Conservation Law Foundation

Yesterday, Rhode Island stopped an eleventh-hour push to pass a bill that would allow utility companies to own power plants in the state. The move would have rewritten a 30-year-old law prohibiting such ownership, potentially leaving energy customers responsible for the costs of expensive power plant investments.

This attempt to overturn the law tried to take advantage of the very end of a legislative session, which would have allowed the bill to skirt thorough review and public scrutiny of its potential impacts.

CLF and other environmental advocates quickly raised concerns about the proposal, prompting lawmakers to pull the bill from consideration. The decision marks a significant victory and preserves longstanding protections for Rhode Island energy customers.

Puffins have to be some of the cutest seabirds out there, right? ❤️

Atlantic puffins nest on secluded offshore islands in Maine and often winter in the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument.

Fun fact - a group of these birds is called an improbability of puffins!

For 120 years, the Antiquities Act has helped safeguard our nation’s most important natural treasures. As we celebrate its anniversary today, we're defending that legacy in court, suing to block the Trump administration's attempt to open the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument to commercial fishing.

Protected places should stay protected. Make the pledge: https://act.clf.org/page/99054/petition/1?ea.tracking.id=FBorganic

Are you feeling extra sneezy this spring?

It’s not just you. Climate change is making allergy season longer and more intense, turning seasonal allergies into a growing public health issue.

Our North Atlantic right whales have endured ship strikes, entanglement, commercial whaling, and habitat disruption. Today, less than 400 remain.

Protecting them means stronger vessel speed rules, safer fishing practices, and policies rooted in science before it’s too late.

The ocean’s future depends on what we choose to protect now. 🐋

Illustrations by

We're kicking off with a very important, very real PSA ... get rid of all that negative ocean talk! If you find yourself in the habit of using any of these phrases, don't worry - we've provided some alternatives for you 🌊

Unchecked data center development could lead to soaring utility bills and polluting emissions. Earlier this week, Vermont passed a law in a near-unanimous vote that would protect the state's residents and environment. Despite overwhelming support, Governor Phil Scott vetoed the bill.

But the fight isn't over. The bill can now return to a veto session, and if at least two-thirds of the House and Senate remain in favor of the rule that the vast majority already supported, the law will be enacted despite the governor's opposition.

Vermonters: you can still make a difference by urging your legislators to remain firm in their stance. Tell them to enact this law and protect the state from dirty, polluting data centers: https://act.clf.org/page/98758/action/1?ea.tracking.id=FBorganic

Fewer than 400 North Atlantic right whales remain. Trump wants to eliminate the vessel speed limits that help protect them from deadly boat strikes anyway.

These speed limits are the only proven way to reduce collisions, one of the leading causes of death for right whales. Removing them would put this critically endangered species at even greater risk. Experts say that even one human-caused death is too many for this species.

The time for public comment ends June 1. This is our chance to speak up before these protections disappear.

Make your voice heard before it's too late: https://act.clf.org/page/98267/action/1?ea.tracking.id=FBorganic

The conversation around offshore wind has gotten loud, and in a lot of cases, intentionally misleading.

Protecting marine life and transitioning away from fossil fuels are not opposing goals. Both matter, and both require decisions grounded in science, not fear-based narratives funded by the fossil fuel industry.

Healthy oceans depend on reducing carbon pollution, limiting offshore drilling, and investing in renewable energy solutions that are developed responsibly alongside strong wildlife protections.

Read more: https://www.clf.org/blog/do-offshore-wind-farms-kill-whales-evidence-says-no/