In a major win for endangered North Atlantic right whales, a federal judge ruled that gillnet fishing gear must be removed from 3,000 nautical miles of ocean waters in southern New England. Opening the areas to gillnet fishing without considering harm to right whales violated the Endangered Species Act, and the gear must be removed until the required analysis is complete.
Nov 5
2019
2019
Oct 31
2019
2019
Second Victory for Right Whales this Week
“After a series of devastating deaths this summer, pushing paper will not protect right whales from extinction,” said Erica Fuller, CLF Senior Attorney. “We need to use the force of the law to put this species on the path to recovery. The judge absolutely made the correct call: right whales simply can’t wait any longer for the federal government to get around to doing their job.”
Oct 31
2019
2019
Court Issues Leviathan Ruling In Favor of Right Whales
“Expanded fishing in a right whale hot spot flies in the face of the Endangered Species Act,” said Erica Fuller, a Senior Attorney at the Conservation Law Foundation — one of the groups that brought the case. “This ruling rightfully reverses a dangerous course and will give right whales the protection they need from fishing gear. We cannot afford to lose even one more of these critically endangered creatures.”
Oct 29
2019
2019
Judge rules in favor of conservationists on whale protection
“This ruling rightfully reverses a dangerous course and will give right whales the protection they need from fishing gear,” Conservation Law Foundation attorney Erica Fuller said.
Oct 10
2019
2019
EPA Announces Weak Standards for Lead in Drinking Water
“It’s imperative that we end childhood lead poisoning in our lifetime,” said Amy Laura Cahn, Director of CLF’s Healthy Communities and Environmental Justice program. “Don’t be fooled into thinking that families will be protected by this proposed change. We need a health-based standard that recognizes the only safe level of lead for kids is zero. That – and removing lead pipes from our water infrastructure – must be the only goal for regulators.”
Oct 8
2019
2019
A North Atlantic Right Whale Family Tree
This summer, 10 right whales died, including Wolverine, the great-grandson of famous right whale matriarch Kleenex. Each whale death this year means families lost mothers, fathers, siblings, and grandchildren — a family tree that’s losing branches. Calving mothers like Kleenex are crucial to the right whales’ survival.
Oct 3
2019
2019
The Ocean Has Saved Us. Now, It’s Our Turn to Save the Ocean.
The world’s oceans are in dire straits. A startling UN report confirms what we at CLF have been saying for years: Without drastic measures to halt climate-damaging emissions and protect our oceans, life in New England, and around the world, will be forever changed. If we act now, we can still protect our oceans and way of life for future generations. But we don’t have a moment to waste.
Oct 2
2019
2019
Climate change is coming for our toilets. Here’s how we can stop it.
Roads, drinking water wells, landfills, and other infrastructure are susceptible to rising groundwater, too. “We actually have infrastructure that’s inland that we need to be thinking about as well in terms of reliability and functionality in the face of climate change,” said Elena Mihaly, staff attorney at Conservation Law Foundation.
Sep 27
2019
2019
CLF Sues Trump Administration Over Clean Car Standards Reversal
“Once again the Trump Administration is pandering to big oil and gas at the expense of our health and our communities,” said Emily Green, CLF Staff Attorney. “This new rule attacks critical state standards that keep our air clean. As we run out of time to tackle the climate crisis, this policy moves the country in the wrong direction. It leads directly to a dirtier, more polluted future. No one, not even automakers, wants to hit reverse on these standards.”
Sep 25
2019
2019
U.N. Releases Dire Report on World’s Oceans
“This report is yet another reminder that dithering by world leaders in the face of the climate crisis is becoming more costly and deadly by the minute,” said Bradley Campbell, President of CLF. “Neither the stroke of a Sharpie nor well-intentioned rhetoric can avert or obscure the irreversible damage already done to our oceans and our security. Only a quantum leap in climate leadership can limit the scale of the catastrophe and avoid utter betrayal of future generations.”