On Wednesday, July 15, 18 organizations came together to hold a virtual rally urging the Massachusetts legislature to bring two key climate bills to a vote: H.3983, An Act to create a 2050 roadmap to a clean and thriving Commonwealth; and H.4264, An Act relative to environmental justice in the Commonwealth.
Speakers representing rally organizers from 350MA, Conservation Law Foundation, Elders Climate Action, League of Women Voters, Mothers Out Front and Union of Concerned Scientists all emphasized the urgency of getting the bills out of the House Ways and Means Committee to a vote on the floor of the MA House.
Activists hope that the legislature will extend its session to pass the climate and environmental justice bills that had been set aside for work on COVID and Policing Reform. And, advocates continue to mobilize to remind legislators that the Climate Crisis needs them to move these bills to a House vote before the session adjourns at the end of July.
Among the speakers was Ellie Goldberg, a member of Green Newton’s Advisory Board and one of the leaders of Mothers Out Front Newton. (Read Ellie’s remarks.)
Newton Representative Kay Khan said in her speech to the 260 participants, “Addressing the global environmental crisis is an absolute priority for me and my constituents. Carbon neutrality by 2050 is within our reach and it is our responsibility to our children, our grandchildren and future generations to do everything in our power to get there. The Roadmap Bill lays out a very big, yet promising goal and path ahead. It is designed to accelerate our progress towards net zero emissions by pushing us to exploit and explore all possible avenues towards reaching that goal. The time is now and we owe this to our children. I promise to do everything within my power to help get this bill passed.”
A member of Newton Representative Ruth Balser’s staff attended the rally and later provided her comment, “I have, throughout the session, been actively advocating for bold comprehensive climate action. I have recently again weighed in with House leadership. I am optimistic based on my conversations that the House will be putting out a climate bill shortly. Members of climate action groups should continue to send emails and weigh in with their elected officials, Speaker of the House Robert A. DeLeo, and House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz, about climate action.”
We need your help in moving these bills to a House vote before the legislative session adjourns at the end of July:
Email House Ways and Means Chairman Aaron Michlewitz or phone 617-722-2990 and ask him to bring H.3983 (the 2050 Roadmap Bill) and H.4264 (the Environmental Justice Bill) out of the Ways and Means Committee to a floor vote of the full House.
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