Conservation Law Foundation

Trump Again–Unlawfully–Rolls Back Protections for Northeast Canyons and Seamounts We will not stand by while the Trump administration destroys vital habitats that are irreplaceable in our marine environment.

Breaking: The Trump administration is attempting to open Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument to industrial fishing. CLF is prepared to sue to protect our marine monument.
clf.org/newsroom/trump-again-unlawfully-rolls-back-protections-for-northeast-canyons-and-seamounts/

Residents Push Back On County Petition For Real Estate Transfer Fee BARNSTABLE – A proposal by the Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates to petition the state legislature to allow towns to enact a transfer fee on...

🏠 Barnstable County proposed allowing Cape Cod towns to enact a transfer fee on higher-value property sales to address the housing crisis. But residents opposed, with critics arguing that the county should tackle wastewater infrastructure problems first.
www.capecodchronicle.com/articles/405...

Pepsi bottler reaches costly settlement after allegations of harmful violations: 'Sends a clear message' The Massachusetts Pepsi bottler, Patriot Beverages LLC, agreed to pay nearly $500,000 to restore affected rivers and streams.

🥤 A Massachusetts Pepsi bottler will pay nearly $500K after polluting local rivers with chemicals. The settlement funds water restoration projects and upgrades to pollution-control equipment, a win for holding companies accountable for environmental damage.
www.thecooldown.com/green-busine...

The 4 lessons New England’s grid can learn from Winter Storm Fern Extreme cold and lots of snow revealed the electric system’s strengths and weaknesses as the region debates how to build a more reliable, affordable grid.

❄️ Winter Storm Fern exposed weaknesses in New England's grid, but offshore wind delivered during the coldest hours and proved its value. The path forward: diversify energy sources and build more offshore wind capacity.
www.canarymedia.com/articles/cle...

Your weekly CLF news roundup: 🧵 📨

Opinion | Democrats must learn to say ‘all of the above’ on energy Readers on clean and affordable energy, U.N. climate policy and more.

Energy affordability won’t come from doubling down on fossil fuels. In a Letter to the Editor, CLF President Brad Campbell explains why renewables are the real path to lower bills and healthier communities.

Explore Brad’s letter and more insights on clean energy:

New bill seeks redress for pollution AUGUSTA -- Voters are urging fossil fuel companies to pay for polluting Maine's climate.

⛰ Maine’s Climate Superfund bill would hold fossil fuel companies responsible for the damages associated with CO2. www.foxbangor.com/news/new-bil...

North Atlantic right whale calf entanglement reported amid ongoing vessel speed battle - Undercurrent News Scientists from the New England Aquarium identified the entangled whale as a calf first spotted in April 2025

⚠️ Intentionally speeding puts vulnerable moms and newborn calves at risk. It’s inexcusable to travel at speeds that could harm endangered whales. This cannot be the cost of doing business. www.undercurrentnews.com/2026/01/23/n...

The Sun Still Rises: Immigration, civil rights, and Dr. King’s unfinished work - Manchester Ink Link My journey from the Congo to the United States could only be possible here. Only in this country could someone arrive with little more than hope, determination, and faith in opportunity and begin to b...

✨ CLF environmental justice advocate Arnold Mikolo writes that even in moments of uncertainty, we can choose solidarity. We can choose courage. We can choose to protect one another. manchester.inklink.news/the-sun-stil...

This week’s CLF news round-up: 🧵 📫

Judge Revives Wind Farm That Trump Halted Off Martha’s Vineyard The project, known as Vineyard Wind, was already 95 percent complete when the Trump administration ordered construction to stop.

Construction has resumed this week on Vineyard Wind after a federal judge blocked the Trump administration’s latest effort to stop offshore wind development.

Read more:

Governor Mills Welcomes Completion of New England Clean Energy Connect Project Transmission line will deliver affordable electricity to Maine consumers and support new investments in energy efficiency, broadband, and communitiesGovernor Janet Mills today welcomed the completion ...

⚡️ Maine celebrates the completion of the New England Clean Energy Connect, delivering clean hydropower to the region. The project aims to cut electricity costs, reduce reliance on natural gas, strengthen grid reliability, and invest millions in Maine communities.

www.maine.gov/governor/mil...

Journalists Forum Explores State and Local Initiatives in the Face of Federal Retrenchment - Lincoln Institute of Land Policy As state and local governments struggle to make progress on challenges including affordable housing and climate change amid dramatic policy shifts at the federal level, reporters and editors learned m...

🏛️ With federal support shrinking, state and local governments are driving solutions on housing, climate, and land use. Journalists at the Lincoln Institute Forum examined zoning reform, nature-based climate action, and ways cities are funding essential services.

www.lincolninst.edu/publications...

Trump favors natural gas. What does that mean for CT? In some circles natural gas is viewed as the holy grail. In others it's a climate change nightmare. And then there’s everything in between.

🔥 As Trump boosts natural gas and slows offshore wind, Connecticut faces tough tradeoffs. Methane leaks, rising gas prices, and costly pipelines raise questions about whether gas is really cleaner or cheaper.

ctmirror.org/2026/01/16/t...

Your weekly CLF news roundup: 🧵 📨

As Winter Warms, Olympic Athletes, Organizers Hunt for Elusive Snow

Climate change is warming winters around the world, and it’s already reshaping the Winter Olympics. From artificial snow to shrinking host cities, the sports we love are feeling the heat.

www.nytimes.com/2026/01/21/c...

Sustaining ski season in a changing climate Two scientists on how winters in the Northeast are transforming, and a popular cross-country ski area on their innovative efforts to adapt.

Winter in the Northeast is changing fast, and ski season is feeling it. As snowpack becomes less reliable, adaptation is becoming part of the story.

This Vermont Edition episode brings together researchers and outdoor leaders to unpack what’s happening: www.vermontpublic.org/show/vermont...

Judge Rejects Proposed Juniper Ridge Landfill Expansion This decision sends a powerful message: the lived experience of the Penobscot Nation matters, and environmental justice cannot be ignored.

Big win for environmental justice in Maine! A judge has rejected the Juniper Ridge Landfill expansion, siding with the Penobscot Nation and CLF. This decision affirms that Indigenous voices and frontline communities must be heard.

Read the full press release: www.clf.org/newsroom/jud...

Boston Harbor welcomes back shellfish harvesting, says goodbye to dirty water For the first time in decades, water quality has improved enough to reclassify certain areas to allow shellfishing for human consumption.

🐚 Boston Harbor was once so polluted shellfishing was banned for a century. Now, cleanup efforts driven by lawsuits and public pressure have reopened parts of the harbor.

www.wgbh.org/news/local/2...

MainePERS misses 2026 fossil fuel divestment deadline The state's public retirement system says actively selling off fossil fuel assets could threaten the financial interests of its members.

💰 Maine’s pension system says it’s complying with a fossil fuel divestment law. Environmental advocates say it’s not, arguing the state is hiding behind fiduciary duty to delay meaningful action.

www.mainepublic.org/climate/2026...

Environmental groups praise, raise concerns over proposed Everett soccer stadium The Kraft Group struck agreements with Boston and Everett that include money for environmental cleanup and transit improvements.

⚽️ Plans for a new soccer stadium in Everett come with funding for transit, cleanup, and open space, but commitments must go further to protect air quality, transit riders, and nearby communities.

www.wgbh.org/news/local/2...

Your weekly CLF news roundup: 🧵 📨

Utility reform will be key to confronting Maine’s high energy bills | Opinion Regulators and utilities have a choice: stick with expensive, outdated strategies, or take proven steps to protect families.

Energy affordability is a growing challenge in Maine, but solutions already exist. In this latest op-ed, CLF's Phelps Turner outlines how reforms can lower costs and strengthen the grid. https://www.pressherald.com/2025/12/29/utility-reform-will-be-key-to-confronting-high-energy-bills-opinion/

Trump Administration Moves to Pause Offshore Wind Leases This is a desperate rerun of the Trump administration's failed attempt to kill offshore wind - an effort the courts have already rejected.

The Trump administration is again targeting offshore wind, despite a federal judge's ruling rejecting Trump's offshore wind ban just days ago. Our response: www.clf.org/newsroom/tru...

Vermont Farm’s Pesticide Use Contaminates Lake Champlain Tributaries This pollution is unlawful and puts our communities and waterways at risk.

Learn more about how we're fighting back: www.clf.org/newsroom/ver...

#ProtectLakeChamplain #Vermont #CleanWaterAct #Panton #LakeChamplain

The legal amount of pollution any farm can release without a federal permit is zero. We're fighting to hold Vorsteveld accountable for discharging toxic chemicals into Vermont waterways and putting our communities at risk.

That's why today, alongside Vermont Natural Resources Council we filed a lawsuit against Vorsteveld, LLP for federal Clean Water Act violations.

We’re suing to hold the Vorsteveld operation accountable for polluting Dead Creek and tributaries of Lake Champlain.

LAWSUIT FILED: No one should have to worry that a major agricultural operation is discharging pollutants that threaten their water - but that's what many neighbors of a massive dairy operation in Vermont do every day.

www.seacoastonline.com/story/opinio...

Irwin also argues that heat pumps offer a pathway to reduce our dependence on foreign fuels, slash pollution, cut heating bills, and create more clean jobs in New England.