You know that sinking feeling? The one where you think you’ve done a good job, but it turns out you didn’t? That’s the boat Vermont finds itself in when it comes to tackling climate change. We thought we were leading. But in fact, we are falling behind on our climate goals. Vermont’s climate-damaging emissions are…
Aug 15
2018
2018
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
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…
Jul 10
2018
2018
How Autonomous Vehicles Will Drive Our Budgets
Big changes are underway that will affect how Massachusetts residents get around. Companies are racing to bring autonomous vehicles to the market as quickly as possible. Self-driving vehicles are already on the streets in Boston’s Seaport District for testing purposes. We can expect them in more regular use as early as 2020 and widely available…
Jul 10
2018
2018
Massachusetts Traffic and Pollution Likely to Worsen as Self-Driving Vehicles Hit the Road
“Self-driving vehicles have the potential to drastically change the way we travel,” said Alyssa Rayman-Read, Vice President and Director of CLF Massachusetts. “We have an opportunity to prevent traffic nightmares and negative environmental impacts by enacting smart policies ahead of time. As the study illustrates, we can’t afford to wait.”
Jul 10
2018
2018
What are the Economic Impacts of Self-Driving Cars on Cities and Towns?
The makers of self-driving cars promise a blissful future for car commuters. Soon, they claim, we’ll be able to zip along traffic-free roads, letting our cars do the driving while we read, watch Netflix, or text all we want. We’ll no longer rail at traffic jams, our air will be cleaner, and all those parking…
Jul 2
2018
2018
Vermont Sets the Stage for Climate Action
In the realm of energy and climate change, this year’s legislative session was a big yawn. Legislators took some baby steps towards progress at a time when big leaps are needed. But all journeys begin with a single step, so these modest actions can set the stage for the hard work ahead. While it’s good…
Jun 20
2018
2018
Clashing Over Carbon
In 2014, the Commonwealth’s groundbreaking climate change law, the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA), was gathering dust as the State missed key deadlines for putting in place required regulations to cut its greenhouse gas emissions. CLF decided to fight for full implementation.
May 15
2018
2018
CLF Sues EPA Over Rollback of Clean Car Standards
“The impacts of weakening these landmark standards will be widespread and severe,” said Emily Green, CLF Staff Attorney. “American families and businesses will be forced to pay more at the pump for gas, while the air we breathe becomes dirtier and the health of our communities is put at risk.”
May 9
2018
2018
When It Comes to Climate Change, the Kids are Alright
In Maine, 33 elementary- to high-school-age kids have forced the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to consider regulating climate-damaging emissions. These kids, joined by CLF, hundreds of registered voters, and other environmental organizations, filed a petition that requires the DEP to hold a public hearing – scheduled for May 15, 2018 – on the need for and scope of such regulations.