Conservation Law Foundation

Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management Unveils 50-Year Plan to Protect Coastlines from Rising Seas and Extreme Weather - Inside Climate News The state’s new ResilientCoasts Initiative lays out adaptation plans to protect people, infrastructure and ecosystems—a costly effort that officials say will save more than it spends.

🌊 The Trump administration’s cuts to key resilience-grant programs are putting an already limited pool of coastal resilience funding under strain. In the face of federal cuts, it’s time for Massachusetts to step up. insideclimatenews.org/news/2711202...

Federal appeals court upholds state's right to track location of lobstermen in federal waters A federal appeals court has upheld the Maine Department of Marine Resource's right to continue monitoring the movements of federally permitted lobster boats using electronic vessel tracking devices.

🙌 A federal court upheld the Maine Department of Marine Resources' right to continue the use of electronic vessel tracking devices on federally permitted lobster boats. This important law brings us one step closer to protecting New England’s lobster population. www.mainepublic.org/courts-and-c...

Trump administration moves to revoke key permit from another offshore wind project proposed near Mass. This represents the latest move by the Trump administration to target the offshore wind industry in the U.S., and it comes just a few weeks after the government was allowed to reopen the same permit a...

👉The approval of the construction and operations plan for two New England Wind projects is being reconsidered following the Trump administration's latest move to target the U.S. offshore wind industry. www.wbur.org/news/2025/12...

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Feel the cold? Offshore wind alleviates grid woes in winter, study… A sector despised by President Trump can boost grid reliability on the East Coast when people crank up the heat and gas plants are tested by extreme…

Winter is when offshore wind shines most, offering reliable power at times when fossil fuel plants often underperform. Experts warn that Trump’s freeze on projects could undermine regional resilience and erase hundreds of millions in annual consumer savings.

www.canarymedia.com/articles/off...

🏠 Environmental nonprofits are challenging a recent Vermont Executive Order over concerns that it may be unlawful and unconstitutional. The order could weaken wetland protections that prevent flooding and undo energy efficiency measures that save homeowners money.
vermontbiz.com/news/2025/no...

SJC declines to hear Springfield’s effort to keep biomass out - The Reminder SPRINGFIELD — The city of Springfield and its residents were dealt a blow in the latest chapter of their struggle to keep a woody biomass energy plant from being built in East Springfield.

☣️Massachusetts shuts down an appeal aimed at keeping biomass out of Springfield, a city already dubbed the “asthma capital” of the U.S.. Community organizations are still resisting through advocacy and protest over concerns for public health and the environment.
thereminder.com/local-news/h...

Cleaning up Lake Champlain: A complex challenge Combating phosphorus pollution in Lake Champlain requires far-reaching solutions, from revamping farm runoff to upgrading wastewater treatment

💧 Reducing phosphorus in Lake Champlain is one of the region’s toughest environmental challenges. Cleanup projects are costly, complex, and slowed by regulatory shortcomings. Yet successful phosphorus reduction would have broad environmental benefits.
www.adirondackexplorer.org/environment/...

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Help Your State Prepare for Climate Impacts We need to make sure our infrastructure is ready for the changes the climate crisis is bringing –because the impacts are here already.

We shared a petition to urge officials to prepare New England for climate impacts: act.clf.org/page/64768/a....

Lead Poisoning Is 100% Preventable – So Why Is It Still Harming Kids? Lead poisoning didn’t disappear with old laws. It still threatens kids across New England. Learn the hidden sources of exposure – and how we can fix it, together

We highlighted five facts about lead poisoning:
www.clf.org/blog/lead-po...

The Villain, a Cure, and a Shift Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse says the moment is ripe to shift the conversation on climate change.

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of R.I. discussed the need for climate action. www.clf.org/blog/the-vil...

Top stories from our Nov. e-news:

Mass. gas customers spending billions on new pipes the state plans to abandon Every year, gas companies across Massachusetts are spending hundreds of millions of dollars to put new pipes in the ground despite the state's plan to phase out natural gas by 2050 in the fight agains...

👉 With Massachusetts planning to phase out natural gas by 2050, gas companies in MA are wasting families' and businesses' money on a pipeline system that the state doesn't intend to use. www.wcvb.com/article/ben-...

Mass. moves forward with 50-year coastal climate plan as federal support retreats The 50-year plan outlines strategies for the near- and long-term that range from elevating roads and other infrastructure to restoring natural floodplains. It also calls for state funding and support ...

📌 Climate change worsens storm surges, flooding, and erosion, and federal support is waning. Massachusetts' new plan to ready the coastline is a good blueprint, but needs to be paired with funding and legislation. www.wbur.org/news/2025/11...

Our grandchildren will pay for our energy mistakes today Gas companies want Connecticut to make a huge financial commitment that will end with higher bills and a more polluted state.

🤔 Paid advocates for fossil fuels are calling for more oil, coal, or gas in Connecticut. The question remains: What is the long-term overall cost and damage of what they are pushing? ctmirror.org/2025/11/10/o...

Weekly news roundup from CLF: 🧵📥

"In a time where every Massachusetts resident is worried about their energy bills, this proposal is nothing short of betrayal." - Caitlin Peale Sloan, CLF Vice President For Massachusetts

The MA House has moved to weaken established climate law. Our planet is overheating, fuel prices are soaring, and Massachusetts is already experiencing the devastating effects of climate change—we cannot afford to move backward.

Read the press release: www.clf.org/newsroom/ma-...

Trump claims ‘wind mills’ kill whales but quietly torpedoes the… The Interior Department defunds two vital research programs that track North Atlantic right whales near active offshore wind construction sites.

First, the Trump administration falsely claimed that offshore wind was “killing whales.” Then, they cut funding to keep whales safe. It’s almost like they don’t care about the climate OR whales?

www.canarymedia.com/articles/off...

Recently, the New England Aquarium conducted an aerial survey of the Northeast Canyons & Seamounts Marine National Monument!

Scientists spotted over 700 animals, including three True’s beaked whales – a rare sighting of these deep-diving animals. This biodiversity hotspot deserve protection.

Judge rules Trump administration can review finalized permit for offshore wind project near Mass. A federal judge has given the Trump administration the green light to revoke a key permit for SouthCoast Wind, a large proposed offshore wind project near Massachusetts.

💨 The Trump administration has reopened permitting for SouthCoast Wind, an offshore wind project near Massachusetts that has already undergone years of review and millions in investment. Officials warn the move could delay urgently needed renewable energy and create uncertainty for developers.

In bid to leave ozone pact, NH says ending emissions tests won’t worsen pollution. Some have doubts. • New Hampshire Bulletin Earlier this year, the commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services cautioned lawmakers about potential air quality challenges and federal consequences the state could face i...

🚗 New Hampshire is taking steps to withdraw from the Ozone Transport Commission and end vehicle emissions testing. State officials say pollution levels will remain stable, but experts warn the change could violate the Clean Air Act and risk federal penalties.

South Coast Renewables appeals waste transfer station denial - The New Bedford Light The company behind a controversial waste transfer station proposal has appealed after the Board of Health denied the project in September.

🗑️ South Coast Renewables appealed the Board of Health’s denial of its proposed waste transfer station in New Bedford, rejected over concerns including rodent control and air quality. If the appeal succeeds, the project could proceed without addressing the environmental risks in the original plan.

Here’s CLF’s top news this week: 🧵 📨

Boston Named Winner of the 2025 Bloomberg Philanthropies Local Leaders Climate Award at COP30 Leaders Forum BOSTON (November 5, 2025) – Yesterday evening, Bloomberg Philanthropies and the COP30 Presidency announced Boston as a winner of the 2025 Bloomberg Philanthropies Local Leaders Climate Award in the En...

Boston has been recognized for its commitment to cleaner, cheaper ways to power buildings at COP30 in Rio! This reflects the city’s leadership in cutting pollution from our homes and businesses. We’re proud of and inspired by New England’s leadership toward a cleaner future.

Do Heat Pumps Work When It Gets Really Cold?

Heat pumps don’t burn fossil fuels, but instead pull warmth from the air or ground. Even in freezing climates they stay more efficient than gas or oil systems, and some of the world’s coldest countries have the most heat pumps per household. 🔥⚡️

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/15/c...

Juniper Ridge operator moves ahead with PFAS treatment plan Operators of the Juniper Ridge Landfill in Old Town are moving forward with plans to treat the landfill leachate for PFAS, but advocates say its not a justification for expanding the facility.

🧪 Juniper Ridge Landfill operators are moving ahead with plans to treat PFAS-contaminated leachate, and say this step supports facility expansion. However, an expansion would not prevent additional pollution and toxics from affecting nearby communities.

www.mainepublic.org/environment-...

EPA faces sweeping lawsuit to reinstate $7 billion in solar panel incentives — here's how it could impact nearly 900,000 homeowners Multiple groups and nonprofits have sued the Environmental Protection Agency for cutting the Solar for All program.

☀️ Advocacy and labor groups are suing the EPA for cutting the Solar for All program, which made solar energy more accessible for low-income homes. Homeowners can still tap into remaining tax credits and other incentives to cut costs on solar installation.

www.thecooldown.com/green-busine...

CT plans its energy future amid shifting offshore wind, solar policy From politics to federal policies, a lot of uncertainty needs to be resolved before officials can plan to meet CT's future energy needs.

💨 Trump’s administration rolls back renewable energy policies, including halting offshore wind projects and ending clean energy tax credits. State leaders warn that these federal decisions threaten climate goals, and search for solutions that support clean energy.

ctmirror.org/2025/10/26/c...