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BEACON HILL HAPPENINGS

– Mariano signals NextGen Roadmap climate bill won’t change much (Tim Cronin): While speaking on WBUR’s Radio Boston, House Speaker Mariano remarked on the next generation roadmap climate bill (S.9) saying, “nothing substantive will change in this bill.” The latest version of the bill is currently in the Senate, sent there after being vetoed with amendments by the Governor in February. Lawmakers are currently deciding which of these amendments to accept, and which to reject, before re-voting on the bill and sending it back to the Governor. In reporting from the SHNS, Speaker Mariano elaborated saying he is willing to work with the governor on some technical changes but will “not back down on our ambitious emissions reduction targets.” [read the article]

– Climate activists meet with lawmakers as part of Mass Power Forward lobby day (Tim Cronin): Yesterday (3/4), climate activists from across the state hosted meetings with lawmakers as part of the first Mass Power Forward lobby day of the new legislative session. Mass Power Forward (MPF) is a coalition of 200 environmental and community leaders working for “healthy, clean, affordable, reliable energy and a thriving economy.” According to the Sierra Club’s Jacob Stern, a member of the MPF planning team, “we scheduled 75+ meetings with legislators, about 280 people signed up, and more than 100 people participated in at least one of our lobby leader training sessions.” Their priorities included the nextgen climate bill, environmental justice, the 100% clean act, and legislation to prevent evictions and foreclosures caused by Covid-19 [read more about the MPF priorities].

ALL POLICY IS LOCAL

 – “Pollinator, environmental advocates hail state’s partial ban on pesticides” (Doug Fraser, Cape Cod Times): [read the article]

CLIMATE & JUSTICE

– “Mapping Project Explores Links Between Historic Redlining And Future Climate Vulnerability” (Barbara Moran, WBUR): [read the article]

– “Mass Audubon Confronts Legacy Of Its Namesake As Nation Reckons With Race” (Khari Thompson, Earthwhile): [read the article]

LOCAL IDEAS

– “President Biden Increased The Social Cost Of Carbon, But Is It Enough?” by Christian Morris, via Climate XChange.

– “Biomass plant COO says science on his side” by Vic Gatto, via Commonwealth Magazine

– “National Grid’s clean energy commitment to Worcester, Massachusetts and beyond” by Marcy Reed, via Telegram and Gazette

– “The Texas freeze shows a desperate need for climate action” by Luke Halpern, via The Massachusetts Daily Collegian

– “Preventing the Texas energy system failure from happening here” by Johanna E. Neumann, via Greenfield Recorder

– “Opinion: Springfield biomass plant will provide needed energy, jobs” by Vic Gatto, via MassLive

LOCAL CLIMATE POLITICS

– Climate plan spotlight: Andrea Campbell releases climate justice plan (Christian Morris): Last week Boston City Councilor Andrea Campbell, one of 6 people running in 2021 to be the next Mayor of Boston, announced her campaign’s climate justice plan. For Campbell, climate justice is a high priority on her agenda and campaign platform, and she aims to make the City a leader in addressing the pervasive and intersectional nature of climate change impacts. From investing in building retrofitting to creating green dividends for environmental justice communities, the campaign’s platform provides a detailed overview of how Campbell would tackle climate justice as Mayor. Here’s a look at some of the elements included in the plan:

• Increase environmental and health metrics to better monitor which communities are taking the brunt of pollution impacts, as well as making sure that projects situated within communities don’t serve to further environmental inequities.

• Build equitable access to the green economy so that when we fund initiatives like resilient and green infrastructure, everyone benefits from these investments. This also includes being extremely intentional about how overburdened communities are engaged in the decisions and programs that aim to alleviate environmental harms.

• Go beyond planning to act and actually take meaningful steps to take effective action on climate change and other environmental issues in the City. “Over the past several years, the City has commissioned nearly 40 different plans on the environment, yet less than 10% have been completed, and nearly half haven’t even begun implementation.”

• Incentivizing low-carbon transportation and improving public transportation systems, as well as envisioning a City “where residents have everything they need – grocery stores, schools, parks, restaurants and a wide-range of small businesses – within 15 minutes of their doorsteps.” [read more about Andrea Campbell’s plan]

[Read our previous coverage of Michelle Wu’s green new deal climate plan here and here]

 

CLIMATE SPOTLIGHT

– “Amid Climate Change Threats, Cape Planners Ask: Is It Time To Retreat From The Coast?” (Eve Zuckoff, WCAI): [read the article]

– “After years of inaction, federal regulators are on the cusp of imposing new rules to protect right whales” (David Abel, Boston Globe): [read the article]

– “MAP: The Massachusetts Toxic Waste Sites in Flood Zones” (Chris Gloninger and Amy O’Kruk, NBC Boston): [read the article]

– “Road Salt Is A Problem For Rivers. Adding Water May Be A Solution” (Jesse Remedios, Earthwhile): [read the article]

PRICE THAT CARBON

– “Massachusetts groups back expanded carbon tax with focus on equity” (Sarah Shemkus, Energy News Network): [read the article]

– “Oil Trade Group Is Poised to Endorse Carbon Pricing” (Ted Mann and Timothy Puko, Wall Street Journal): [read the article]

GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE

– “Climate Change is Weakening the Ocean Currents That Shape Weather on Both Sides of the Atlantic” (Bob Berwyn, InsideClimate News): [read the article]

THE GREEN ECONOMY, STUPID

– “As wind industry goes big, this New England startup looks to shrink turbines” (David Thill, Energy News Network): [read the article]

– “SMART develops analytical tools to enable next-generation agriculture” (MIT): [read the article]

– “MIT Spinoff To Build Commercial Fusion Energy Campus In Devens” (Barbara Moran, WBUR): [read the article]

– “In Wake of Texas Crisis, Advocates Say State Must Require Utilities Prepare For Climate Change” (Miriam Wasser, Earthwhile): [read the article]

– “New England power fight foreshadows divisive clean energy future” (Amy Harder, Axios): [read the article]

TRANSIT EMISSIONS

– “Maryland’s Capital City Joins a Long Line of Litigants Seeking Climate-Related Damages from the Fossil Fuel Industry” (InsideClimate News): [read the article]

INSIDE THE BELTWAY

– “The Fauci of climate change? Gina McCarthy is in charge of Biden’s massive climate agenda.” (Ella Nilson, Vox): [read the article]

ROUNDUP REDUX

Missed the last CXC Roundup? Here are the top three climate headlines from the previous weeks:

1. Lawmakers file over 6,500 bills, here are some top climate bills to watch
2. Climate Change-Fueled Flooding Poses Significant Risk to MA
3. Environmental injustice occurs in East Boston

Read the full Roundup here from February 26th, 2021 here.

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Featured Image: Photo by Michael Baccin via Unsplash