Late last week, temperatures across New England plunged into the single digits for almost three days straight. Through the entire cold snap, our energy prices were at record lows, we didn’t resort to burning oil, and there was no hint of the “rolling blackouts” threatened by the fearmongering gas pipeline lobby. What a difference a…
2019
2018
Transportation Advocates Commend States’ Announcement to Develop Regional Program to Modernize Transportation and Reduce Vehicle Pollution
“The health and economic well-being of people and our planet depend on bold action today to create a transportation system for the future,” said Amy Laura Cahn, director, Healthy Communities & Environmental Justice program at Conservation Law Foundation. “Environmental justice communities have the fewest resources to adapt to the impacts of climate change but have long borne the greatest burdens of pollution and transportation inequity. We welcome a regional problem-solving approach, but our most disadvantaged residents must have a seat at the table.”
2018
No Time to Spare in Cutting Carbon Emissions
There is still time to stop irreversible climate change if we act now. But we have to act fast or else the consequences will be dire and inescapable. That, in a nutshell, is what more than 90 of the top climate scientists from 40 countries around the world announced recently in a special report from the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (the IPCC).
2018
Counting Down the Weeks to Election Day 2018
As we head into election season this November, it’s on us to hold New England’s elected representatives to a higher standard on their commitment to the environment.
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,…
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…
2018
Judge Lets LePage Wind Moratorium Stand, But in Name Only
Last month, a Maine Superior Court judge dismissed CLF’s lawsuit against the LePage administration’s executive order that places a moratorium on new wind power developments in most of the state. The true losers in this case are not CLF and our co-plaintiffs, however. They are the people of Maine, our pursuit of energy independence, and our ability to create good, local jobs in a thriving new industry.
2018
Conservation Matters Spring 2018: Year in Review
In this special issue of Conservation Matters, we want to take you behind the scenes of our work, to give you a glimpse into how we break down challenges and take advantage of opportunities to create a healthy, thriving New England – not just for today, but for generations to come.
2018
Rhode Island Bill Mandates Cuts in Carbon Pollution
When President Trump announced that he was pulling the United States out of the Paris Climate Agreement last summer, leaders across the country stood up and stepped in where the president had stepped out. Among those promising action was Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo. Although Rhode Island already had goals for cutting carbon emissions, Raimondo…
2018
Putting Climate Change on the Ballot in 2018
When it comes to national leadership, New England has always been ahead of the curve. The first public school, the first newspaper, the first veteran’s hospital, and even the first microwave oven were all pioneered in our backyard. And on environmental progress, our region’s legacy is just as sterling. Since long before the age of…