Rhode Island – and all of New England – has a trash problem. There’s simply too much of it, and the ways we dispose of it hurt our health and environment. What’s more, plastic pollution is damaging our communities and putting wildlife on land and in the sea at risk. Rhode Island had the chance… Continue reading Burning Waste is a Bad Idea. So Why is Rhode Island Taking Time to Study It?
Off the rocky coastline of Maine is an expanse of brightly colored lobster buoys. The buoys – which mark where potentially millions of traps are dropped along the 3,000-mile coast – are an iconic image, bobbing along with the shifting tides. But lobsters aren’t the only living icon in Maine’s waters: The North Atlantic right… Continue reading The Road to Ropeless Fishing Gear
UPDATE: As we head into the Labor Day weekend, Florida is preparing for Hurricane Dorian – which could strengthen to a category four storm by Monday. While we call our loved ones down South with reminders to stay safe, it’s also time to revisit whether or not New England is ready for extreme weather. Our… Continue reading Is New England Ready for a Hurricane Harvey?
New England’s congressional delegation is currently home for the late summer recess. Away from the DC hustle and bustle, it is safe to say that many of our Senators and Representatives are enjoying New England’s ocean and remembering that it’s part of our New England way of life. It’s the perfect time to reinforce the fact that the ocean is essential to the health of our planet – and ask that they take concrete steps to protect it.
CLF succeeds because we have people like you by our side. In this special annual report issue of Conservation Matters, we are honoring just a few of our many local heroes, people who have devoted their time, energy, and passion to defending our homes, protecting our children’s health, and supporting the vibrancy of our communities.
Extreme weather caused by climate change may damage coastal infrastructure by degrading equipment containing hazardous chemicals or by flooding storage facilities. But fossil fuel companies like ExxonMobil and Shell would rather take their chances and do nothing to ready their facilities. CLF knows, however, that these companies have a legal duty (not to mention an ethical one) to adapt their facilities to the foreseeable effects of climate change.
This session, the Rhode Island General Assembly missed opportunities to make progress on a wide range of environmental issues. CLF and other environmental organizations pushed for action on the climate crisis, toxic chemicals, and plastics pollution, but no substantial new laws were enacted. It was not a total loss, however, as we were successful in preventing passage of some harmful measures.
As the Trump administration continues to shirk its responsibilities on climate, New England states have recognized the need for local leadership to fill the federal void.
Chris Kilian, vice president of strategic litigation at CLF, said in a statement that the terminal is “poised for disaster.” “It will take only one significant storm to inundate this facility and release toxic chemicals into surrounding waters and neighborhoods,” he said
“The Shell terminal in Providence is poised for disaster,” said Chris Kilian, Vice President of Strategic Litigation at CLF. “It will take only one significant storm to inundate this facility and release toxic chemicals into surrounding waters and neighborhoods. Shell has failed to protect this terminal from the well-known impacts of climate change, and we will continue our fight to protect the community.”
