Blog
February 27, 2018 | Moving Massachusetts Into a Clean Energy FutureRecently, Massachusetts senators announced An Act to Promote a Clean Energy Future, perhaps the most ambitious and comprehensive piece of climate legislation since the passage of the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA) and its companion Green Communities Act a decade ago. It is a welcome and much-needed step forward, representing a strong understanding on Beacon… Continue reading Moving Massachusetts Into a Clean Energy Future |  |
February 23, 2018 | Pruitt on the Clean Water AttackOnce again, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt and the Trump administration are taking aim at one of our most vital and effective environmental laws. On February 20, 2018, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a public notice asking for comments on the Clean Water Act’s coverage of pollution that enters our nation’s lakes, rivers, and oceans via groundwater. |  |
February 21, 2018 | MBTA Raises the Specter of Fare Hikes (Again)The MBTA is crying wolf… again, predicting a deficit of $111 million in its next fiscal budget. The potential solution? Raise fares on riders, again. Governor Baker seems to agree, stating on Valentine’s Day that the MBTA should be discussing a fare increase. I’m not sure that was the best way to spread the love, especially to… Continue reading MBTA Raises the Specter of Fare Hikes (Again) |  |
February 14, 2018 | Expanding New England’s Largest Landfill is a Terrible IdeaWaste Management wants to expand its Turnkey landfill in Rochester, New Hampshire. Expanding what is already our region’s largest landfill would put communities and our environment at risk – and undermine efforts to reduce waste in the first place. |  |
February 9, 2018 | New Hampshire Kids Now Better Protected from Lead PoisoningA new law in New Hampshire adopts much-needed protections to stem the tide of childhood lead poisoning cases in the state. |  |
February 7, 2018 | Vermont Legislators Debate Enforcement of Clean Water LawsA summer of horrific blue-green algae outbreaks, particularly in Lake Carmi and along the shores of Lake Champlain, has many Vermont state legislators turning to the question of enforcement of our environmental laws. The fact is, we have protective laws on the books, but without enforcement, our water will remain polluted, threatening the health of… Continue reading Vermont Legislators Debate Enforcement of Clean Water Laws |  |
February 7, 2018 | ISO Forward Capacity Auction Results Show (Yet Again) Invenergy Is Not NeededThe ISO’s Forward Capacity Auction 12, conducted on Monday, February 5, 2018, once again shows that the proposed Invenergy fracked gas and diesel oil power plant is not needed. What Is the Forward Capacity Auction? The Independent System Operator-New England (ISO) is the entity that runs the New England electricity grid. The ISO is regulated… Continue reading ISO Forward Capacity Auction Results Show (Yet Again) Invenergy Is Not Needed |  |
February 6, 2018 | Building for the Climate of the FutureBarely a month ago, a historic storm blasted coastal New England – a “bomb cyclone” that brought blizzard conditions, heavy snow, and massive flooding to Boston’s Seaport neighborhood and other waterfront communities like Chelsea and Salem. As the storm raged, Twitter and Facebook feeds filled with a barrage of images showing icy waters flowing down… Continue reading Building for the Climate of the Future |  |
February 5, 2018 | Fishery Council’s Coral Protections Are Progress, Though More Could Have Been DoneWhen thinking about New England’s ocean, marine life like lobster, cod, and humpback whales might come to mind. Corals, on the other hand, might not make the list – though they should: New England’s ocean is home to many rich, vibrant, colorful deep-sea coral communities, some of which likely include organisms more than a thousand… Continue reading Fishery Council’s Coral Protections Are Progress, Though More Could Have Been Done |  |
February 2, 2018 | Governor LePage Abuses His Power in Attempt to Block Clean Energy in MaineGovernor LePage is renewing his assault on clean, renewable energy in Maine. Late last month, he issued an Executive Order that imposes a moratorium on new development of wind power in the state. The order establishes an advisory commission – to be handpicked by LePage – that will meet in secret to review the impacts… Continue reading Governor LePage Abuses His Power in Attempt to Block Clean Energy in Maine |  |