Out with the old, in with the new: New England is at a critical moment in energy transformation.

• Position: CLEAN ENERGY & CLIMATE CHANGE

Electricity: we need it to run hospitals, to heat our showers, to make our coffee in the mornings. Modern life in New England depends on it. But as we go about our daily lives, how aware are we of where our electricity comes from? CLF is working hard to ensure that the source of that power is clean, environmentally sound, and responsibly managed.

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Much of our energy infrastructure is aging and increasingly obsolete, causing harm to the environment, the economy, and the public. Our power plants emit far too much climate-warming C [O.sub.2], leaky old nuclear power plants still persist, and we waste far more energy than we should.

However, this is all changing. Our electric system is at a critical tipping point, where economic and environmental realities are fostering massive change, sending old, coal-fired power plants and other inefficient sources of energy into an irreparable downward spiral. With much of the existing power plants reaching the end of their useful life, we have a unique opportunity to build a well-designed, cleaner energy infrastructure to serve us for the coming decades.

For the sake of our environment and our communities, its important to get this right, and CLF has been at the forefront of ushering in change.

For the first time in decades, the dirtiest sources of energy cannot compete with newer natural gas power plants and renewables like wind and solar. In fact, natural gas-fired power plants generate 52% of New England's electricity today, and this number is expected to grow. The region is now wrestling with a new reality where natural gas has conquered coal and oil.

But are we becoming too reliant on naturals gas, another fossil fuel with greenhouse gas emissions and major adverse impacts from the wellhead to your home? Many are wondering whether this is a case of having too much of a good thing. Natural gas is not without its problems. Due to aging, leaky pipes, costly methane leaks are emitting greenhouse gases into the air. CLF recently released a report, "Into Thin Air", detailing an accurate accounting of these leaks.

Market forces and technology advancements are creating a demand for cleaner, healthier, and more efficient sources of energy. CLF is actively involved in advocating for new renewable energy initiatives, as well as legislation that creates incentives for meeting our region's demand for clean energy. We are proactively addressing the future implications of natural gas...