The Massachusetts state legislature is considering a bill that would ban plastic bags across the Commonwealth. More than 80 cities and towns in the state have already ousted this plastic pollution from their communities – now our legislature can standardize this practice by enacting a ban statewide.
All landfills leak – some over time and some from day one of operation – leaching toxic chemicals into the ground and the water supply. Despite state and federal regulation, landfills are harming the health and environment of communities in New England.
Let’s be clear: CLF doesn’t want to stop thoughtful, responsible development – it is just the opposite. We believe these plans must be made with full public input and with public rights as the guiding principle, not just the trailing afterthought.
Nutrient pollution impacts waterways across New England, from Lake Champlain to Narragansett Bay. These waters all carry excess levels of nitrogen or phosphorous – a problem caused by fertilizer running off of farms and lawns and animal waste from confined animal feeding operations. Another major cause is human sewage improperly treated by septic systems or overflowed… Continue reading 10 Things You Can Do to Help Protect Our Waters
A pilot program could turn the Fairmount commuter rail line into the “Indigo Line,” making it run more like the region’s other subway lines. It would improve public transit for communities along the route, including Dorchester, Mattapan, Hyde Park, and Roxbury, which have traditionally been underserved by the MBTA.
If we’re not careful, Boston Harbor will be walled off to those of us who are not wealthy and powerful, even though we have laws and regulations put in place to protect us. Today, CLF is taking action to ensure that the city and state cannot get away with putting private developers’ interests ahead of the public when it comes to these precious public assets.
Our electricity grid was designed over 100 years ago. But our technology has evolved since then. Clean, renewable energy from solar panels and wind turbines is available right where we live. But we need a smarter, more modern grid to make the most of it.
Scott Soares has seen the opportunities and challenges facing New England’s farmers and food businesses firsthand. He served as Massachusetts’s first aquaculture coordinator in 1996 and was later appointed state agriculture commissioner by Deval Patrick. In 2012, he became executive director of the Cranberry Marketing Committee, which gave him inside look at the branding and… Continue reading Helping Farmers and Food Businesses Navigate New Opportunities
Right now, the United States has some of the best-managed fisheries in the world. But a bill that just passed the House of Representatives is putting that at risk. Many fishing communities in New England and across the country currently have the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) to thank for their economic health.… Continue reading Federal Fisheries Bill Undermines the Health of Our Oceans
“This plan unlawfully puts the interests of developers ahead of the public’s rights on the waterfront,” said CLF President Bradley Campbell. “Approval of this plan not only violates decades-old laws governing the waterfront, but also sets a dangerous precedent by signaling to developers that they can buy their way out of rules that have balanced public and private development interests for years. The state must stop disregarding the public’s rights when it comes to waterfront development.”
