Media Contact
Josh Block, Press Secretary
Conservation Law Foundation
Office: 617.850.1709
jblock@clf.org
@joshmblock
CLF has experts available throughout New England on a variety of local, regional and national issues, including climate change, clean water, environmental justice, ocean conversation and renewable energy. For more information, see our list of experts and contact Josh Block.
CLF Press Releases and News Clips
Governor Scott Creates Vermont Climate Commission
“Vermonters across our state are calling for real, measurable action to reduce harmful carbon emissions into the air we breathe, and this commission is a step in the right direction,” said CLF senior attorney Sandra Levine. “But to meet the Paris climate commitments, Vermont needs more than a new commission — we need concrete policy outcomes. These include putting a price on carbon pollution, increasing energy efficiency measures statewide and cutting carbon emissions every year. CLF looks forward to working with the Governor in order to ensure that this commission delivers real solutions for Vermonters to meet the challenge of climate change.”
Groups Celebrate Major Step Forward for Massachusetts Offshore Wind Power
“No matter how you slice it, the future of Massachusetts’ energy grid, economy, and environment relies upon offshore wind. Today, the Commonwealth took a big step toward making that future a reality,” said Conservation Law Foundation Staff Attorney Megan Herzog. “Though we are disappointed that regulators did not heed our call for an earlier deadline to get turbines spinning, we are confident that wind developers can propose catalyzing projects that deliver clean energy to Massachusetts residents as quickly as possible while protecting our valuable marine and coastal resources. Conservation Law Foundation will stay engaged every step of the way to make sure Massachusetts fully seizes this opportunity for healthier air, local jobs, and climate-friendly electricity.”
Bill to Protect Solar Energy Wins Approval from Maine Legislature
“When the PUC tried to gut solar energy programs across our state, it did so in direct defiance of public opinion and economic opportunity,” said CLF attorney Emily Green. “Today, the state legislature stood on the side of all Mainers and righted this wrong. Good solar policy creates jobs, lowers energy prices, and protects our air and water, and we thank all those who fought for progress and today prevailed.”
CLF Takes on Shell Over Endangerment of Providence Community
“In 2005, when Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc on an offshore Shell facility, the company was forced to confront the reality of climate change and the dangers it poses,” said CLF President Bradley Campbell. “But more than a decade later, Shell’s acknowledgement of these risks has not translated into action to prevent them in places where people actually live. With just one severe storm – one major flood – the Providence River and surrounding communities could be inundated with toxic substances, yet Shell has done nothing to safeguard us from this fate. It’s time they be held accountable for this grave inaction.”
NH Net Metering Ruling Keeps State on Path to More Clean Energy
“This decision includes cuts to an important program for clean energy in the Granite State and is far from perfect. However, it provides a framework to ensure New Hampshire doesn’t fall behind in the clean energy economy,” said CLF attorney Melissa Birchard. “Thanks to a clean energy roadmap proposed by CLF and others, the PUC will launch an effort to document the many benefits that rooftop solar and other local, clean energy offers New Hampshire families and businesses. At the same time, the PUC will initiate pilot programs to demonstrate the untapped ways that innovative technologies can save us all money and strengthen the electric grid. We are optimistic that this new policy will put our state on a path to cleaner, healthier and safer communities for years to come.”
CLF Thwarts Invenergy’s Attempt to Derail Lawsuit
“When a fossil fuel company tries to take Providence’s water in order to power a plant we overwhelmingly oppose, we have a right to stand up and fight,” said CLF senior attorney Jerry Elmer. “Today, the courts affirmed that right. Rhode Island is poised to be a leader in clean, renewable energy, and we cannot turn back the clocks by doubling down on dirty fuels that are already on their way out.”
Maine Legal Food Hub Hits 100-Case Milestone
“From local innovators to the small farms that blanket our state, our food economy is at the heart of Maine’s cultural identity,” said CLF advocate Phelps Turner. “CLF’s Legal Food Hub helps these food businesses move beyond costly legal needs so they can focus on growing, thriving and providing for the community. Today this program hits a major milestone, but the work of creating local and sustainable food systems across Maine is far from over.”
Thanks to Broad Support, Exit 4 Farmland Preserved in Entirety
“The iconic fields off Exit 4 are a central tenant of our state’s cultural identity, and thanks to the power of grassroots activism and strong advocacy, these fields will be a source of local, healthy food for generations to come,” said CLF senior attorney Sandra Levine.
CLF Joins City of Lawrence in Fight to Restore Historic Lawrence Canals
“The Lawrence canals are a core element of the city’s urban landscape, and the people of Lawrence deserve better than to see them neglected and allowed to decay,” said Rafael Mares, Director of CLF’s Healthy Communities and Environmental Justice Program. “When you walk around the streets of Lawrence, you see a thriving community held back by this major blight in the heart of their city. Essex Company, LLC needs to take immediate action to restore the vibrancy and integrity of these canals, and if they refuse, we’ll be standing with the community, ready for the fight.”
Even With Trump as Cheerleader, the Coal Industry Can Only Decline
As President Donald Trump announced plans to withdraw from the Paris climate pact, the last coal-fired power plant in New England quietly closed its doors for good. … The pro-environmental Conservation Law Foundation called the closure “a win,” saying the “outdated” plant had subjected the region to “roughly 50 years of spewing air, water, and…