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BEACON HILL HAPPENINGS
– Youth climate organizations meet threshold for renewable energy motion: Today (5/6), Sunrise Boston announced that eighteen House members had agreed to support their ‘Which Side Are You On’ pledge. These lawmakers promise to support a motion for a roll call if a 100% Renewable Energy bill is brought to a vote of the full House. Without a successful motion for a roll call vote (such a motion needs at least 18 members to support it) lawmakers would vote by voice, a method that does not record who specifically supports or opposes the bill.
Sunrise is likely hoping that because lawmaker votes are recorded, more lawmakers will vote in favor of the bill than if their votes were hidden. The local affiliate of the national youth climate organization known as the Sunrise Movement, Sunrise Boston tweeted the full list of supporting Representatives here.
– “Massachusetts Sets Target of 85% Cut in Emissions by 2050” (Marc Breslow, Climate XChange): “Earlier this year, Governor Baker announced a new state mandate of “net zero emissions by 2050” during his annual State of the Commonwealth address. Since then his administration, led by Energy & Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Katie Theoharides, has been moving forward with the formal process of setting new emissions limits. After soliciting over 1,000 comments, the administration formally announced (on Earth Day) that they would be shifting the state’s emission limit from an 80% reduction (where it was set pre-announcement) to an 85% reduction… Although the battle over the number set for the targets may be over, the fight now turns to the equally important question: how will these targets be achieved?”
– “Clean Energy Center’s financial woes continue to mount” (Colman M. Herman, Commonwealth Magazine): [read the article]
– “Mass. House To Debut Remote Voting On Bill To Borrow Funds To Balance State Budget” (Chris Lisinski, SHNS via WBUR): [read the article]
– For the most up-to-date info on COVID-19 & Beacon Hill…..
- The State House News Service coronavirus updates tracker” see the latest updates here.
- MassTrac COVID-19 bill tracker: Check it out, and follow updates, here.
ALL POLICY IS LOCAL
– “AG sues solar array developer over environmental damage in Williamsburg” (Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette): [read the article]
– “Massachusetts communities with dirty air are coronavirus hotspots” (Zoe Greenberg, Boston Globe): [read the article]
LOCAL IDEAS
– “An opportunity to reimagine Boston’s open spaces” by Kathy Abbott, via the Boston Globe.
– “How to Combat Climate Depression” by Bill McKibben, via the New Yorker.
– “Stand up for our environment” by Jeffrey Olsen, via the Greenfield Recorder.
OUR LOCAL ENVIRONMENT
– “Right whale sighting pushes back start of South Shore lobster season” (Wheeler Cowperthwaite, The Patriot Ledger): [read the article]
– “A New Model Is Predicting “One of the Most Active Atlantic Hurricane Seasons on Record”” (Alyssa Vaughn, Boston Magazine): [read the article]
LOCAL CLIMATE SPOTLIGHT
– “Brookline Students Win International Contest On Climate Change” (Jenna Fisher, Brookline Patch): [read the article]
OFFSHORE WIND
– “5 Orsted US Offshore Wind Projects Face Possible Delay Due to COVID-19, Permitting Challenges” (Kael-Erik Stromsta, GreenTech Media): [read the article]
– “Avangrid Withdraws Guidance due to Coronavirus, Vineyard Wind Uncertainty” (Jeff St. John, GreenTech Media): [read the article]
THE LEGAL ENVIRONMENT
– “States sue Trump administration over rollback of Obama-era water protections” (Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill): [read the article]
– “NRDC, Partners Sue to Protect River Herring” [read the press release]
BEYOND THE BAY STATE
– “Climate Policy Conversation Begins in Georgia” (Jake Herron, Climate XChange): [read the article]
– “Maine hydropower corridor referendum appealed to high court” (Associated Press via Fox 23 WPFP): [read the article]
INSIDE THE BELTWAY
– “Senator Markey Blasts Federal Reserve Decision to Change Lending Program Standards at Request of Debt-Ridden Oil and Gas Industry” [read the press release]
– “Sen. Warren Sounds Alarm Over Lack of Climate Risk Reporting Requirements in SEC’s New Proposed Disclosure Rule” [read the press release]
ROUNDUP REDUX
Missed the last CXC Roundup? Here are the top three climate headlines from last week:
- Senate President recommits to climate change legislation
- House Leadership lays out rules for remote legislative session
- “Harvard’s ‘Green’ Endowment Policy Falls Tragically Short”
Read the full Roundup here from April 29th, 2020 here.
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