National monuments without protections from commercial activities won’t do what they’re meant to do – comprehensively protect our natural, scientific, and cultural treasures In late August, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke submitted to President Trump a report on his summer-long, unnecessary “review” of 27 of America’s treasured national monuments, including two of the newest: the Northeast…
Sep 19
2017
2017
Sep 18
2017
2017
Who Owns Downeast Maine’s Seaweed?
If you’ve spent any time along the Downeast Maine coast, then you’ve encountered rockweed. The green-brown seaweed known officially as Ascophyllum nodosum is ubiquitous here. At low tide, it carpets the rocky coastline and provides a refuge from the heat or the cold for a variety of shellfish and crustaceans, including juvenile lobsters, crabs, mussels,…
Sep 18
2017
2017
Reported Attempts to Undermine National Monuments are Out of Touch
“Our marine monument – the only one in the Atlantic – protects rare and fragile ocean life and serves as an important deep-sea laboratory that will propel forward our nation’s commitment to scientific understanding and innovation. We intend to continue to fight for full, comprehensive protection of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts monument on behalf of all New Englanders who rely on a healthy ocean.”
Sep 7
2017
2017
Is Boston Ready for a Hurricane Harvey?
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,…
Sep 6
2017
2017
CLF Urges Court to Impose Significant Penalties in Carlos Rafael Case
Summary: On March 30, 2017, New Bedford-based fishing magnate Carlos Rafael pled guilty to 28 criminal counts against him, including conspiracy to evade federal fishing quotas and profit from the sale of misreported fish, and falsified reporting to the federal government. Rafael’s egregious crimes inflicted severe damage within New England’s fishing community, which has rippled…
Aug 24
2017
2017
Secretary Zinke Withholds Monument Recommendations from Public
“The fate of these treasures shouldn’t be left hanging in the balance,” said Peter Shelley, Senior Counsel for Conservation Law Foundation. “Some 3 million people — more than 98 percent of commenters — voiced their support for keeping our national monuments intact. Submitting recommendations that defy the will of the American people and then withholding these recommendations from the public is utterly unacceptable. The president has no legal authority to alter national monuments, and we will take him to court if he tries.”
Aug 14
2017
2017
There’s Still Time to Speak Up for New England’s Marine Monument
I recently returned from a trip to Washington, D.C., where I met with senior officials at the Departments of Commerce and Interior to urge the continued preservation of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument – the only such monument in the Atlantic and an ecological gem of immense significance. Our Nation’s Natural Treasures…
Aug 3
2017
2017
Commerce Department Sets Dangerous Precedent in Overrule of Fishery Commission
President Trump’s Secretary of Commerce, Wilbur Ross, is making waves in fisheries management—and setting a dangerous precedent that may undermine future efforts to protect vulnerable fish stocks in the Northeast. Earlier this month, Secretary Ross took the unprecedented action of overruling a fisheries management action made by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. The Commission…
Jul 28
2017
2017
Whale Watch
The story of North Atlantic right whales is a sadly familiar one. Historically, they were targeted by whalers because they were commercially lucrative and easy to kill. Today, with barely 500 North Atlantic right whales left on the planet, they face threats from warming waters, which push their food sources north, as well as fishing net entanglements and ship collisions.
Jul 26
2017
2017
Conservation Matters Summer 2017: Year in Review
Fighting Big Gas How One Community’s Fight Could Shape the Future of New England Restoring Lake Champlain Reasons for Hope after Decades of Degradation Local Food 2.0 Training a New Generation of Farmers in Western Massachusetts Whale Watch Saving North Atlantic Right Whales from Extinction Measuring Community Health A New Research Model Puts the Community…