Protecting water quality in New England.

• Position: Around the States - Brief Article

MORE THAN 30 YEARS AFTER PASSAGE of the federal Clean Water Act, many New England water bodies remain polluted. Thanks to CLF, progress has been made toward the cleanup of bays and harbors in the region, most notably in Boston and New Bedford, Massachusetts and Portland, Maine.

But today, sprawling development patterns contribute to an epidemic of stormwater pollution. When rain runs off impervious surfaces such as parking lots, roads and roofs, it picks up oils and other toxic substances, carrying them into nearby waterways. Stormwater pollution is one of the most pervasive environmental...