion of Virginia confirmed today that it will shut down Salem Harbor Station, its 60-year-old coal and oil-fired power plant in Salem, Massachusetts, as of June 2014.

BOSTON May 3, 2011—In response to the Patrick Administration’s new regulations on biomass energy announced today, Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) issued the following statement.

CONCORD, NH April 28, 2011 – Today, Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) and more than a dozen partners filed a formal motion urging the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to postpone its environmental review of the Northern Pass Project until it has completed a comprehensive, regional analysis of the nature and extent of the northeastern United States’ need for imports of Canadian power.

PROVIDENCE, RI April 22, 2011 – In response to today’s ruling by the Rhode Island Supreme Court denying Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) the right to appeal the decision of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) approving the long-term contract for the Deepwater Wind project in Block Island Sound, CLF issued the following statement from Jerry Elmer, staff attorney, CLF Rhode Island.

BOSTON, MA April 6, 2011 – In conjunction with a Massachusetts legislative hearing held today on nuclear power in New England, and with the Fukushima debacle still unfolding in Japan, Conservation Law Foundation president, John Kassel, prevailed upon state and federal leaders to answer this wake-up call and take appropriate measures to avoid a similar crisis in New England or anywhere in the United States.

CONCORD, NH April 6, 2011 -- Today, at the urging of the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued an administrative order requiring Grimmel Industries to take prompt action to clean up toxic stormwater discharges to the Piscataqua River.

BOSTON, MA March 31, 2011 – Christopher Kilian, Director of Clean Water and Healthy Forests at the Conservation Law Foundation, was honored last night by the Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) with its 2011 Anne M. Blackburn Award.

CONCORD, NH March 25, 2011 – Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a draft permit for the Exeter sewage treatment plant establishing—for the first time—limits on nitrogen pollution discharges from the facility.

PORTLAND, ME MARCH 22, 2011 – At a press conference today in advance of the first public hearing on the ZOOM bus bill, supporters, including three of the 26 sponsors of the bill and steering committee members of the Maine Alliance for Sustainable Transportation (MAST), detailed the many benefits of the bill, which seeks to expand the popular ZOOM commuter bus service to meet rapid growth in demand.

WHAT: Maine Alliance for Sustainable Transportation (MAST) will host a press event at the State House in Augusta, ME to discuss LD 673, the bill that would expand the popular ZOOM commuter bus service to meet rapid growth in demand.

BOSTON, MA MARCH 16, 2011 – In response to the EPA’s announcement today proposing the first national standard for emissions of mercury and other toxic pollutants from coal-fired power plants, Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) issued the following statement from Jonathan Peress, director of Clean Energy and Climate Change.

BOSTON, MA MARCH 15, 2011 - In arguments made today before Federal Judge Rya W. Zobel on the federal lawsuit regarding the New England fisheries management system known as Amendment 16, Conservation Law Foundation senior counsel Peter Shelley defended the process in which the new rules were developed and agreed upon at the New England Fishery Management Council and re-affirmed CLF’s support for the Amendment.

CONCORD, NH March 14, 2011 - Continuing to hold the Northern Pass Transmission Project to rigorous procedural standards, the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) will participate in the United States Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) public scoping meetings for the environmental review of the project.

BOSTON, MA March 10, 2011 - An important development today in the Northeast Utilities/NStar merger proceeding: the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (MA DPU) announced that it will modernize the standard of review for utility mergers, including requiring that climate change impacts be taken into account.

PROVIDENCE, RI March 10, 2011 - In response to a February 21 order by the Rhode Island Supreme Court, the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) today filed a brief defending its legal standing in the Deepwater Wind case and issued the following statement.

BOSTON, MA February 23, 2011 – Massachusetts moved one step closer to a coal-free future this week as NRG Energy, Inc., owner of Somerset Station, a coal and oil burning power plant located in Somerset, announced that it will shut the plant down permanently, effective immediately.

BOSTON, MA February 16, 2011 – Under pressure from public health groups, environmental organizations, political leaders and community members, Dominion Energy of Virginia has taken another important step toward closing Salem Harbor Station, its 60-year-old, coal-fired power plant in Salem, Massachusetts.

CONCORD, NH February 10, 2011 – Conservation Law Foundation, with the Appalachian Mountain Club and Coos Community Benefits Alliance, has filed an objection with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) challenging DOE’s selection of a contractor to prepare the Environmental Impact Statement for Northern Pass Transmission, LLC’s proposed electric transmission project.

PORTLAND, ME February 9, 2011 – In response to a request filed by the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) for documents related to Maine Governor Paul LePage’s Regulatory “Reform” Proposals, the LePage Administration has stated that it would not provide any documents generated during the transition period for the new Administration, but only those documents generated after the January 5 inauguration.

BOSTON, MA February 8, 2011 – Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) today announced that it intends to file a federal Clean Air Act citizen suit against Mt. Tom Generating Company, FirstLight Power Resources and GDF Suez North America, the owners of Mt. Tom Station, a 50-year-old coal-fired power plant in Holyoke, Massachusetts, for ongoing exceedances of air pollution limits and monitoring violations at the plant.

BOSTON, MA February 2, 2011 – Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) applauded today’s announcement by EPA Region 1 of a revised water quality permit for the GenOn Kendall Cogeneration Plant in Cambridge, MA (formerly known as Mirant Kendall) that will vastly reduce the discharge of heated water into the lower Charles River from the plant, allowing the river ecosystem to return to health and providing hope that the Charles will once again be swimmable and fishable.

MONTPELIER, VT January 24, 2010 – The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) has issued the following statement in response to today’s decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to withdraw its approval of Vermont’s 2002 water quality plan for Lake Champlain. The decision comes almost two years after CLF first challenged EPA’s approval of the Plan in federal court.

PORTLAND, ME JANUARY 11, 2011– A program proposed by the Maine Alliance for Sustainable Transportation (MAST) will increase commuter transit options, reduce household expenditures on gasoline and diesel, increase employment opportunities and productivity and reduce government expenditures by expanding the routes of the highly-successful ZOOM Turnpike Express bus services along the Maine Turnpike corridor. The program would also establish a fund for the improved maintenance of Maine’s roadways.

BOSTON, MA January 7, 2011 – Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) issued the following statement in response to today’s decision by Department of Commerce Secretary Gary Locke to reject Governor Patrick’s request for emergency action to increase catch limits for Massachusetts fishermen.

BOSTON, MA December 29, 2010 - The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) issued the following statement in response to today’s release of Massachusetts’ Clean Energy and Climate Plan, which will reduce the state’s greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2020.

BOSTON, MA December 22, 2010 – The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) has issued the following statement in response to the motion filed today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stating that it will join CLF’s lawsuit against the Boston Water and Sewer Commission (BWSC) for violations of the Clean Water Act.

BOSTON, MA December 17, 2010 – In response to a protest filed by the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has ordered ISO New England (ISO-NE) to identify alternatives that would replace Salem Harbor Station’s dirty coal and oil-fired power and to do so without delay. In the order, issued yesterday, FERC gave ISO-NE 60 days to submit a plan for reliability alternatives and a timeline for implementing those solutions.

CONCORD, NH December 16, 2010 – The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) intervened today in the Presidential Permit proceeding recently initiated by the U.S. Department of Energy, for the proposed Northern Pass electricity supply and transmission project. The proposed project – involving 180 miles of new transmission lines in New Hampshire – is intended to import 1,200 MW of electricity generated by Hydro-Quebec, in Canada.

BOSTON, MA December 14, 2010 – Sue Reid has been named vice president and director of the Massachusetts office of the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), effective January 1, 2011. Reid joined CLF as a staff attorney in 2005, and for the past several years has been serving as director of CLF’s Massachusetts Clean Energy and Climate Change Initiative and as a senior attorney. The announcement was made today by John Kassel, president of CLF. Kassel also announced that current CLF Massachusetts Director Peter Shelley will assume the role of senior counsel for CLF, re-focusing his attention on marine conservation advocacy issues.

BOSTON, MA December 13, 2010 – The Society for Risk Analysis (SRA) has presented Jo Anne Shatkin, CEO of CLF Ventures, with its 2010 Outstanding Service Award. The award is presented annually to a Society member in recognition of extraordinary service to the Society.

BOSTON, MA November 22, 2010 – The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) hailed today’s decision by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) approving a fifteen-year contract for the sale of Cape Wind’s power and renewable energy credits to electric utility National Grid.

A new study, commissioned by the Conservation Law Foundation and the Environmental Insurance Agency, has found a significant correlation between miles driven and risk.

Louis Porter, an award-winning Vermont journalist, has been named to the position of Lake Champlain Lakekeeper at the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), effective December 1, 2010.

Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), in conjunction with WBRU 95.5 and ClimateCounts.org, will host a special evening dedicated to climate solutions on Monday, October 25 from 6-9 PM at the Metcalf Auditorium.

Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) called the approval of Rhode Island’s first ocean special area management plan – known as the SAMP – a victory for the state’s ocean waters – waters that are among the most productive in New England.

Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) is challenging a decision by ISO New England (ISO-NE) to keep Salem Harbor Station’s two remaining units running to meet secondary reliability needs.

We appreciate and agree with Secretary Locke’s recent letter to Representative Frank concerning a number of issues that are important to the future of New England’s fisheries.

Jo Anne Shatkin, PhD has been named CEO of CLF Ventures, the non-profit consulting affiliate of the Conservation Law Foundation. Shatkin has been managing director of CLF Ventures since August, 2007.

The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) issued the following statement in response to today’s signing of the country’s first offshore wind lease by Interior Department Secretary Ken Salazar.

Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) has challenged the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issued by EPA Region 1 in August, 2008.

The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) and The Coalition for Buzzards Bay (CBB) today took action to expedite a much-needed clean up of Cape Cod’s coastal waters by holding federal and county authorities accountable for reducing nitrogen pollution.

The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) issued the following statement in response to today’s ruling by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) approving the Deepwater Wind/National Grid Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) and denying CLF’s Motion to Dismiss.

For the first time in this country’s history, we will have a national policy that aligns the great promise of our oceans with the great responsibility for managing them in a coordinated, thoughtful and sustainable fashion.

On Wednesday, Gov. Lynch signed into law SB 168, establishing the Southeast Watershed Alliance to address major, ongoing threats to New Hampshire’s Great Bay estuary, including pollution from sewage treatment plants, stormwater runoff and sprawl.

Conservation Law Foundation issued the following statement following passage of the Wind Energy Siting Reform Act in the Massachusetts House of Representatives:

onservation Law Foundation (CLF) today filed a motion to intervene as a defendant in support of Amendment 16 in a federal lawsuit challenging the new groundfishery management regulations, which went into effect on May 1, 2010.

The Patrick Administration’s new directive on biomass policy is a major step forward on a very complex and hotly disputed issue,” said Sue Reid, senior attorney at the Conservation Law Foundation.

The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), which vociferously opposed recent moves by the Governor and the legislature to undermine the process for evaluating renewable energy projects, today continued its fight to ensure that Rhode Island’s renewable energy laws are fair and equitable.

n testimony filed today with the Vermont Public Service Board PSB), Conservation Law Foundation’s (CLF) experts find fault with Entergy’s response to the leaks at Vermont Yankee nuclear facility in Vernon, Vermont.

The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has ruled that the S.D Warren Company must construct and maintain fish passage at its Cumberland Mills Dam on the Presumpscot River.

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.

In response to this week's votes by the Rhode Island legislature to approve an amended version of the “Deepwater Bill,” Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) issued the following statement by CLF Vice President and Rhode Island Advocacy Director Tricia Jedele:

The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) will host a discussion and Q&A for community members on the future of the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant today from 6-8 p.m. at the River Garden, 157 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT.

The Conservation Law Foundation issued the following statement regarding the findings of a Biomass Sustainability Study commissioned by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER).

Conservation Law Foundation issued the following statement in response to today’s vote by the U.S. Senate to reject a resolution proposed by Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska infringing on the ability of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to regulate greenhouse gas emissions:

Conservation Law Foundation issued the following statement in response to today’s vote by the U.S. Senate to reject Senator Murkowski’s [R-AK] “Disapproval Resolution”:

In response to MassDOT’s announcement Wednesday regarding the launch of its GreenDOT initiative, Conservation Law Foundation issued the following statement:

Today the Energy Facilities Siting Board cleared the path for Cape Wind, the first offshore wind project in the United States, by issuing a crucial comprehensive permit necessary for the project to move forward.

Two years after a trial in which he had ordered the Massachusetts Highway Department to take corrective measures to clean up streams polluted by stormwater runoff in three Massachusetts towns, the work has yet to be done and U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young has issued a stern warning to DOT.

The news this week that National Grid has officially filed its contract proposal with Cape Wind is great news for everyone in our state who breathes the air and believes we need to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and fossil fuels in general.

Today Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter extended a moratorium on oil and gas drilling on Georges Bank for another three years, until December 31, 2015.

CLF issued the following statement today in response to Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Joe Lieberman’s (I-CT) presentation of the American Power Act, the proposed Senate bill that will address climate change and clean energy development.

"National Grid's 15-year contract to buy power from Cape Wind demonstrates their forward-thinking commitment to developing and delivering clean, renewable, locally-generated power to their customers," said Sue Reid, senior attorney, Conservation Law Foundation.

The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) hailed the multi-party settlement agreement released today that informally approves a modified version of Central Maine Power’s (CMP) proposed Maine Power Reliability Program (MPRP) as a progressive, yet pragmatic, plan that, if approved by the PUC, will put Maine at the forefront of next generation electricity transmission.

Leading environmental organizations hailed today’s historic decision by Interior Department Secretary Ken Salazar to provide federal approval for Cape Wind, allowing the country’s first utility-scale offshore wind farm to move forward.

Canadian and U.S. conservation groups today announced that they will jointly commission studies to address outstanding questions about the impacts of hydropower development within Quebec’s new northern boreal forest management plan.

New England Coalition, Vermont Public Interest Research Group and Conservation Law Foundation jointly seek full public disclosure of Entergy’s internal investigation of leaks at the Vermont Yankee nuclear facility.

In a huge win for Vermont’s environment, public health and energy security, the Obama administration today announced new standards for automobile fuel economy and global warming emissions.

Conservation Law Foundation has issued the following statement in response to the Obama administration’s announcement today of new federal standards for automobile fuel economy and global warming emissions.

In response to President Obama’s announcement this morning regarding new plans for offshore drilling, Conservation Law Foundation issued the following statement by Priscilla Brooks

CLF Ventures, a non-profit affiliate of Conservation Law Foundation, and Peregrine Energy Group, a leader in energy efficiency and renewable energy development, announced today that they have been selected by the New Hampshire Office of Energy and Planning (OEP) to jointly develop and implement an outreach and technical assistance program to increase energy efficiency in municipalities throughout the state.

Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) hailed today’s decision by the Maine Board of Environmental Protection to take jurisdiction over, and hold a public hearing on, a liquefied natural gas facility and associated pipeline being proposed by a group led by an ex-legislator from Washington county

Conservation Law Foundation issued the following statement in response to today’s decision by the Vermont state senate not to renew Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant’s license beyond 2012

Affirming the need for proper procedure when deciding the fate of the State’s vulnerable coastal resources, the Rhode Island Supreme Court today overturned a Superior Court ruling that would have allowed the expansion of Champlin’s Marina into Block Island’s Great Salt Pond.

Conservation Law Foundation issued the following statement following passage in the Massachusetts Senate of the Wind Energy Siting Reform Act:

In a continuing effort to bring the Salem Harbor Station coal-fired power plant into compliance with the federal Clean Air Act, Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) today announced that it intends to file a federal suit against Dominion Energy of New England for ongoing violations of smokestack emissions limits.

"This is the moment for the Obama Administration to show the courage of its clean energy convictions.

Environmental advocates applauded today’s release of the Massachusetts Ocean Management Plan as a giant step toward achieving enduring stewardship of the state’s ocean waters.

Today eleven Northeast and mid-Atlantic states took another step toward reducing the region’s dangerous dependence on oil and fostering the growth of clean fuel alternatives when their governors signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to develop a mandatory, multi-state Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS)

A proposal to open up Vermont’s state lands to all-terrain vehicles suffered a significant setback today when a state legislative committee that reviews new rules voted 7-0 to reject the plan.

In response to today’s release of the Obama Administration’s Interim Framework for Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning, Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) expressed initial support for the draft plan. CLF Ocean Campaign Director Sean Cosgrove stated

Conservation Law Foundation hailed an announcement today by the Patrick Administration that maintains the incinerator moratorium established in 1990, suspends projects that propose to combust construction and demolition debris pending full environmental review

In response to the filing today with the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) of a signed long-term contract for wind energy, the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), today issued the following statement.

Today marks a critical milestone for the 130-turbine Cape Wind offshore wind energy project as the project has reached an agreement with electric utility National Grid, in consultation with the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources

he Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), New England’s leading environmental advocacy organization, criticized the National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) decision announced Friday to leave the rare Atlantic wolffish

In the face of pressure from environmental, public health and community groups to live up to a longstanding commitment to either clean up or shut down their coal fired power plant in Somerset, MA the NRG Corporation announced that the plant would shut down on January 2, 2010.

The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), ENE (Environment Northeast), Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), PennFuture and the Northeast members of the Environment America Federation joined together today in voicing support for the leadership of eleven northeastern and mid-Atlantic states that are working to adopt a regional Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS).

In celebration of Earth Day, Brown, Rudnick, Berlack, Israels LLP and Greenberg Traurig LLP today joined the Massachusetts Bar Association Lawyers Eco-Challenge, an initiative offered in collaboration with the Conservation Law Foundation that boasts more than 50 participants in law firms and organizations from Boston to the Berkshires.

A federal judge today ruled that the N.H. Department of Transportation (NHDOT) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) failed to appropriately consider the traffic congestion and air quality impacts of the planned 20-mile, $700 million I-93 widening project.