This week, ocean advocates convened at the Blue Vision Summit in Washington, D.C., to rally support in defense of our blue movement and to discuss solutions to some of the ocean’s toughest challenges. This three-day meeting brought together some 500 participants from across the country, first to meet with members of Congress and, second, to…
May 12
2017
2017
Jan 11
2017
2017
Cashes Ledge: The Next Chapter for Protecting New England’s Ocean Treasures
Soon, President Obama will close his eight years in office with a strong ocean legacy. He will be remembered for having protected more square miles of ocean than any president before. His administration created new marine sanctuaries, expanded Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, and of course, designated the first such monument in the Atlantic, the Northeast Canyons…
Dec 12
2016
2016
Nation’s First Offshore Wind Farm Begins Producing Clean, Renewable Power
“This is the beginning of a new clean energy chapter for New England and proof that new jobs and new industries will flourish in a future free from reliance on fossil fuels,” said CLF President Bradley Campbell. “Deepwater Wind deserves particular credit for seeing that good environmental stewardship of the environment is also good business, engaging all key voices in the development process to minimize impacts to endangered North Atlantic right whales and other ocean resources while achieving on-time, on-budget construction.”
Dec 12
2016
2016
Flipping the Switch: Premier Offshore Wind Farm is Officially Up and Running
The first offshore wind farm in the U.S. has begun producing power off Block Island, a historic moment for New England and for the country. Deepwater Wind’s 30-megawatt, five-turbine farm will eventually power 17,000 Rhode Island homes – including all of Block Island and some of the mainland – and will have created a total of…
Oct 25
2016
2016
The Future of Offshore Wind in New England is Bright
On a beautiful, brisk, and windy fall day last week, director of ocean conservation Dr. Priscilla Brooks embarked upon a cruise out to the Block Island wind farm for a close-up view of our nation’s first offshore wind farm. The 13-mile ride was bumpy, but well worth it, Brooks said. Standing some 560 feet high,…
Jul 11
2016
2016
New Poll: 4 Out of 5 Massachusetts and Rhode Island Residents Support Permanent Protection of Special Ocean Areas
“This poll validates what we’ve heard from hundreds of thousands of people across New England and the country – that they overwhelmingly support permanently protecting rare, unique places in the ocean from constant and increasing threats,” said Priscilla Brooks, Vice President and Director of Ocean Conservation at Conservation Law Foundation. “We hope the people’s loud and clear voice calling for a marine national monument in New England’s waters will reach our region’s congressional leaders and the president.”
Feb 5
2016
2016
Right Whales and Cashes Ledge: How to Make a Good Thing Last
In late January, North Atlantic right whales scored a big win when the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) expanded the critical habitat for the endangered whale from 4,500 square nautical miles to 28,000 square nautical miles. The original area included only a portion of Cape Cod Bay and an area east of Nantucket near the Great…
Sep 2
2015
2015
CLF & Coalition Partners Call for Atlantic Coast’s First Marine National Monument
“Cashes Ledge and the Canyons and Seamounts are a rich part of New England’s legacy. Now is the time for these ocean treasures to be part of our national heritage as a Marine National Monument,” said Priscilla Brooks, CLF’s Director of Ocean Conservation. “These biodiversity hotspots offer a refuge for an astonishing array of ocean wildlife including severely depleted Atlantic cod, coldwater corals, whales, dolphins, sharks, bluefin tuna and the largest and deepest coldwater kelp forest on the Atlantic seaboard. These areas are also important laboratories to advance our understanding of the impacts of climate change on the ocean and on our communities. We need to recognize what amazing ocean treasures we have here in New England and protect them permanently for future generations.”
Aug 14
2015
2015
Renowned Oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle Dives in Cashes Ledge
“Diving on Cashes Ledge was an experience of a lifetime, in a lifetime of amazing underwater experiences,” continued Earle. “I saw for myself what scientists have been raving about for years – a miraculous mountain peak that comes close enough to sunlight to be crowned with a thriving forest of kelp and a richly diverse assemblage of coastal marine life in the open sea. Permanent full protection for Cashes Ledge and the deep sea canyons and seamounts of New England will be a good for the fish, for fishermen, for the ocean and for all of humankind.”
Jul 10
2014
2014
Report: Rhode Island Leads Atlantic Coast States in Drive to Tap Offshore Wind Energy
Rhode Island is a leader in the race to reap the environmental and economic benefits from offshore wind, according to a new report from the National Wildlife Federation, Catching the Wind: State Actions Needed to Seize the Golden Opportunity of Atlantic Offshore Wind Power. The report, cosponsored by Conservation Law Foundation, Environment Rhode Island and the Environmental Council of Rhode Island (ECRI), compares the actions by Atlantic Coast states toward progress on offshore wind, and Rhode Island ranks in the top tier for its commitment making offshore wind a reality. The report also contains a new analysis showing how the strong, consistent winds offshore can provide power to Rhode Island – bringing down energy costs and local pollution.