A pipeline company’s plan to bring Canadian tar sands oil to the port at South Portland, Maine, included building a pair of 70-foot-high smokestacks next to the city’s beloved Bug Light Park. Credit: PT Washburn/CC-BY-2.0 This ICN story was also published in the Boston Globe . A federal judge has ruled that the coastal city of South Portland, Maine, did not violate the U.S. Constitution when it passed an ordinance that blocked a local pipeline company from bringing tar sands oil through its port. For the city of 25,000, the ruling was a surprise victory after years of fighting what felt like an impossible battle against some of the world’s biggest oil companies, which lined up to support the Portland Pipe Line Corporation (PPLC). Provided the ruling survives an appeal, it slams the door on a significant plan to ship Canadian tar sands oil, one of the most carbon-intensive fuels on the planet, to the East Coast for export to international markets, and it could offer a guide for other communities hoping to block energy projects. "For other communities looking at opposing fossil fuel infrastructure, this case is a blueprint for how you should do it," said Patrick Parenteau, […]

Latest Articles
United Airlines Will Invest in Carbon Capture En Route to Net Zero Emissions
United Airlines Boeing 737 takes off from Los Angeles international Airport on November 11, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. AaronP / Bauer-Griffin /...
6 Eco-Friendly Kitchen Hacks You Need to Try Today
The average American kitchen is incredibly inefficient and not eco-friendly. From water-guzzling appliances to immense amounts of food waste, we all need to...
The Surprising Environmental Benefits of Using an Organic Mattress
There are a lot of things that you need to keep in mind when you are trying to live a green lifestyle ....
The secret power of old growth
More than ever, as the Forest Service seeks to undo logging restrictions, we need to embrace the crucial way old-growth forests keep the...
From Store to Door with Minimal Impact: How Companies Are Eco-Friendly Innovators
Even without the pandemic turning the world on its head in 2020, fast courier services are quickly becoming popular for a generation that...
A Reuse Renaissance Continues to Reshape Mexico City
A balcony at Círculo Mexicano Courtesy Gabriel Monroy The practice of converting aging buildings for different, more timely functions isn’t new in Mexico...