“Plastic bags are made from dirty fossil fuels and have no place in our daily lives,” said CLF Senior Attorney Kevin Budris. “More than half of Rhode Island’s population already lives in a community with a plastic bag ban. It’s time to pass a strong statewide law that stops this blight on our environment and the climate for good.”
“It’s past time we take a stand against environmental injustices in Vermont,” said Elena Mihaly, Vice President of CLF Vermont. “For too long, some communities have been overburdened by environmental harms like pollution or flooding, while having little access to environmental benefits, like green spaces, clean energy, and public transportation. All Vermonters have the right to decide what happens in their communities and enjoy a healthy environment, and this law is an important step towards making that a reality.”
“All landfills pollute our air and put our waters at risk of toxic contamination,” said Tom Irwin, Vice President of CLF New Hampshire. “New Hampshire’s lakes, rivers, and coastal waters belong to all of us, and this bill, if signed into law, will dramatically increase protections for these valuable resources. The House, and then Governor Sununu, should support this important legislation.”
“Our representatives let us down today,” said CLF attorney Peter Blair. “This effort disguises burning plastic as recycling and will spread toxic pollution into New Hampshire’s communities while keeping single-use plastic in production. Governor Sununu must veto this naked attempt to prop up the fossil fuel industry at the expense of our health.”
“The climate crisis will not spare Connecticut, and our legislators are clearly taking this threat seriously,” said CLF attorney Shannon Laun. “Expanding clean, renewable energy will help us cut emissions and protect the air our families breathe. It’s time for Governor Lamont to sign these bills into law so we can get to work.”
“Dumping out-of-state waste at this landfill violates the law and harms the health of nearby communities,” said Peter Blair, Zero Waste Attorney at CLF. “This landfill has been burying thousands of tons of construction and demolition debris for years through this loophole. The Senate made the right call in closing it, and the House must now do the same.”
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.
“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.”
“Our legislators had the opportunity to pass a strong bill to reduce waste, increase recycling rates and slash pollution in our communities,” said Kevin Budris, Zero Waste Attorney at CLF. “While this bill includes some important updates, it’s not nearly as strong as it should have been. At the eleventh hour, legislators have handed the beverage industry the keys to the state’s bottle return system and significantly compromised the effectiveness of the legislation.”
“Polluting landfills don’t belong anywhere near New Hampshire’s beautiful state parks,” said CLF attorney Peter Blair. “The Senate has taken a giant step backward in killing this commonsense legislation that would have preserved parks for everyone’s enjoyment. It’s time we stop the endless construction of landfills and instead boost recycling and other proven methods to reduce our waste.”
