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Conservation Law Foundation Discusses Environmental Advocacy During Trump Era

Brad Campbell (left), Deanna Moran (center) and Tom Irwin (right)
Conservation Law Foundation
Brad Campbell (left), Deanna Moran (center) and Tom Irwin (right)

The Conservation Law Foundation, which has regional chapters in Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts, held a year in review teleconference Thursday to discuss environmental issues in the age of President Trump.
Conservation Law Foundation officials discussed a broad range of policies and issues, including climate change, the federal tax plan and its implications for industry and environmental policies, lead,  emissions, clean water, and environmental strategies during the Trump administration.  

CLF President Brad Campbell says the first year of the Republican administration has been rife with challenges.  “Everyone I think is familiar with the fact that Trump pulled out of the Paris Climate Accord.  But it’s even worse than that in the sense that he’s adopting rules or proposing rules that would take us backwards in many areas. And for example a recent rule by Trump’s Department of Energy would actually prop up coal plants.  So on that side of the ledger we have a lot of new challenges and are playing a lot more defense. On the positive side the President’s message, and particularly his withdrawal from Paris, has had a galvanizing effect.”

While the CLF representatives criticized the federal administration’s environmental policies, Campbell says there is bipartisan work on climate change and the environment happening in New England.   “Everyone’s united about the values and the resources that we treasure here in New England.  You know we’re seeing two Republican governors in New England join the climate alliance but we’re not seeing that elsewhere in the country. What’s happening in Washington really constrains some of the people who would otherwise be leaders on these issues. So it’s definitely having a dampening effect but there’s really a bipartisan tradition in New England. And we think that may be strengthening a little bit in response to the Trump phenomenon.”

CLF Director of Environmental Planning Deanna Moran notes New England officials are creating what she calls needed climate adaptation and emergency response polices.  "Massachusetts has definitely come to the forefront as a leader.  But at the same time we haven’t seen a lot happen on the ground. And so that’s really going to be CLF’s focus is pushing those implementation efforts.  Today in any New England state if we were to get a Hurricane Harvey or a Hurricane Sandy or even a storm with half the intensity of those storms there would be very serious consequences. And to really get ready and prepare communities for those impacts we need to start thinking about how we implement climate resilient standards and codes for development.  And we really haven’t seen that shift yet in long term land use and planning decisions.”

New Hampshire CLF Director Tom Irwin said the EPA has not dealt with perfluorinated chemicals in water systems so the New England states are taking the lead.   “Vermont has a very aggressive standard for protecting people from perfluorinated chemicals.  New Jersey as well. So there are states that are moving forward.  And Representative (Democrat Mindi) Messmer she pushed legislation in the New Hampshire legislature on this very issue of more stringent standards to protect drinking water and ground water resources from perfluorinated chemicals. I think that battle will continue.”

The Conservation Law Foundation says it sees opportunities for 2018 including on carbon neutrality policies and corporate leadership in climate adaptation. But CLF leaders anticipate the federal tax plan being negotiated in Congress could negatively impact the renewable energy industry.