316:, which had severely degraded water quality. The result of this and other litigation, including that of the City of Quincy, was to compel the state to comply with federal environmental laws and to build appropriate facilities to properly treat sewage discharged into Boston Harbor, and establish workable governmental mechanisms to finance the new facilities and pay for their continuing operations. The formation of the
344:. In 1988, following a three-year campaign by CLF, Massachusetts passed the nation’s toughest law to protect its citizens, especially children, from lead poisoning. More recently, CLF has continued its work to prevent lead poisoning in children by advocating for bills in New Hampshire and Vermont that require testing of school drinking water sources.
462:. With federal climate action stymied, CLF and its partners have successfully pushed state governments in Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, Rhode Island, and Connecticut to pass binding climate laws – or to update existing laws – to ensure accountability in meeting emissions targets, with the goal of achieving
406:
While the clean-up of Boston Harbor has been a success, today, it faces new threats, including sea-level rise and efforts by some private developers to block public access to what is affectionately called the People’s Harbor. CLF is working to protect the public’s legal right to access the harbor and
429:
knew as early as the late 1970s that climate change caused by human activities would be devastating if left unchecked. CLF investigated how this has affected New
England communities. Its investigation revealed that, despite knowing the harm climate change could cause, ExxonMobil left its oil storage
328:
CLF advocated for increased light rail and public transportation options in Boston, New
Hampshire, and Maine. In a pre-suit settlement with CLF, state highway officials in Massachusetts agreed to implement measures to reduce air pollution, including rail and transit improvements, as part of Boston’s
223:
With offices in every New
England state, CLF works to solve environmental problems that impact the region's communities. CLF’s strategies of advocacy concentrate on areas of law, public policy, and science. CLF both defends environmental policy through litigation and petitions and creates it through
388:
Later, in 2003, CLF claimed victory when the
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection finalized a schedule requiring the Salem Harbor and Brayton Point coal-fired power plants to significantly reduce harmful emissions and comply with the "Filthy Five" regulations. Both plants have since
392:
More recently, CLF played a critical role in several states passing strong climate laws, known as Global
Warming Solutions Acts. CLF also intervened to help the town of Burrillville, Rhode Island, prevent the construction of a large natural gas/oil-fired power plant – which would have polluted the
380:
One of the focuses of CLF's recent advocacy is pushing states to invest in clean energy sources to mitigate climate change. In 1983, CLF took credit for the decision by the Public
Service Company of New Hampshire, the largest electric company in the state, to abandon its plans for a second nuclear
437:
CLF launched the United States’ first legal action against Exxon for its climate deceit and for Clean Water Act violations at its oil storage facility in
Everett, which sits on the Mystic River. In 2023, CLF settled with Exxon. The terms of the settlement included a restriction to prevent the
180:, Clean Air & Water, Healthy Oceans, People & Justice, and Healthy Communities. CLF's mission statement is to "use the law, science, and the market to create solutions that preserve natural resources, build healthy communities, and sustain a vibrant economy." CLF focuses on promoting
287:
habitat (by obtaining a federal court injunction halting destructive U.S. logging practices in southern
Vermont's fragile Lamb Brook wilderness area, marking the first time an environmental group in the Northeast successfully challenges the
490:
Project, CLF is raising awareness about the negative health and environmental impacts of trash and pushing forward solutions to reduce waste. Among other successes, CLF and partners successfully pushed Maine’s legislature to pass the first
320:(MWRA), taking over the water facilities properties, operations, and legal authority previously held by the Metropolitan District commission, is one byproduct of the litigation. The legal battle was most intense from 1983 into the 1990s.
372:, includes four underwater mountains and three deep-sea canyons. It protects ancient and fragile coral communities, endangered whales, and an abundance of unique and rare marine life, some found nowhere else in the world.
176:, United States. Since 1966, CLF's mission has been to advocate for New England's environment and its communities. CLF's advocacy work takes place across five integrated program areas: Clean Energy &
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As a result, CLF works to bring local environmental concerns to the attention of legislators and policymakers, and serve as a resource for communicating these concerns throughout the region.
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and fight air and water pollution; building sustainable fishing communities and protect marine habitat; promoting public transit and defend public health; achieving
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CLF has worked with partners in every New
England state to pass binding laws that require significant cuts in climate-damaging emissions by 2050.
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486:(EJ) communities, which host a disproportionate number of these facilities compared to wealthier communities. Through the
239:, CLF has since expanded its advocacy to address both environmental and community issues in all six New England states.
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property from ever again being utilized as bulk fossil fuel storage. CLF has also pursuing similar cases against
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259:. Since that time, CLF's legal advocacy has focused on several natural resources cases, including the cleanup of
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In 1977, the organization successfully fought the expansion plans for a federal divided highway through
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after CLF testimony demonstrated that the construction of the facility would not make financial sense.
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that, globally, nations must lower greenhouse gas emissions within 10 years to avoid catastrophic
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ensuring that the area is made resilient in the face of increasingly severe climate impacts.
769:"Davis Cos. completes $ 72.5 million acquisition of nearly 100-acre Exxon tank farm in Everett"
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to produce a management plan to eliminate overfishing), and the protection of the
Vermont
8:
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Jerving, Sara; Jennings, Katie; Hirsch, Masako Melissa; Rust, Susanne (October 9, 2015).
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Founded in 1966 to stop the development of ski slopes on Massachusetts' highest peak,
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Additionally, CLF advocated for state laws to protect children from the threat of
692:"Exxon's Own Research Confirmed Fossil Fuels' Role in Global Warming Decades Ago"
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are dangerous and unsustainable. Their harmful impacts are felt most acutely by
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area and contributed to climate change – from being built in the community.
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CLF and its partners played a critical role in the designation of the first
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Banerjee, Neela; Song, Lisa; Hasemyer, David (September 16, 2015).
590:"Vermont Senate Passes Lead in Schools and Child Care Centers Bill"
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641:"Rhode Island siting board rejects Invenergy's 900 MW gas plant"
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Nature conservation organizations based in the United States
743:"Living on Earth: Exxon Sued Over Climate Risks of Storage"
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172:(CLF) is an environmental advocacy organization based in
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FY2020: $ 15.7m in grants, donations, & earned income
616:"Obama grants federal protection to section of Atlantic"
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Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument
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First marine national monument in the Atlantic Ocean
539:"After 30 years, court marks Boston harbor cleanup"
718:"What Exxon knew about the Earth's melting Arctic"
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368:in September of 2016. The monument, located on
188:; and sustaining a vibrant, equitable economy.
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819:"Governor Mills Signs Critical Waste Bill"
565:"10 years later, did the Big Dig deliver?"
402:Boston Harbor public access and resilience
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867:1966 establishments in the United States
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614:Andersen, Travis (September 15, 2016).
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537:Valencia, Milton J. (August 6, 2016).
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847:Conservation Law Foundation Home Page
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563:Flint, Anthony (December 29, 2015).
304:In 1983, CLF sued the Massachusetts
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466:emissions in New England by 2050.
376:Climate change and energy advocacy
243:Traditional environmental advocacy
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191:Conservation Law Foundation is a
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306:Metropolitan District Commission
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383:Seabrook Nuclear Power Station
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231:Notable achievements
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290:U.S. Forest Service
219:Structure and goals
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488:Zero Waste
427:ExxonMobil
285:black bear
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476:landfills
440:Shell Oil
193:nonprofit
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