Conservation Law Foundation Files Motion to Intervene in Great Bay Pollution Lawsuit
CONTACT:
Karen Wood, CLF, (978) 857-5389 or kwood@clf.org
CONCORD, NH April 16, 2012—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.
“Great Bay, Little Bay and the Piscataqua River, and waters throughout the estuary, are showing troubling signs of pollution and degradation,” said Tom Irwin, Vice President and CLF New Hampshire Director. “It’s essential that we start reducing pollution and cleaning up these waters before it’s too late. Unfortunately, the municipalities’ lawsuit shows a desire to delay needed action, which in the long-run could make cleaning up the estuary even more costly.”
The analysis at the center of the municipalities’ lawsuit is a 2009 analysis conducted by the Department of Environmental Services addressing the amount of nitrogen the estuary can accommodate and still be healthy.
“The Department of Environmental Services’ analysis is sound and has been peer reviewed by leading authorities in the area of estuarine health,” added Irwin. “It’s time to start implementing solutions, rather than persistently sowing the seeds of scientific doubt and trying to seek delay. Time is a luxury the Great Bay estuary simply can’t afford.”
The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) protects New England’s environment for the benefit of all people. Using the law, science and the market, CLF creates solutions that preserve natural resources, build healthy communities, and sustain a vibrant economy region-wide. Founded in1966, CLF is a nonprofit, member-supported organization with offices in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.
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