After years of advocacy from CLF and our partners, Massachusetts has passed a critical climate and environmental justice bill that updates our existing climate law and adds protections for historically marginalized communities.
“Massachusetts is already seeing the impacts of the climate crisis so we must continue to lead on bold climate policy,” said Caitlin Peale Sloan, Interim Director of CLF Massachusetts. “As this bill becomes law, we can finally begin the essential work of slashing emissions and creating a safer, more sustainable future for all residents. Governor Baker must work quickly to implement new rules that ensure the state’s ambitious climate goals are realized.”
Massachusetts legislators overwhelmingly passed critical climate and justice legislation. But Governor Baker vetoed the bill – choosing not only to ignore sound science, but also to let decades of racist policy targeting low-income, Black, and Brown communities go unchallenged.
“On Earth Day, we cheered as Governor Baker declared net-zero emissions by 2050 an enforceable order under the state’s landmark climate law,” said CLF President Bradley Campbell. “With the stroke of his veto pen, the Governor has mocked this commitment he trumpeted just nine months ago. This irresponsible veto – admittedly at the behest of special interest lobbyists – deprives the Commonwealth’s families and businesses of the tools they need to cut emissions in a just and economically beneficial way. The Governor has drastically set us back in reaching our climate goals.”
On the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, the Baker administration announced that Massachusetts will make reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 legally binding under the state’s Global Warming Solutions Act. However, the state’s landmark climate law still needs a clear path forward to reach that goal.
“It is encouraging to see that Governor Baker has recognized this growing public health crisis and has proposed real dollars to fund a solution,” said Alyssa Rayman-Read, Vice President and Director of CLF Massachusetts. “With the federal government shirking its responsibility, New England’s leaders must step up and commit more than lip service to solving this problem. Families deserve drinking water that is free from these poisonous chemicals.”
This week, CLF joined with a host of partner organizations to lend support for Governor Charlie Baker’s home energy scorecard program.The program, outlined in H. 4371, An Act relative to consumer access to residential energy information, would require homeowners to undertake a home energy audit and include a home energy scorecard when they sell their… Continue reading New Home Energy Audit Bill Has Right Idea But Wrong Funding
As we close out a month in which the Massachusetts coast was hit with three nor’easters – and narrowly missed a fourth – Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) is still considering whether to allow Wheelabrator to continue dumping huge quantities of ash from its trash incinerator into its adjacent landfill in Saugus. The Agency’s… Continue reading Deadline Looms for Decision on Expansion of Dangerous Landfill in Saugus
The MBTA is crying wolf… again, predicting a deficit of $111 million in its next fiscal budget. The potential solution? Raise fares on riders, again. Governor Baker seems to agree, stating on Valentine’s Day that the MBTA should be discussing a fare increase. I’m not sure that was the best way to spread the love, especially to… Continue reading MBTA Raises the Specter of Fare Hikes (Again)
