As the federal government not only fails to tackle the global climate crisis, but actually obstructs progress to reduce the pollution that’s causing it, one bright spot has emerged: Local communities are stepping in to fill the growing federal climate gap. Climate Mayors is a bi-partisan network of U.S. mayors working to lead local action…
Sep 13
2018
2018
Sep 11
2018
2018
New England Speaks Up at the Global Climate Action Summit
By many measures, our climate outlook here in the United States is grim. Our president denies the settled science of climate change. Our natural monuments are being pillaged for oil and gas. And a coal lobbyist now heads the Environmental Protection Agency, the federal entity charged with protecting our health, not endangering it. Despite these…
Sep 11
2018
2018
Massachusetts Stands with CLF Against Climate-Damaging Pollution
Last week, the highest court in Massachusetts unanimously ruled that power generators must drastically cut their carbon pollution year after year through 2050. In doing so, the high court recognized the incontrovertible fact that carbon pollution damages our climate, threatens our health, and hurts our economy. It was the second time the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial…
Sep 4
2018
2018
Massachusetts Court Upholds and Reinforces Major Climate Law
“Today’s decision is an unqualified win for climate leadership in Massachusetts,” said Bradley Campbell, President of CLF. “Carbon pollution poses a major threat to our environment, our health, and our economy, and the Court’s opinion is a resounding call for the electricity sector to offer climate solutions rather than resistance and roadblocks.”
Aug 21
2018
2018
New EPA Emissions Rules Threaten Public Health and the Environment
“By rolling back the Clean Power Plan, the Trump administration is once again ignoring science and turning its back on the American people,” said Greg Cunningham, Vice President and Director of CLF’s Clean Energy and Climate Change program. “Increased carbon emissions threaten our lives, our economy, and our environment. It is our government’s legal responsibility to reduce the public health menace that is carbon pollution. It is imperative for states to step up and stop this administration’s attempt to turn back time on clean energy progress.”
Aug 12
2018
2018
Federal Proposal to Price Carbon Should be Considered, then Rejected
When Representative Carlos Curbelo proposed a price on carbon recently, he garnered a lot of attention among energy hawks, and not just because he is a Republican. The Trump administration has been busy scrubbing all references to human-caused climate change from its policies – and instead pushing hard to deepen our addiction to coal, oil,…
Aug 8
2018
2018
The Massachusetts Legislative Session: An Anticlimactic Finish
The Massachusetts Legislative Session is over, and CLF has our recap of the good, the bad, and the “meh” from the last two years of work by our elected officials.
Aug 8
2018
2018
Rhode Island General Assembly Fails to Make Progress on Environmental Initiatives, But Some Bad Bills Defeated
When the Rhode Island General Assembly convened for its 2018 session, CLF and our partners focused on several key measures aimed at combating climate change, reforming how energy projects are sited, and protecting our waters from offshore drilling. With progress on these issues stalled (or moving in reverse) at the national level, state and local…
Aug 2
2018
2018
Fighting for Successful Clean Car Standards
Today, the Trump administration moved to unwind critically important rules for combatting climate change, protecting community health, and saving us all money. The Obama-era “clean car standards” were created to make our cars cleaner and more fuel-efficient. And they’re working – EPA itself has said so. Since 2011, the standards have reduced oil consumption in…
Aug 2
2018
2018
EPA Rolls Back Clean Car Standards
“The EPA and NHTSA are prioritizing fossil fuel interests over the health of our communities,” said CLF Staff Attorney Emily K. Green. “Strong vehicle emissions standards are critical to addressing climate change, and weakening them will put the health of millions of Americans at risk. This decision disproportionately harms the most vulnerable among us, while forcing families and businesses to pay more at the pump. We will continue to fight this rollback with every tool available.”