“The decision not to regulate more of these toxic chemicals in our water is deeply disturbing,” said Jen Duggan, Vice President and Director of CLF Vermont. “It doesn’t make sense to continue this whack-a-mole approach to removing these chemicals from drinking water. People’s health will suffer as a result of this decision.”
“Nitrogen pollution is a scourge on our Great Bay estuary, including the many bays and rivers that are part of it,” said Melissa Paly, Great Bay-Piscataqua Waterkeeper at CLF. “This agreement gives the communities surrounding Great Bay flexibility in how they will reduce this harmful pollution, but also accountability to ensure real progress. We’re looking forward to working together with these communities to advance innovative solutions to combat this problem and create healthier waterways for everyone.”
From multimillion-dollar investments to win-win collaborations, good news from New Hampshire’s Great Bay give us reasons to celebrate in 2020. Taken together, these stories remind us that when communities act boldly, we can turn the tide on pollution and restore the health of the rivers, bays, and coast in the Seacoast region and beyond.
The presidential election result is a welcome relief – especially amid the ongoing stresses of an unrelenting pandemic, hobbling economic hardship, and an overdue racial reckoning. We all deserve to take a moment and celebrate that. But even as we see the core values of our democracy vindicated after relentless voter suppression efforts, now is not the time to grow complacent.
“These three entities have utterly failed to protect Cape Cod’s waters,” said Christopher Kilian, Vice President of Strategic Litigation at CLF. “We’ve known for years that septic systems across the Cape are dumping waste into the bays and ponds the region depends on for tourism. Until they get this problem under control, the installation of new systems and the inspection of properties with existing septic must be halted.”
Every New Hampshire resident should be able to turn on their taps without wondering if the water is safe to drink. Yet a judge’s order to postpone testing of public water systems for dangerous chemicals is leaving residents in the dark about how best to keep themselves and their families safe.
“As Vermont works towards a rebound of tourism, clean water is a vital part of a healthy economy,” said Zack Porter, Lake Champlain Lakekeeper at CLF. “Future generations of Vermonters are counting on us to get this work done now, and officials have dragged their feet long enough. It’s time to get to work making sure this critical rule is properly implemented.”
In times of change and upheaval, there is also room for hope and inspiration. While we collectively have much hard work ahead of us, we also have much to commend. Our hope is that this report offers insight into the work that your support makes possible – and inspiration for what we know we can accomplish together.
It will take a suite of strategies to rebound from the COVID-19 crisis, but one that should not be overlooked is the Lake Champlain clean-up effort. The federally mandated work to clean up our iconic waterbody can help fuel Vermont’s recovery from the pandemic – creating a win-win for our environment and economy, both in the short-term and in the future.
CLF is focused on driving forward a future that is equitable and healthy for all, while also confronting the most urgent environmental threats in the here and now. The work we do, together, in the next five years will lay the foundation for the 50 years that follow.
