“We don’t believe this is easier to do now”

"THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE between Gov. Charlie Baker and the Legislature on climate change legislation comes down to an issue where the two sides don’t seem very far apart at all.

Baker, in his roadmap for getting to net zero emissions by 2050, set a target for 2030 of a 45 percent reduction in emissions below a benchmark level. The Legislature, in the measure it passed at the end of last year’s legislation session, approved a 50 percent reduction. It was a mere 5-point difference, which lawmakers and environmental advocates dismissed as little more than a rounding error, but the Baker administration insisted it was a very big deal.

In his January 14 letter vetoing the legislation, Baker for the first time said those five percentage points would unnecessarily cost state residents $6 billion. Sen. Michael Barrett of Lexington, the Senate’s point person on climate change, said he had never heard the number before, and hinted it might have been made up. Environmental advocates were also dismissive. House Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka say they are determined to send the bill back to the governor as is.

Now, Kathleen Theoharides, the governor’s secretary of energy and environmental affairs, is explaining where the number came from and why the difference between 45 percent and 50 percent is so substantial. "

Continue reading the article online   https://commonwealthmagazine.org/environment/theoharides-explains-6b-cost-figure/ 

350 Mass Greater Franklin Node Meeting, Thursday January 21, 7:00 PM

Hello to our members and supporters. The Greater Franklin Node of  350 Massachusetts will meet this week, Thursday, January 7th, at 7:00 pm.  Here are the the Zoom details, and a preview of the meeting.

 

Join Zoom Meeting. 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86301333214?pwd=ZThLbEN4Ny9BOXBCdkgySlowYVFaQT09
Meeting ID: 863 0133 3214
Passcode: 350ma
Audio by phone: +1 646 876 9923  

 

There's no need to RSVP, and we'll send a reminder on Thursday.

 

This week we will devote much of the meeting to consider proposals for the 2021-2022 350 Mass Campaign. The Statewide Steering Team has collected proposals from throughout the organization, and all the Nodes are now weighing in.

       There are 13 proposals that we will review and rank. On the attached document you will find a form listing the proposals and providing links for more background (i.e., a video of a meeting at which the proposals were presented, the agenda from that meeting with links to descriptions of the proposals, and a file with short summaries of each).

       You are welcome to give us your input on the proposals. You may join the meeting on Thursday, or—if you are unable to attend—you can spend some time before Thursday evening to review the proposals and fill out the form and return it to ralph.halpern@comcast.net. 

       Whether you've been active in the past or not, we are happy to include you in this important planning and our upcoming projects. 

 

On another matter, we and our allies in the climate movement are very disappointed that Governor Baker chose to veto the Next Generation Roadmap Climate Bill, a bill that thousands of Massachusetts residents like you worked relentlessly to see passed into law. The Governor's excuses are misleading and disingenuous. Please read this article with our response.    

     Thankfully, all is not lost, as the House and Senate leadership have refiled this landmark legislation, promising to return it to the governor with enough votes to override a veto if it comes.      

      Action step: We must call, email and tweet at our representatives and state senators, urging them to resubmit the bill as is. Share this op-ed in CommonWealth Magazine and use the hashtag #VetoProofClimateBill to call on our legislators to support the bill once again. 

 

Thanks for your participation and support.

 

Node Co-coordinators,

Carolyn Barthel

Ralph Halpern

 

 

ralph.halpern@comcast.net

781-784-3839 (h)

339-203-5017 (c)

Statement from House Speaker Ronald Mariano and Senate President Karen E. Spilka - Climate Change Legislation

"The ambitious and ground breaking climate bill that we sent with overwhelming bipartisan support from both the Senate and the House meets the urgency of the global climate crisis. Months of work was exhaustively studied by members of the conference committee, and the result was a bill that rejects the false choice between economic growth and addressing climate change. We must combat climate change while also maintaining a thriving economy and expanding the housing stock that will ensure future, sustainable growth.  The legislation sent to the Governor showed how it can be done.

Today, the House and Senate introduce this legislation as written and passed. We are confident that members of the House and Senate will again act with urgency by swiftly sending this bill back to Governor Baker's desk."  

 

and from CommonWealth Magazine articles on the climate change legislation:

Questions on Baker’s $6b climate change cost estimate

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/the-download/questions-on-bakers-6b-climate-change-cost-estimate-2/

Debunking Baker’s 6 reasons for climate veto

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/opinion/debunking-bakers-6-reasons-for-climate-veto/

Mariano, Spilka take defiant tone on climate change

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/environment/mariano-spilka-take-defiant-tone-on-climate-change/

Boston Globe: "As the planet warms faster, scientists study controversial ways to lower temperatures"

"As the planet continues to warm at an accelerating rate, scientists are looking into a potential insurance policy, a radical way of curbing climate change by altering the climate system itself.

A team at Harvard University this summer plans to conduct the first of a series of highly controversial tests of what’s known as solar geoengineering, a way to reduce global warming by spreading particles in the atmosphere to reflect sunlight back into space.   

If an advisory board authorizes them to proceed, the scientists plan to travel in June to a remote part of northern Sweden, where they’ll launch a giant balloon into the stratosphere to test whether they can adequately maneuver an instrument-filled gondola suspended below. If all goes well, the team later this year plans for the first time to inject a small amount of calcium carbonate — a common substance found in rocks — into the atmosphere to better understand how the chemical compound might be used to moderate temperatures on the ground."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/01/17/metro/planet-warms-faster-scientists-study-controversial-ways-lower-temperatures/

“Reluctantly, I cannot sign this legislation as currently written"

"Governor Charlie Baker vetoed a far-reaching package of climate change and energy legislation Thursday, rejecting — perhaps temporarily — a bill that would have set the state on a path to in effect eliminate its carbon emissions over the next three decades.

The move disappointed but didn’t surprise lawmakers and advocates, who had feared the Republican governor would veto the bill, despite having laid out his own ambitious plan to achieve zero emissions on a net basis by 2050.

The legislation, considered the state’s most sweeping measure to address climate change since the landmark Global Warming Solutions Act in 2008, would have required the state to reduce its emissions by 50 percent below 1990 levels by the end of the decade."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/01/15/metro/reluctantly-governor-vetoes-mass-climate-change-bill-it-may-soon-be-back-his-desk/

Direct link to Climate legislation doc: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/S2995

 

CommonWealth Magazine article:  https://commonwealthmagazine.org/environment/in-veto-letter-baker-objects-to-a-lot-in-climate-change-bill/

 

Statement from Senate President Karen E. Spilka and House Speaker Ronald Mariano:

“Climate change is the greatest existential threat facing our state, our nation, and our planet, and so Governor Baker should sign the climate change bill that is now on his desk. Should he not take this important step, the Senate and House are united in our intention to refile and pass the conference committee bill in its entirety and get it onto the Governor’s desk in the coming days.”

CommonWealth Magazine: Will Gov Baker sign the climate bill?

"For Baker, crunch time on climate change"

"LAST WEEK, a bipartisan climate bill passed with overwhelming majorities in the Massachusetts House and Senate. Gov. Charlie Baker now has to choose – by Thursday at midnight – between cementing his and the Commonwealth’s position as climate leaders, or withholding the tools needed for Massachusetts to comply with its own climate law.

A broad coalition of business, health, environmental, and environmental justice groups supports the bill. It includes key efforts that the Baker administration and the Legislature alike have deemed essential: offshore wind, better appliance efficiency standards, natural gas safety measures, and much more. Critically, the bill updates the state’s Global Warming Solutions Act by including a mandate to reduce state emissions to net zero by 2050, and centers environmental justice in policy-making. This bill sets the course for decarbonizing our economy and society over the next 30 years."

Continue reading the article

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/opinion/for-baker-crunch-time-on-climate-change/

 

Direct link to Climate legislation doc: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/S2995

 

Statement from Senate President Karen E. Spilka and House Speaker Ronald Mariano

“Climate change is the greatest existential threat facing our state, our nation, and our planet, and so Governor Baker should sign the climate change bill that is now on his desk. Should he not take this important step, the Senate and House are united in our intention to refile and pass the conference committee bill in its entirety and get it onto the Governor’s desk in the coming days.”

Legislature Passes Landmark Climate Change Bill

Senate President Karen Spilka (@KarenSpilka) tweeted on Mon, Jan 04, 2021:

Today, we took a historic step in the fight against climate change, putting Massachusetts on the path to creating a cleaner, greener and healthier future for the next generation! 1/4 https://t.co/X2hlYg3BXM

The Massachusetts Legislature today passed breakthrough climate legislation that overhauls the state’s climate laws, drives down greenhouse gas emissions, creates clean energy jobs, and protects environmental justice communities.

The bill, An Act Creating a Next-Generation Roadmap for Massachusetts Climate Policy (S.2995), sets a 2050 net-zero greenhouse gas emissions limit, as well as statewide limits every five years; increases the requirements for offshore wind energy procurement bringing the statewide total to 5,600 megawatts; requires emission reduction goals for MassSave, the state’s energy efficiency program; and, for the first time, establishes the criteria in statute that define environmental justice populations. The legislation also increases support for clean energy workforce development programs including those targeting low-income communities and improves gas pipeline safety.

“This legislation takes a historic step in the fight against climate change, putting Massachusetts on the path to creating a cleaner, greener and healthier future for the next generation,” stated Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “I am thrilled to see this legislation codifies our shared goal of reducing harmful carbon emissions to zero by 2050, and creates new energy initiatives and standards to help us reach that target. I want to thank Senator Barrett, Representative Golden and their fellow conferees for their advocacy and hard work, as well as Speaker Mariano and former Speaker DeLeo for their partnership in seeing this bill through to fruition. I’d also like to note how much the Senate has been inspired to action by the energy and determination demonstrated by the young people of this Commonwealth. Your commitment to protecting our planet is inspiring and I welcome your continued collaboration as we move forward together in addressing our climate crisis.”

“This legislation represents a major piece of climate legislation that will set the course of the Commonwealth for the next three decades,” said House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano (D-Quincy).  “Today we send a message loud and clear that Massachusetts will empower our environmental justice communities, achieve net zero emissions by 2050, continue to lead on offshore wind, increase equitable access to our clean energy programs, and create pathways to clean energy jobs for underserved and low-income communities.”

“Amid the unprecedented public health and economic challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, I’m proud of the Legislature’s ongoing commitment to protecting our environment,” said former House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo (D-Winthrop). “The actions the House and Senate took today will keep Massachusetts on-track to lead the nation in clean energy and environmental policies. Thank you to Speaker Mariano, Chair Golden and my colleagues in the House for their commitment to legislation that will help to grow our clean energy economy, address environmental justice concerns, and bolster our efforts to address the effects of climate change.”

“This bill steps up the pace of our collective drive to contain climate change,” said Senator Mike Barrett (D-Lexington), Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy.  “It’s the strongest effort of its kind in the country.  With the tools the Legislature assembles here, we’re constructing the response we need and providing a blueprint to other states.”

“It has been a pleasure to work with my House and Senate colleagues on the conference committee on this historic climate bill,” said Representative Thomas A. Golden, Jr. (D-Lowell), Chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy.  “I owe a special debt of gratitude to Speaker Mariano for his invaluable mentorship over my six years as House energy chair.  It is his long-standing recognition of Massachusetts’ opportunity to play a leadership role in offshore wind and his fearless commitment to push forward when others hang back that have led us to advance legislation as ambitious as the Next Generation Roadmap bill.”

“This bill continues our commitment to reducing harmful carbon emissions, and enacting policies of environmental equity. We have made sure to include enforceability and compliance rules, so we reach our net-zero goals,” said Senate Majority Leader Cindy Creem (D-Newton).  “I am so pleased that we also require public hearings on whether classifying biomass as renewable can actually be scientifically justified. And I am proud we will now regulate natural gas as the damaging fossil fuel that it is and strengthen policies to prevent gas leaks and encourage renewable geothermal alternatives.”

“As the birthplace of the offshore wind industry in the United States, Massachusetts sets an example to the nation for its leadership on climate policy and today’s action by the legislature further cements that legacy,” said Representative Patricia Haddad (D-Somerset). “The House, along with our colleagues in the Senate, took steps today to increase the use of renewable energy, cut greenhouse gasses and create clean energy jobs in Massachusetts. I thank Speaker Mariano, former Speaker DeLeo and Chair Golden for their leadership and work on these important issues.”

“This is an historic day for Massachusetts. We have long been one of the clean energy leaders in our country, but today, we’ve strengthened the foundation that we have built upon and chart a course that has been long discussed but never codified or fully implemented,” said Senator Patrick O’Connor (R-Weymouth). “Climate policy can’t wait – that’s why this bipartisan legislation sets aggressive and practical goals in the areas of emissions reduction, green energy, environmental justice, and grid modernization. I am proud to have served on this conference committee and thank my colleagues for their hard work and collaborative spirit in crafting this legislation.”

“The climate change bill takes a comprehensive approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, including recognizing how forests and other natural and working lands can be used to promote carbon sequestration and help Massachusetts reach its goal of net-zero emissions by 2050,” said House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading). “It also incorporates municipal lighting plants as partners in these efforts by setting greenhouse gas emissions standards and establishing an equal playing field for these facilities. I’m proud to have served on the conference committee that produced this historic bill which reaffirms Massachusetts’ role as a national leader on clean energy issues.”

The legislation includes, among other items, the following provisions.

 -   Sets a statewide net zero limit on greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and mandates emissions limits every five years, as well as limits for specific sectors of the economy, including transportation and buildings.
 -   Codifies environmental justice provisions into Massachusetts law, defining environmental justice populations and providing new tools and protections for affected neighborhoods.
 -   Requires an additional 2,400 megawatts of offshore wind, building on previous legislation action and increases the total to 5,600 megawatts in the Commonwealth.
 -   Directs the Department of Public Utilities (DPU), regulator of the state's electric and natural gas utilities, to balance priorities going forward: system safety, system security, reliability, affordability, equity, and, significantly, reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
 -   Sets appliance energy efficiency standards for a variety of common appliance including plumbing, faucets, computers, and commercial appliances.
 -   Adopts several measures aimed at improves gas pipeline safety, including increased fines for safety violations and regulations related to training and certifying utility contractors.
 -   Increases the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) by 3 percent each year from 2025 – 2029, resulting in 40 percent renewable energy by 2030.
 -   Establishes an opt-in municipal net zero energy stretch code, including a definition of “net zero building.”
 -   Prioritizes equitable access to the state’s solar programs by low-income communities
 -   Establishes $12 million in annual funding for the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center in order to create a pathway to the clean energy industry for environmental justice populations and minority-owned and women-owned businesses.
 -   Provides solar incentives for businesses by exempting them from the net metering cap to allow them to install solar systems on their premises to help offset their electricity use and save money.
 -   Requires utilities to include an explicit value for greenhouse gas reductions when they calculate the cost-effectiveness of an offering of MassSave.
 -   Creates a first-time greenhouse gas emissions standard for municipal lighting plants that requires them to purchase 50 percent non-emitting electricity by 2030 and “net zero” by 2050.
 -   Sets benchmarks for the adoption of clean energy technologies including electric vehicles, charging stations, solar technology, energy storage, heat pumps and anaerobic digestors.

The bill is now with the governor.

 

Direct link to the legislation text https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/S2995

 

a historic step in the fight against climate change

Speaker Ron Mariano: Climate Conference Committee Report

Speaker Ron Mariano (@RonMariano) tweeted on Sun, Jan 03, 2021:

"The climate conference committee has filed its report.

I'm grateful for the work of the House conferees, @rephaddad, @RepBradJones & especially the House's lead negotiator, @tomtipagolden.

Read the full report here: https://t.co/JAWRHJPsog "

Shared from Twitter: https://t.co/A0ARnCdkdG

Direct link to MA Legislature page  https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/S2995

 

The Boston Globe article:  https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/01/03/metro/state-lawmakers-announce-deal-climate-change-bill/

CommonWealth Magazine article:  https://commonwealthmagazine.org/energy/lawmakers-release-compromise-climate-change-bill/

 

 

Speaker Ron Mariano: Climate Conference Committee Report

 

MAEnergy Environment: 2050 Roadmap Report & 2030 Clean Energy and Climate Plan

"Building on @MassGovernor's ambitious commitment to achieve Net Zero GHG emissions by 2050, @MassEEA today (12/30/20) released its 2050 Roadmap Report & 2030 Clean Energy and Climate Plan to equitably & cost-effectively meet MA's #climate goals."

Road map link: https://t.co/8R90L1AaiA 

Shared from Twitter: https://t.co/eubtOAc1dA

Roadmap direct link

https://www.mass.gov/news/baker-polito-administration-releases-roadmap-to-achieve-net-zero-emissions-by-2050

2050 Roadmap Report & 2030 Clean Energy and Climate Plan

From The Guardian: Yes, climate crisis stickers coming soon to gas stations in Cambridge, MA

From The Guardian: Yes, climate crisis stickers coming soon to gas stations in Cambridge, MA.

Cambridge, Massachusetts, has become the first US city to mandate the placing of stickers on fuel pumps to warn drivers of the resulting dangers posed by the climate crisis.

The final design of the bright yellow stickers, shared with the Guardian, includes text that warns drivers the burning of gasoline, diesel and ethanol has “major consequences on human health and the environment including contributing to climate change”.

The stickers will be placed on all fuel pumps in Cambridge, which is situated near Boston and is home to Harvard University, “fairly soon” once they are received from printers, a city spokesman confirmed.

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/dec/25/massachusetts-city-to-post-climate-change-warning-stickers-at-gas-stations

And from FastCompany

https://www.fastcompany.com/90585821/these-new-gas-pump-warning-labels-remind-you-about-climate-change-while-you-fill-up

The ordinance was modified in Jan 2020 and at least part of it (referring to self-service stations) can be viewed on the Cambridge page

https://library.municode.com/ma/cambridge/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT8HESA_CH8.12GASEST_8.12.010SERVSTRE&showChanges=true

climate crisis stickers coming soon to gas stations in Cambridge, MA

In the News: by the numbers, there are highs and lows

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin: 

"The state Department of Public Health reported an additional 702 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Friday, bringing the statewide total to 139,353.

There were 14,962 new molecular tests conducted, with an approximately 4.69% daily positive rate. That is the highest rate since June 6."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20201016/mass-reports-highest-covid-19-test-positivity-rate-since-june-6---469?rssfeed=true

 

"The state’s unemployment rate dropped into single digits in September after spending five months above 10%, as employers reported adding 36,900 jobs and Massachusetts continued its economic recovery from the sudden COVID-inflicted recession.

State labor officials announced Friday that the unemployment rate declined to 9.6% in September, 1.8 percentage points below the revised August rate of 11.4%.

The state unemployment rate is now the lowest it has been since March, the last month of data that did not fully reflect the massive layoffs prompted by government-mandated shutdowns and large-scale shifts in consumer behavior to avoid public health risks."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)  

https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20201016/mass-jobless-rate-falls-below-10?rssfeed=true

 

“The weather is just getting more and more extreme,” she said, noting that while droughts are happening in this part of the world, other areas are seeing record rainfall and hurricanes.

Earlier this month, Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides declared a Level 3 Critical Drought in the southeast region of the state. When such a declaration is made, it means “many sectors, community functions and environmental resources are facing critical strain” due to the drought, according to the state’s drought management plan.

In September, Theoharides declared all seven regions of the state at a Level 2 Critical Drought Level, which called for more restrictions on water use and greater collaboration between the state and municipalities."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20201016/recent-rain-too-little-too-late-for-farmers-hit-by-drought?rssfeed=true  

Town Common walkway as the fallen leaves are gathered

NY Times Magazine: "How Climate Migration Will Reshape America"

This article, the second in a series on global climate migration, is a partnership between ProPublica and The New York Times Magazine, with support from the Pulitzer Center. Read Part 1: 

"August besieged California with a heat unseen in generations. A surge in air-conditioning broke the state’s electrical grid, leaving a population already ravaged by the coronavirus to work remotely by the dim light of their cellphones. By midmonth, the state had recorded possibly the hottest temperature ever measured on earth — 130 degrees in Death Valley — and an otherworldly storm of lightning had cracked open the sky. From Santa Cruz to Lake Tahoe, thousands of bolts of electricity exploded down onto withered grasslands and forests, some of them already hollowed out by climate-driven infestations of beetles and kiln-dried by the worst five-year drought on record. Soon, California was on fire.

Over the next two weeks, 900 blazes incinerated six times as much land as all the state’s 2019 wildfires combined, forcing 100,000 people from their homes. Three of the largest fires in history burned simultaneously in a ring around the San Francisco Bay Area. Another fire burned just 12 miles from my home in Marin County. I watched as towering plumes of smoke billowed from distant hills in all directions and air tankers crisscrossed the skies. Like many Californians, I spent those weeks worrying about what might happen next, wondering how long it would be before an inferno of 60-foot flames swept up the steep, grassy hillside on its way toward my own house, rehearsing in my mind what my family would do to escape.

But I also had a longer-term question, about what would happen once this unprecedented fire season ended. Was it finally time to leave for good?"

 

Continue reading the article online

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/09/15/magazine/climate-crisis-migration-america.html

Read Part 1 here

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/07/23/magazine/climate-migration.html

In the News: "conditions have made 2020 a record-setter"

 From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"Texas and Louisiana may have braced for the worst this week as back-to-back hurricanes Marco and Laura barreled toward them, but in this record-setting Atlantic hurricane season, almost every coastal U.S. state east of the Mississippi River should also be on high alert. 

All but one of the 18 states bordering the Atlantic Ocean or Gulf of Mexico face a greater risk this year of a hurricane strike, according to the forecast from Colorado State University’s Department of Atmospheric Science, which has issued seasonal hurricane forecasts every year since 1984. 

Only New Hampshire’s risk remains unchanged at a 1% chance of a direct hit. Every other state’s risk increased by 33-100%. 

In Massachusetts, the CSU team predicted the odds of a land-falling hurricane this year at 10%, compared to a historical probability of 6%."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200827/massachusetts-at-greater-risk-of-hurricanes-in-record-setting-storm-season?rssfeed=true

In the News: "conditions have made 2020 a record-setter"

The Guardian: "Revealed: how the gas industry is waging war against climate action"

From The Guardian, an article of interest to Franklin:

"When progressive Seattle decided last year to wipe out its climate pollution within the decade, the city council vote in favor was unsurprisingly unanimous, and the easiest first step on that path was clear.

About one-third of the city’s climate footprint comes from buildings, in large part from burning “natural” gas for heating and cooking. Gas is a fossil fuel that releases carbon dioxide and far more potent methane into the atmosphere and heats the planet. It is plentiful and cheap, and it’s also a huge and increasing part of America’s climate challenge.

...

The effort died. The ban wasn’t politically tenable, it seemed.

But internal records obtained by the Guardian show the measure’s defeat and the “wall of opposition” that advocates experienced were part of a sophisticated pushback plan from Seattle’s gas supplier, Puget Sound Energy.

Seattle’s story isn’t unique. In fact, it’s representative of a nationwide blitz by gas companies and their allies to beat back climate action they consider an existential threat to their business, according to emails, meeting agendas and public records reviewed by the Guardian."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/aug/20/gas-industry-waging-war-against-climate-action

The Guardian: "Revealed: how the gas industry is waging war against climate action"

New climate legislation on Beacon Hill: The Climate Minute (podcast)

"Climate legislation moved forward in the Massachusetts legislature recently. Both the House and the Senate have passed slightly different versions of a bill. We talk about what is included and left out of these bills with Tim Cronin of Climate XChange."

 

Franklin radar picked up via Twitter

https://twitter.com/TedMcIntyre100/status/1291726465709625345?s=09

New climate legislation on Beacon Hill: The Climate Minute

Two updates on the climate "Roadmap bill"

350 Mass' email newsletter has this update to summarize legislative action on the Roadmap bill.

"Friends, 

On Friday night at 9 PM the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed The 2050 Roadmap bill. Introduced by Rep Meschino, this bill updates the Global Warming Solutions Act and commits the state to create a roadmap to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. 

This bill is the House’s response to the Senate Climate package passed in January of 2020. Both houses passing overarching climate policy demonstrates the power of grassroots organizing and coalition building. 

In this legislative session that began January 2019, 350 Mass and our partners in the Mass Power Forward coalition and beyond have been advocating for a commitment to 100% renewable energy, environmental justice, and equitable investment in green infrastructure. 

Bills with strong provisions, explicit 100% renewable goals, and a shorter time-line among other desirable provisions were not allowed to pass through committees. However, the Roadmap bill, with a focus on planning, was allowed to come to the floor. When it did, 350 Mass and our allies pushed for improving amendments, several of which passed. 

For all its shortcomings, the Roadmap Bill does provide a foundation for future efforts. And it is a step forward for a Legislature that has not passed significant climate protection laws for years— we can thank our representatives who have tirelessly championed our bills, and we must continue to push for policies that go further."

Continue reading the newsletter online
https://us4.campaign-archive.com/?e=[UNIQID]&u=bdf4df04ee1ca59ba335a7699&id=6731641fd7

Subscribe to get your own copy of the newsletter here  https://350mass.betterfutureproject.org/get_involved

Two updates on the climate "Roadmap bill"

Commonwealth Magazine also summarizes what is in the Roadmap bill:

"ON WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN the last day of the 2019-2020 legislative session, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed a Roadmap Bill, helping to lay the foundation for a slightly more ambitious – and much better planned – decarbonization of the economy. Crucially, the final bill also included an amendment around environmental justice, which would codify into law protections for low-income communities and communities of color which face disproportionate burdens of pollution due to decades of environmental racism and the systematic undervaluing of black, indigenous, immigrant, and poor lives. 

Both the roadmap bill in general and the environmental justice component specifically deserve our praise and gratitude, particularly when the House could have used the guise of the pandemic to swear off climate action. Following the Senate’s “Next Generation” climate bill passed earlier this year, it is clear that both House and Senate leadership have over the course of this session tried to answer the question of how to respond to climate change with an authentic, thoughtful response."

Continue reading the article online 
https://commonwealthmagazine.org/opinion/lessons-learned-from-the-push-for-climate-action/?

State Rep Roy, Ted McIntyre on climate change

From the Guest Speakers section of Wicked Local

"The predictions of science are bleak based on our current approach to the problem of carbon pollution. But it doesn’t have to be that way. There is nothing inevitable about the predictions. We still have the option to construct a good future. We have the power to build a world that does more than simply avoid catastrophe. And we can create a thriving, sustainable future that our children’s children will thank us for. 

Franklin had a very warm winter. According to The Globe it is “likely to end up being among the top five or six warmest since records have been kept.” 

While it is easy to say we have been lucky, last winter’s warmth is not some fluke of good fortune. If we just keep on doing what we are doing, U.S. Government scientists say that for Massachusetts, by the year by 2100, the number of days above 90 degrees Fahrenheit will increase from the usual five to 20 days to an uncomfortable 30 to 60 days. 

Imagine summertime in Franklin with all of July and August above 90 degrees! If last summer’s heat wave was uncomfortable, summers in the future will be awful."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://franklin.wickedlocal.com/news/20200721/guest-speakers-climate-change-issues-call-for-us-to-be-good-ancestors

Franklin radar picked up via Twitter
https://twitter.com/jeffroy/status/1286637296893272064?s=09

"I urge them to listen to the science and act now before it’s too late"

“The fact that the responsibility to communicate this falls on me and other children should be seen for exactly what it is –a failure beyond all imagination” 

I tried summarising the #climatecrisis from my own experiences in 12 chapters. Full text in @TIME

The link to Greta Thunberg's article in Time:  https://t.co/AfAocy7Red?amp=1
The article/essay chronicles her trip to the US via sail boat and then to Davos.

Franklin radar picked this up via Twitter:   https://twitter.com/GretaThunberg/status/1282243518853984259?s=09

Why? There is a small but active climate group here in Franklin, and there is a whole lot of us who pay attention far less often than perhaps we should. I read her article and I found it explains our problem succinctly, more so than anything else I have found. She suggests that we choose to follow the science and even if we do, we have little time left to act. How little? Maybe 6 or 7 years.
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So as with many things I share here, I present the info, you make the choice to read, or not, and if you read, then maybe you can act upon the info. Greta writes: 

"if you read between the lines you realise that we are facing the need to make changes which are unprecedented in human history."

From Chapter 6:

"So, in short: the temperature increases, the damaging mountain pine beetle survives the winter and dramatically increases in population. The trees die and turn into wildfire fuel which intensifies the wildfires even further. The soot from those fires makes the surface of the glaciers turn darker and the melting process speeds up even faster. 

This is a textbook example of a reinforcing chain reaction, which in itself is just a small part of a much larger holistic pattern connected to our emissions of greenhouse gases. 

There are countless other tipping points and chain reactions. Some have not yet happened. And some are very much a reality already today. Such as the release of methane due to thawing permafrost or other phenomena linked to deforestation, dying coral reefs, weakening or changing ocean currents, algae growing on the Antarctic ice, increasing ocean temperatures, changes in monsoon patterns and so on."

https://time.com/5863684/greta-thunberg-diary-climate-crisis/

Thunberg arrives in New York City after a 15-day journey crossing the Atlantic on Aug. 28, 2019. Courtesy of Greta Thunberg

350 Mass Greater Franklin Node Meeting, Thursday 4/2/20: Meeting Notes

Hello, everyone. Last night, Thursday April 2, we had an online Zoom meeting of our Greater Franklin node. Whether you were able to participate or not, we want to share with you our notes. 

We covered many topics including:

• Challenges and strategies for 350 Mass and other organizations --and their members -- to remain engaged and active during the current coronavirus crisis.
• Local, state-wide, and national issues and campaigns that we can all help promote through a variety of tools, such as contacting legislators and public agencies, signing petitions, and attending online webinars.
• Resources (articles, online materials) for learning more about these specific issues as well as climate concerns generally.

The overall message is that each of us can still take actions to promote the causes we care so much about. Our organization, 350 Mass, remains committed to stopping new fossil fuel infrastructure, building a clean energy economy, and creating a just transition that centers on economic and racial justice. We continue to partner with local, national and international organizations with similar goals. 

 

You can find the meeting notes here.  As you read them, you will see actions and links. Thank you for doing what you can. 
 

If you have difficulty with the online document or the links, reply to this email and we'll help you out.

 

We encourage you to join our meeting. For participants, this is more than a business meeting. It's a chance to socialize, to laugh, and to share stories and ideas for managing during this strange time. And dress is definitely informal. 

 

NEXT MEETING: THURSDAY, APRIL 16.  Look for the invitation earlier that week.

 

Be well.

 

Node co-coordinators,

Carolyn Barthel

508-473-3305 H

508-335-0848 C

 

Ralph Halpern

781-784-3839 H

339-203-5017 C

Meeting Notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hyP1StO7eEiX-tUMlgyj3EvqxKhj1W3IwMmOcj3eonw/edit?usp=sharing
 

Massachusetts Senate Approves Next Generation Climate Policy

The Massachusetts State Senate on Thursday advanced three bills that boldly tackle the contributing factors of climate change, chart one of the most aggressive courses of action against global warming in the country, and pave the way for a clean energy future for all of its residents.

An Act Setting Next Generation Climate Policy and two companion bills — one dealing with electrifying fleets and another updating energy efficiency standards for appliances — passed overwhelmingly and with bi-partisan support.

"I am proud of the Senate for acting quickly on this legislation which takes a historic step in our fight to reduce harmful emissions that hurt our planet and our residents," said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). "I commend Senator Barrett for his diligence in crafting a thorough legislative package that takes concrete steps to combat climate change by providing a plan to create a greener, healthier and more sustainable future. I would like to thank Senator Barrett and Senator Michael Rodrigues for their contributions to this next generation climate leadership."

"The Next Generation Climate package that the Senate passed today will allow the Commonwealth to reduce our carbon footprint and boldly confront the impacts of climate change," said Senator Michael J. Rodrigues, Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means (D-Westport). "These bills will help us achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and transform our energy delivery system to benefit our climate and future generations. I applaud Senate President Spilka and Senator Barrett for their leadership on this issue, and I thank my colleagues in the Senate for their collaboration in confronting perhaps the most important issue of our time."

"We've written the strongest climate statute in the nation," said Senator Mike Barrett (D-Lexington), Senate Chair of the Utilities and Energy Committee and the bill's chief author. "The bills started out strong. Then they got better as debate went on. More protection for low and moderate income families. Special sensitivity to the climate challenges facing small towns and rural areas. Retraining for people who may need to change jobs as we green the economy. In the fight against climate change, this lifts Massachusetts to the next level. My thanks to President Spilka and Chairman Rodrigues for conducting a model of the lawmaking process."

Key provisions of the climate policy package include:

Setting a statewide greenhouse gas limit for the year 2050 of "net zero" emissions. To achieve this, An Act Setting Next-Generation Climate Policy requires the state to hit near-term limits in 2025, 2030, and every five years thereafter; set sub-limits for transportation, buildings, solid waste, natural gas distribution, and other major sectors; and make implementation plans that are "clear, comprehensive, and specific."

Establishing the Massachusetts Climate Policy Commission. The commission would be a new, independent public watchdog to oversee government's handling of the unfolding crisis of climate change. Commissioners will be charged with offering a nonpartisan, science-based view of the problem as it plays out in Massachusetts with its attendant natural, economic, and demographic impacts and risks.

"We want this commission to be an independent guardian of the future, notably the future of younger generations, insulated from political pressure and consisting of the most authoritative and credible Massachusetts voices we can find," stated Senator Barrett. "Job one for the Commission is to tell us if we're on track in bringing down emissions. Job two is to advise us on what to do next. The commission will give us objective information about the performance of both government and the private sector and will pay special attention to the impact on low-income and other disadvantaged communities. If the commission works as intended, it will be a new voice, standing apart from politics as usual and committed to shedding light on a very hard problem."

• Reflecting the price of carbon. Under the bill, the Administration would be free to choose among various market based forms of pricing carbon—including a revenue-neutral fee or a regional "cap and trade" system similar to the Transportation Climate Initiative (TCI)—but he or she would have to do so by Jan. 1, 2022, for transportation; Jan. 1, 2025, for commercial, industrial and institutional buildings; and Jan. 1, 2030, for residential buildings. Any mechanism would be implemented so as to minimize the impact on low-income households, disadvantaged communities, and vulnerable manufacturing sectors.

• Providing legislative direction to the Department of Public Utilities (DPU), the state's primary energy oversight agency, for the first time. Compensating for a decades-long omission, the bill assigns the DPU a mission statement. It requires the agency to balance six priorities: reliability of supply, affordability, public safety, physical and cyber security, equity, and, significantly, reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

• Jumpstarting efforts to supply low-cost solar electricity to low-income communities. To reverse the failure of state programs to incentivize solar energy projects in low-income neighborhoods, as well as spur job creation, the bill requires the Department of Energy Resources (DOER) to set aside future solar allocations for such neighborhoods.

• Letting cities and towns adopt a "net zero" stretch energy code. The bill allows the state to support communities that choose on their own to move away from fossil fuels as the source of heating for new buildings. The state's contribution is to promulgate a "net zero" energy code, so that localities have the option available if they want to use it. The bill shifts responsibility for the code's development from the Board of Building Regulations and Standards to the DOER.

"When it comes to bringing down emissions, buildings are the toughest nut to crack," Barrett says. "We need to move on multiple fronts."

• Nudging natural gas utilities to adapt. The bill authorizes utilities to test technology and pipelines that generate and transport "renewable thermal energy," an emissions-free way to heat buildings that draws on the relative warmth of temperatures below ground.

• Strengthening executive branch oversight of MassSave. The bill directs the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) to set emissions reduction goals, in advance, for each three-year plan the utilities formulate for MassSave. It requires the DPU, at the conclusion of each three-year plan, to certify how much the plan actually contributed to meeting the Commonwealth's greenhouse gas emission limits.

• Tightening the alignment between MassSave and emissions limits. The bill requires electric utilities to include an explicit value for emissions reductions whenever they calculate the cost-effectiveness of a MassSave offering.

• Setting a deadline for converting MTBA buses to all-electric power. An Act to Accelerate the Transition of Cars, Trucks, and Buses to Carbon Free Power directs the MBTA to limit bus purchases and leases to zero-emissions vehicles beginning in 2030, and to aim for an all-zero-emissions fleet by 2040, to reduce transportation-related emissions in city neighborhoods.

• Offsetting the Trump Administration's efforts to slow progress on efficient appliances. An Act Relative to Energy Savings Efficiency updates Massachusetts appliance standards to improve energy and water efficiency standards for common household and commercial appliances, helping to conserve energy and save consumers and businesses money.

Other provisions include:

• Assembling the state's first-ever database of energy use in large buildings.
• Adding two building efficiency experts and an expert in advanced building technology to the membership of the Board of Building Regulations and Standards, which will retain responsibility for the base energy building code.
• Authorizing the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) to fund energy innovation pilots, and to take actions addressing health effects associated with the distribution and consumption of fossil fuels such as natural gas.
• Directing the DPU to consider the impact on emissions when it reviews electric and natural gas rates, prices, charges, and contracts.
• Directing state government to limit purchases and leases of vehicles to zero emissions vehicles only, beginning in 2024, if affordable replacements are available.
• Conducting a study of the opportunities to electrify vehicles owned or leased by municipalities, regional school districts, and regional transit authorities, taking into account costs and possible sources of financial help from state and federal government.
• Providing permanent statutory authorization for the "MOR-EV" program, the Commonwealth's system of financial incentives for purchasers of zero emission vehicles.

During debate on the Senate floor, the bill was strengthened through amendments that, among others, requires regional equity in carbon pricing and ensures equity is a component of The Department of Public Utilities mission statement.

The bills now go to the House of Representatives for consideration.


Links to the specific legislation referenced

• An Act setting next-generation climate policy https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/S2477
• An Act to Accelerate the Transition of Cars, Trucks and Buses to Carbon-Free Power https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/S2476
• An Act Relative to Energy Savings Efficiency https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/S2478

Massachusetts Senate Approves Next Generation Climate Policy