Saturday was another warm 60-degree day. In the middle of December.
It’s the type of weather that inspires an initial bout of excitement and then some existential dread: it is just one of many manifestations of climate change. And the erratic weather patterns, with a greater chance of storms and extreme weather events of all kinds, will wreak havoc on our infrastructure, our agriculture, and human health and well-being.
And we have to do something about it.
Coincidentally, tomorrow, the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy committee in the MA Legislature is holding a hearing on significant climate legislation.
Of particular note: S.2170/H.3372: An act investing in a prosperous, clean commonwealth by 2030 (the “IPCC by 2030” bill, from Sen. Jamie Eldridge and Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven) and S.2136/H.3288 An Act transitioning Massachusetts to clean electricity, heating and transportation (the 100% Clean Act, from former Sen. Joe Boncore and Reps. Marjorie Decker and Sean Garballey).
Sign up to give testimony at tomorrow’s hearing — or just send in written testimony with our template here.
These bills accelerate our path toward achieving 100% renewable energy, electrifying our transit systems, and greening our buildings, and they center equity in our response to climate change by making sure no workers are left behind.
The Next-Generation Roadmap bill, signed into law earlier this year, was an important step forward, but we need stronger goals as well as commitment to robust policies to make significant emissions reductions possible at all.
ALSO TOMORROW: Hearing on Banning Tear Gas
In 2020, the MA Legislature passed a comprehensive police reform legislation. The bill did many important things, but it had significant limitations.
Among the limitations: the bill’s failure to ban the use of tear gas by law enforcement. (The House took a vote on doing so; you can find how your state rep voted here.)
The use of chemical weapons is banned in war, and it should be banned on our streets.
Sign up here to give testimony to the Joint Committee on the Judiciary about the importance of passing H.4150: An Act banning the use of tear gas by law enforcement — or send written testimony here.
