Happy Juneteenth! Today is a reminder of both our country’s original sin of slavery and the importance of continual work to undo systems of oppression, correct historic inequities, and deliver on the promise of liberty and justice for all.
Tomorrow at the State House, the MA Senate and MA House both have an opportunity to further this work. Read on for what you can do.
Email Your State Senator about Climate Justice
Tomorrow, the MA Senate will be voting on a climate omnibus bill (S.2829) that takes steps to reform energy permitting, decarbonize buildings, electrify transportation infrastructure, expand the state’s electric vehicle charging network, and among other steps.
We know that if we are to have a just transition to renewable energy, then we need to center the communities that have been most harmed by the climate crisis and pollution.
Join the Mass Power Forward coalition in calling on State Senators to co-sponsor key amendments that accelerate our transition away from fossil fuels and address the historic and present harms faced by BIPOC communities.
- #116 Accurately Assessing Community Impacts (DiDomenico), which would strike a clause from the definition of cumulative impact analyses that would limit the analysis to only assessing the risks and exposures attributable to the proposed new pollution source (thus making it NOT a cumulative assessment).
- #100 Improving Outdoor Air Quality (Jehlen), which would create a technical advisory committee for air quality, direct the Department of Environmental Protection to identify at least 8 pollution hot spots, install air monitors, and reduce the air pollution by 50% by 2030.
- #14 Protecting the Commonwealth from Gas Expansion (Gomez), which would halt large gas infrastructure expansion projects from being approved by the Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB).
- #15 Halting the Expansion of Large Gas Pipes (Gomez), which would stop the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) from approving gas companies to expand into new towns & cities not already served by gas.
- #16 Protecting the Climate and Ratepayers from Gas Expansion (Gomez), which would halt both large gas infrastructure expansions approvals by the EFSB (Amendment 14) and gas territory expansions by the DPU (Amendment 15).
Check out the Mass Power Forward action guide for more information.
Email Your State Representative about Birthing Justice
Tomorrow, the House will be taking up a bill to address our urgent maternal health crisis and racial inequities (H.4773). The bill incorporates evidence-based solutions, including those that integrate midwives and birth centers into our healthcare system.
Join the Bay State Birth Coalition in advocating for key amendments to to ensure health equity and strengthen midwifery and birth center provisions in the bill:
- #8 Equitable Reimbursement for Certified Nurse Midwives (Fluker Oakley)
- #9 Low-risk Pregnancy Definition filed (Fluker Oakley)
- #15 Promoting Equitable Birth Center Leadership (Cruz)
Moreover, urge your state representative to oppose amendment #20, which would introduce severe restrictions on individual birthing choice and impose blanket fixed prohibitions instead of allowing regulations to follow current, evidence-based best practices for maternal care.
Check out the Bay State Birth Coalition action page for more information.