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BEACON HILL HAPPENINGS
– “A Couple A’s, One F: Again, A Mixed Environmental Report Card For Baker” (Bruce Gellerman, WBUR’s Earthwhile): “Six of the state’s leading environmental organizations gave Gov. Charlie Baker mixed grades on environmental issues. Each year, the groups release a report card assessing the administration’s performance in nine categories. While Baker enjoyed two A’s and two B’s in this year’s report, he also earned two C’s, two D’s and an F.”
– Academics, scholars deliver letter supporting Meschino Roadmap bill: In a thread posted on Twitter, Princeton University Jesse Jenkins announced that he and 36 other “academic scholars & experts” on energy and climate change had endorsed Rep Meschino’s 2050 Roadmap Bill. Among other things, the bill (H.3983) lays out a ‘comprehensive’ timeline and process for getting the state towards new aggressive emissions goals. It also clarifies some regulatory authority and scope for the state’s executive agencies
You can read the full letter here.
– 100% renewable briefing focuses on urgency: Advocates for a proposal to achieve 100% renewable energy use in the state (S.1958/H.2836) briefed lawmakers on Monday. Among those who spoke included Senator Eldridge, first-year Representative, and energy professional Robinson, and Environment Massachusetts head Ben Hellerstein. Also speaking at the briefing, 350MA head Craig Altemose said, ‘that getting off of fossil fuels by 2050 isn’t enough. We must go “faster and deeper.”’
– “’Right to dry’ law would protect clotheslines” (Christian M. Wade, the Salem News) [read the article]
– “Is Mass. ready for more climate refugees?” (Katie Lannan, SHNS via Taunton Daily Gazette) [read the article]
ALL POLICY IS LOCAL
– “Massachusetts city considers requiring climate warnings on gasoline pumps” (Sarah Shemkus, Energy News Network) [read the article]
LOCAL IDEAS
– “A roadmap for combatting climate change” by Representative Joan Meschino & Alyssa Rayman-Read, via Commonwealth Magazine.
– “POV: Rollback of Federal Rules to Limit Methane Emissions Poses Serious Threat” by Nathan Phillips, via BU Today.
– “The climate change shakedown” by Jennifer C. Braceras, via the Boston Globe.
– “Climate change is wiping out Harriet Tubman’s homeland, and we’re doing little” by Rona Kobell, via the Boston Globe.
OUR LOCAL ENVIRONMENT
– “Mysterious Lobster Deaths In Cape Cod Raise Climate Change Concern” (Craig LeMoult, WGBH) [read the article]
PRICE THAT CARBON
– “How much credit does RGGI deserve for the Northeast’s progress on emissions?” (Sarah Shemkus, Energy News Network): “As the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative turns 10, though, some analysts and advocates warn against attributing too much recent progress to the program.”
TALKING TCI
– “Governors eye regional cap and trade plan to fund transition from fossil fuels” (Marie French, POLITICO) [read the article]
THE LEGAL ENVIRONMENT
– “Mass AG leads Coalition Urging Clean Energy Goals” (Framingham Source) [read the article]
THE GREEN ECONOMY, STUPID
– “Charging Ahead: are Electric Vehicles the Future of Transportation?” (Christian Morris, Climate XChange): While they’re not the sole answer to the breadth of environmental issues humans are facing today, EVs play an integral role in facilitating the transition to a low-carbon economy [read the article].
– “Massachusetts Cranberry Farmers Want To Build Solar Panels Over Their Bogs” (Philip Marcelo, Associated Press) [read the article]
CLIMATE ON CAMPUS
– “Massachusetts Maritime Academy launches nation’s first offshore wind crew training facility” (Benjamin Kail, MassLive) [read the article]
– “Henry David Thoreau Foundation to give 8 Massachusetts high school students $20,000 scholarships to study environmental issues” (Tanner Stening, MassLive) [read the article]
BUSINESS, CLIMATE
– “Businesses weigh in on transpo taxes, fees” (Bruce Mohl, Commonwealth Magazine): “On the eve of a long-anticipated legislative debate on transportation, most members of a coalition of Massachusetts businesses see a need for some form of new revenue, but there is little consensus on what taxes and fees should be increased and some organizations say no new funding is needed at all… Rooney said there was “strong majority support” for increasing ride-share fees, creating a task force to come up with a statewide tolling initiative, and launching a transportation climate initiative to put a price on the carbon contained in automobile fuels. He said there was majority support for raising the gas tax, and mixed views on whether it made sense to combine a gas tax hike with the transportation climate initiative.”
2020 CLIMATE
– Stonehill set to host 1st U.S. Senate candidate forum on environmental, Kennedy unlikely to show: Senator Markey sent out a tweet last week announcing a climate forum moderated by Steve Kornacki on November 10th at Stonehill College in Easton. But Congressman Kennedy, his top rival, has so far indicated that he won’t be attending, originally citing that negotiations over a climate debate have not been completed. Attorney Shannon Liss-Riordan, another contender for the nomination, is planning to attend. More information on the forum.
– “There’s one Republican presidential contender with a climate plan” (Rick Newman, Yahoo Finance) [read the article]
– “There may be no industry with more at stake with an Elizabeth Warren presidency than energy” (Pippa Stevens, CNBC) [read the article]
BEYOND THE BAY STATE
– “eXchange ’19 Mid-Atlantic: Vision & Opportunity for Climate Action in the Region” (Noa Dalzell, Climate XChange): “In response to this increasing need for collaboration and support, and with the aim of convening key stakeholders to examine the different effective and equitable climate solutions, our Climate XChange team spent this past week in Maryland for our Mid-Atlantic Carbon Solutions Summit.”
ROUNDUP REDUX
Missed the last CXC Roundup? Here are the top local climate headlines from last week:
- “Bye-bye balloons? Proposed law would ban the celebration staples in Mass.”
- “New EPA chief in New England barred from many decisions because of conflicts”
- “Boston Aims For ‘Net-Zero’ Buildings”
Read the full Roundup here from October 22nd, 2019 here.
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