We are faced with a federal administration that wants not only to halt decades of hard-fought progress on clean water but reverse them altogether. But today, the impacts on our public health from blue-green algae outbreaks and chemical pollution are as serious and urgent as ever. We cannot and will not stop fighting for clean water as a fundamental right for all Americans.
We are at a defining moment in the effort to avert the threat of climate catastrophe. President Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord has put the United States on the wrong side of history. With renewed urgency, CLF is escalating our work to develop legally binding climate laws, like the one we helped create and enforce here in Massachusetts, in every New England state.
Vermonters see firsthand the disastrous impacts of too much phosphorus pouring into Lake Champlain when favorite swimming beaches close and toxic blue-green algae coats portions of the lake in a stinky slime. So why does the state Agency of Natural Resources want to let towns dump more phosphorus pollution into the lake?
“The last thing Lake Champlain needs is more pollution, yet that is exactly what state officials are allowing with these permits,” said CLF Vermont Director Christopher Kilian. “The cavalier attitude with which our leaders are willfully defying their obligation to protect our waters is indefensible, irresponsible, and illegal. Lake Champlain is at a critical juncture, and if these permits are allowed to stand, the frequent blue-green algae outbreaks and beach closures we’ve seen this fall will be just a precursor of things to come.”
A bill currently before the Massachusetts state legislature would shortchange and clean water protections in the state.
The 2017 Rhode Island General Assembly session recessed on June 30, leaving the fate of lots of proposed legislation up in the air. The House and Senate reconvened on September 19 to handle much of the unfinished business. It appears that this year’s session is now done until January (save for PawSox hearings). CLF was… Continue reading Rhode Island 2017 Legislative Recap: Food and Water
“With today’s ruling, Pease Development Authority has an opportunity to turn from a polluter to a protector of Great Bay and its communities,” said Tom Irwin, Director of CLF New Hampshire. “Our health and the health of our economy depend on clean, safe water. Now, the leaders of PDA have an easy choice to make: they can be an exemplar of responsible water management, or they can see us in court.”
I’ll admit it – I was a little nervous about this year’s Great Bay Kayak Clean-up. More than 25 people from Timberland, a Seacoast-based company that supports its staff who do community service, had eagerly volunteered to snug themselves into kayaks and spend their day getting wet and dirty while collecting trash along the shores… Continue reading Volunteers Making New Hampshire’s Great Bay a Little Bit Greater
Over six days, Hurricane Harvey dumped 27 trillion gallons of water on Houston and parts of the Gulf Coast, leaving a wide swath of destruction and toxic pollution for communities to deal with as they try to rebuild from the storm. 100,000 homes incurred damage or were lost altogether, and restoration efforts are estimated to… Continue reading Lessons from Houston: Protecting New England Communities from Toxic Spills
As the Houston area begins its long recovery from the devastating floods triggered by Hurricane Harvey – and with Hurricane Irma now barreling toward Florida’s coast – we wanted to know how Boston would fare in the face of such high waters and heavy rains. So we turned to CLF’s Director of Environmental Planning, Deanna Moran,… Continue reading Is Boston Ready for a Hurricane Harvey?
