“The actions announced today give Connecticut’s communities vital new tools to combat climate impacts,” said CLF attorney Shannon Laun. “We know this crisis won’t affect everyone equally, so the Governor’s focus on environmental justice and equity is absolutely critical. We’ll be pushing our leaders to go further by strengthening climate targets, adopting stronger vehicle emissions standards, accelerating the transition to electric vehicles, and rapidly phasing out fossil fuels.”
Dec 16
2021
2021
Dec 8
2021
2021
Environmental Racism is Killing Us All. That’s Why I Joined CLF.
We must learn as a people to protect not only ourselves and the environment but also to fight another form of systemic and institutional racism that is killing us all – environmental racism.
Dec 2
2021
2021
Expanding Toxic Ash Landfills Across New England Is a Bad Idea
Burying incinerator ash harms our health and environment. Yet, as New England’s incinerators limp on well past their lifespans, several ash landfills across the region want to expand.
Nov 18
2021
2021
Massachusetts Pauses Transportation and Climate Initiative
“TCI was never going to be enough to address the impacts and needs of the region’s transportation systems,” said Staci Rubin, Vice President of Environmental Justice at CLF. “Transportation is the largest source of planet-warming emissions in New England, and our current systems have overburdened communities of color with air pollution for decades. We must overhaul the way we move people and goods, and it must be done in a way that recognizes and addresses these historic inequities and brings everyone to the table in finding a solution. CLF will continue to work with impacted communities and our states to move that process forward.”
Oct 27
2021
2021
Is Climate Change Putting Your County at Risk From Hazardous Waste?
Thousands of hazardous waste sites and chemical facilities across New England are unprepared for the impacts of climate change. The failure of regulators to require such preparation leaves the health of our communities and our environment in jeopardy.
Sep 17
2021
2021
Representation Matters When It Comes to Transportation Funding
As we continue to reckon with systemic racism in the United States, we must root out the quiet and insidious ways governments and decision-makers sustain racist policies.
Aug 20
2021
2021
On Board: Why The New MBTA Board Benefits Riders And The Environment
In late July, Governor Baker signed a law that establishes a new, permanent board to oversee the MBTA. This is a huge win for communities and riders who depend on the T to get where they need to go, and it has the potential to lead to much-needed changes within the transit system.
Aug 19
2021
2021
EJ communities finally get a say
Massachusetts has taken a huge step forward in ensuring that communities have a say in what happens in their neighborhoods. It’s long past time we stop forcing low-income communities and communities of color to bear the burdens of polluting infrastructure. But that doesn’t mean we simply move the pollution elsewhere. Wood-burning power plants do not belong in anyone’s community.
Jul 30
2021
2021
Update: How Can the Next MBTA Governance Board Better Serve Riders?
Governor Charlie Baker has implemented a new permanent oversight board for the MBTA. The board will focus on the transit issues plaguing communities in eastern Massachusetts, and will be required to consider environmental justice issues.
Jul 21
2021
2021
Mass. Legislature Creates Permanent MBTA Oversight Board
“The era of kicking the can down the road at the MBTA is over,” said Staci Rubin, Vice President of Environmental Justice at CLF. “People in nearly 200 communities depend on the T to get where they need to go, and it’s time we get a reliable, affordable system that works for everyone. This bill will make sure that the oversight board understands the issues plaguing the MBTA and has the vision to create a better system for everyone.”