Conservation Law Foundation
Encyclopedia
Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) is an environmental advocacy organization based in New England
. Since 1966, CLF's mission has been to advocate on behalf of the region's environment and its communities. CLF's advocacy work takes place in four program areas: Clean Energy & Climate Change
, Clean Water & Healthy Forests, Healthy Oceans and Smart Growth
. CLF works to promote renewable energy and fight air and water pollution; build healthy fishing communities and protect marine habitat; fight sprawl, promote public transit and defend public health. Conservation Law Foundation is a nonprofit, member-supported organization with offices in Maine
, Massachusetts
, New Hampshire
, Rhode Island
and Vermont
.
, CLF expanded its advocacy to address both environmental and community issues in all six New England states.
, in New Hampshire
's White Mountains
. Since that time, CLF's legal advocacy has focused on several natural resources cases, including the clean up of Lake Champlain
(by challenging state stormwater permits), the prevention of overfishing
of groundfish--cod
, haddock
, and flounder
--off the coast of New England (resulting in a settlement requiring the National Marine Fisheries Service
to produce a management plan to eliminate overfishing), and the protection of the Vermont black bear
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 U.S. Forest Service's clear-cutting policies).
. 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 Massachusetts Water Resources Authority
(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.
project (also known as the Big Dig).
Additionally, CLF advocated for state laws to protect children from the threat of lead poisoning
. 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.
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.
Recently, CLF has been lending its advocacy practices to supporting the development of a for-profit, offshore wind farm
, known as Cape Wind
.
, although the two parties recently reached a landmark settlement that will allow construction to go forward once regulators in the Douglas Administration approve the necessary permits. As part of the agreement, the two sides planned to work together collaboratively on future Lowe's development in the state and Lowe's will install state of the art pollution control measures to better protect and improve water quality in Potash Brook watershed and Lake Champlain. CLF, along with the Vermont Public Interest Research Group, and Vermont Smartgrowth Collaborative, has also succeeded in stalling the construction of the Chittenden County Circumferential Highway, because the project was based on flawed and outdated environmental analysis. The administration of Vermont Governor Jim Douglas
has noted that "CLF has been the loyal obstructionist to many projects in the state, without regard to compromise."
)
2002 - Bruce Babbitt
(former Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior)
2001 - Donella Meadows
(author, environmentalist)
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
. Since 1966, CLF's mission has been to advocate on behalf of the region's environment and its communities. CLF's advocacy work takes place in four program areas: Clean Energy & Climate Change
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
, Clean Water & Healthy Forests, Healthy Oceans and Smart Growth
Smart growth
Smart growth is an urban planning and transportation theory that concentrates growth in compact walkable urban centers to avoid sprawl and advocates compact, transit-oriented, walkable, bicycle-friendly land use, including neighborhood schools, complete streets, and mixed-use development with a...
. CLF works to promote renewable energy and fight air and water pollution; build healthy fishing communities and protect marine habitat; fight sprawl, promote public transit and defend public health. Conservation Law Foundation is a nonprofit, member-supported organization with offices in Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
and Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
.
Structure and Goals
With offices in nearly all New England states, Connecticut being the only exception, CLF works to solve the most significant environmental problems that threaten New England. CLF’s strategies of advocacy concentrate on areas of law, public policy, economics, and science. Employing a staff of attorneys, CLF’s efforts of environmental protection often include the use of lawsuits, petitions, motions, and affidavits. Through these strategies, CLF seeks to both support local initiatives and promote government accountability and transparency. 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.Notable Achievements
Originally founded in 1966 to stop the development of ski slopes on Massachusett's highest peak, Mount GreylockMount Greylock
Mount Greylock is the highest natural point in Massachusetts at . Its peak is located in the northwest corner of the state in the western part of the town of Adams in Berkshire County. Although geologically part of the Taconic Mountains, Mount Greylock is commonly associated with the abutting...
, CLF expanded its advocacy to address both environmental and community issues in all six New England states.
Traditional Environmental Advocacy
In 1977, the organization successfully fought the expansion plans for a federal divided highway through Franconia NotchFranconia Notch
Franconia Notch is a major mountain pass through the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Dominated by Cannon Mountain, it lies principally within Franconia Notch State Park and is traversed by the Franconia Notch Parkway Franconia Notch (el. 1950 ft. / 590 m.) is a major mountain pass through...
, in New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
's White Mountains
White Mountains (New Hampshire)
The White Mountains are a mountain range covering about a quarter of the state of New Hampshire and a small portion of western Maine in the United States. Part of the Appalachian Mountains, they are considered the most rugged mountains in New England...
. Since that time, CLF's legal advocacy has focused on several natural resources cases, including the clean up of Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain is a natural, freshwater lake in North America, located mainly within the borders of the United States but partially situated across the Canada—United States border in the Canadian province of Quebec.The New York portion of the Champlain Valley includes the eastern portions of...
(by challenging state stormwater permits), the prevention of overfishing
Overfishing
Overfishing occurs when fishing activities reduce fish stocks below an acceptable level. This can occur in any body of water from a pond to the oceans....
of groundfish--cod
Cod
Cod is the common name for genus Gadus, belonging to the family Gadidae, and is also used in the common name for various other fishes. Cod is a popular food with a mild flavor, low fat content and a dense, flaky white flesh. Cod livers are processed to make cod liver oil, an important source of...
, haddock
Haddock
The haddock , also known as the offshore hake, is a marine fish distributed on both sides of the North Atlantic. Haddock is a popular food fish and is widely fished commercially....
, and flounder
Flounder
The flounder is an ocean-dwelling flatfish species that is found in coastal lagoons and estuaries of the Northern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.-Taxonomy:There are a number of geographical and taxonomical species to which flounder belong.*Western Atlantic...
--off the coast of New England (resulting in a settlement requiring the National Marine Fisheries Service
National Marine Fisheries Service
The National Marine Fisheries Service is a United States federal agency. A division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Department of Commerce, NMFS is responsible for the stewardship and management of the nation's living marine resources and their habitat within the...
to produce a management plan to eliminate overfishing), and the protection of the Vermont black bear
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
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 U.S. Forest Service's clear-cutting policies).
Cleanup of Boston Harbor
In 1983, the CLF initiated a suit against the Metropolitan District Commission (a division of the government of the state of Massachusetts) and the Environmental Protection AgencyUnited States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
. 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 Massachusetts Water Resources Authority
Massachusetts Water Resources Authority
The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority is a public authority in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts that provides wholesale drinking water and sewage services to certain municipalities and industrial users in the state, primarily in the Boston area.The authority receives water from the Quabbin...
(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.
Community and Transportation Advocacy
Believing cities and towns to be as important environmental constituencies as forests and rivers, 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 Central ArteryCentral Artery
The John F. Fitzgerald Expressway, known locally as the Central Artery, is a section of freeway in downtown Boston, Massachusetts, designated as Interstate 93, U.S. Route 1 and Route 3. It was initially constructed in the 1950s as a partly elevated and partly tunneled divided highway...
project (also known as the Big Dig).
Additionally, CLF advocated for state laws to protect children from the threat of lead poisoning
Lead poisoning
Lead poisoning is a medical condition caused by increased levels of the heavy metal lead in the body. Lead interferes with a variety of body processes and is toxic to many organs and tissues including the heart, bones, intestines, kidneys, and reproductive and nervous systems...
. 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.
Energy Advocacy
One of the cornerstones of CLF's modern advocacy is pushing states to invest in energy sources that have less propensity for pollution. 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 unit at Seabrook Nuclear Power Station after CLF testimony demonstrates that the construction of the facility would not make financial sense.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.
Recently, CLF has been lending its advocacy practices to supporting the development of a for-profit, offshore wind farm
Wind farm
A wind farm is a group of wind turbines in the same location used to produce electric power. A large wind farm may consist of several hundred individual wind turbines, and cover an extended area of hundreds of square miles, but the land between the turbines may be used for agricultural or other...
, known as Cape Wind
Cape Wind
The Cape Wind Project is an approved offshore wind farm, on Horseshoe Shoal in Nantucket Sound off Cape Cod in the U.S. state of Massachusetts, proposed by a private developer, Cape Wind Associates, the brainchild of Jim Gordon and a Limited Liability Company set up as a joint business venture...
.
Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative
Through the advocacy of CLF and other envronmental organizations, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) has been instrumental in unifying many of New England's efforts to curb global warming pollution. RGGI takes effect in 2009, and is designed to reduce carbon dioxide pollution to a level 10 percent below current emissions by 2019. In particular, New England's plan will establish a market-based program that rewards smart companies for outperforming the new pollution limits and lowers overall compliance costs.Controversies
CLF has been the target of accusations that its advocacy reflects an anti-development bias. For example, in Vermont, its advocates have been locked in a dispute to prevent the construction of a Lowe's Home CenterLowe's
Lowe's Companies, Inc. is a U.S.-based chain of retail home improvement and appliance stores. Founded in 1946 in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, the chain now serves more than 14 million customers a week in its 1,710 stores in the United States and 20 in Canada. Expansion into Canada began in...
, although the two parties recently reached a landmark settlement that will allow construction to go forward once regulators in the Douglas Administration approve the necessary permits. As part of the agreement, the two sides planned to work together collaboratively on future Lowe's development in the state and Lowe's will install state of the art pollution control measures to better protect and improve water quality in Potash Brook watershed and Lake Champlain. CLF, along with the Vermont Public Interest Research Group, and Vermont Smartgrowth Collaborative, has also succeeded in stalling the construction of the Chittenden County Circumferential Highway, because the project was based on flawed and outdated environmental analysis. The administration of Vermont Governor Jim Douglas
Jim Douglas
James H. Douglas is an American politician from the U.S. state of Vermont. A Republican, he was elected the 80th Governor of Vermont in 2002 and was reelected three times with a majority of the vote...
has noted that "CLF has been the loyal obstructionist to many projects in the state, without regard to compromise."
Senator John H. Chafee Environmental Leadership Award
The Senator John H. Chafee Environmental Leadership Award was created to honor the late Rhode Island Senator John H. Chafee, who provided a model of environmental leadership during his years of public service. CLF notes that its commitment to pursuing non-partisan solutions to complex environmental problems is in the spirit of Senator Chafee’s lifetime dedication to tackling the toughest environmental challenges facing New England and the nation.Past Honorees
2004 - Harold Ward (professor, Brown UniversityBrown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
)
2002 - Bruce Babbitt
Bruce Babbitt
Bruce Edward Babbitt , a Democrat, served as United States Secretary of the Interior and as the 16th governor of Arizona, from 1978 to 1987.-Biography:...
(former Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior)
2001 - Donella Meadows
Donella Meadows
Donella H. "Dana" Meadows was a pioneering American environmental scientist, teacher and writer. She is best known as lead author of the influential book The Limits to Growth, which made headlines around the world.- Life :Born in Elgin, Illinois, Meadows was educated in science, receiving a B.A...
(author, environmentalist)
See also
- A-CHAMP (Advocates for Children's Health Affected by Mercury Poisoning) (in the US)
- Environmental Law ServiceEnvironmental Law ServiceEnvironmental Law Service is a Czech non-governmental organization of lawyers who use law to further the public interest. Based in Tábor, its Czech name is Ekologický právní servis . It has a second office at Brno....
(ELS) (a Czech non-governmental organization of lawyers)