Kudos to Beacon Hill on Global Warming Act!

Special thanks to all on Beacon Hill for ushering the Global Warming Act through the loops of both houses before the midnight recess!

This represents an important first step!

Massachusetts Environment:

Massachusetts State House Passes Global Warming Solutions Act

Bill would make the Commonwealth a Leader in Global Warming Solutions

Boston- Last night the House of Representatives unanimously passed a revised version of the Global Warming Solutions Act, a bill that will make Massachusetts a national leader in implementing global warming solutions and commit the state to making the pollution reductions that scientists say are necessary to avoid the worst impacts of global warming.

Speaker DiMasi and Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Ian Bowles developed the revised global warming bill. The bill will now head to the Senate, which has already approved a similar measure and is expected to act quickly on this new version.

“Late last night the Massachusetts State House joined the Senate in passing landmark global warming legislation. This bill, along with the Green Communities Act-- which was recently signed into law-- shows that Massachusetts is committed to making our state the hub of clean energy and global warming solutions” said Ben Wright, Global Warming Advocate with Environment Massachusetts. “We applaud the bold leadership of the Governor, Speaker DiMasi, Senate President Murray, Senator Pacheco and the hundreds of house and senate members that made this bill possible. Today’s action comes not a moment too soon."

The bill empowers the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs to regulate green house gasses from all sources across the commonwealth, mandates a reduction of 80% below 1990 levels by the year 2050 and instructs the administration to develop a shorter-term goal of between 10% and 25% below 1990 levels by they year 2020 as well as targets for 2030 and 2040.

“With the news reporting another major ice sheet breaking off the arctic shelf and in the light of continued federal inaction on this critical issue, today’s action by the house sends a loud and clear message to the rest of the country, and the rest of the world, that Massachusetts will be part of the solution” said Wright.
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Taunton Gazette article