GOVERNOR BAKER VETOES CLIMATE BILL
But it will be back on his desk soon
Message from ECA Massachusetts Leadership Team

As you may have heard, Governor Baker left the climate bill unsigned (Next-Generation Roadmap, S.2995). Because the bill emerged from the House/Senate conference committee in the final days of the legislative session, the Governor did not have the opportunity to offer amendments to the bill and could only sign the bill as written or veto the bill. In a letter, the Governor said that, while he was in complete agreement with the goal of the bill, there are areas he disagreed with and could not sign the bill as written. The Governor referenced two reports the administration released at the end of the year - a 2050 Roadmap and the 2030 CECP (Clean Energy and Climate Bill). The major areas of contention are:

  • 45% versus 50% emissions reduction limit by 2030
  • Subsector emissions limits
  • Net zero building code.

While we are disappointed we did not get the climate bill passed this session, your continued advocacy carried us to the verge of enacting the strongest climate bill in the nation. You should be proud of this work and certain that, in the near term, it will pay off.

In his letter, the Governor said he is eager to work with the legislature early in the new session to resolve his differences. For their part, the leaders of both the House and Senate have vowed to refile the bill shortly. While we don’t know how all this will play out, it is very likely there will be a climate bill enacted early in the new session.

Thank you for all you have done and stay tuned for next steps!
MORE BELOW:
  • Letter from Rep. Joan Meschino
  • Special Jan. 25 meeting - save the date!
Letter from Representative Joan Meschino

Dear 2050 Roadmap Coalition Members,

I am sure by now you have all seen that the Governor vetoed The Next Generation Roadmap legislation. Please do not feel discouraged. The Speaker declared his intention to refile the bill, and he will. 
 
The climate change work will be transformative. I hope that each and every one of you feels true pride in the tremendous amount of work that you have done to get us to this moment. You helped educate, you rallied people, and you helped build consensus for strategies for action. That opened the door for the Legislature to advance The 2050 Roadmap bill. More importantly, the pending bill pushed the Administration towards adopting net-zero carbon emissions, the back cast analysis, the multiple pathways, and the people-centric lens. That work is happening now.

We do need to finish the legislation to ensure that this is all codified into Massachusetts law. We are very close. Send your thank-you notes to the Speaker and Senate President for their leadership. Stay the course!  
 
I am very much looking forward to looking ahead to this coming session and all the exciting work ahead of us!

Regards, Joan
Rep. Joan Meschino
3rd Plymouth District
State House, Room 34 | Boston, MA 02133
617-722-2320
Local Mailing Address: PO Box 523 | Hull, MA 02045
For a deeper discussion of the administration’s climate plan and the legislature’s climate bill, attend the next installment of the presentation series by our ECA Massachusetts Research Team, Getting to Net Negative - A Massachusetts Approach, on Monday, January 25, from 4 to 5:30pm and the zoom link is: 
 
This presentation will cover both the administration’s 2050 Roadmap and 2030 Clean Energy and Climate Plan (CECP), as well as the climate legislation. It will highlight the differences between the administration’s plan and the climate bill and cover information that will be helpful for you to provide feedback to the administration on their interim plan for 2030. 
This Newsletter is Published for Members and Friends of the
Elders Climate Action - Massachusetts Chapter
ECA Massachusetts is a chapter of the national Elders Climate Action. We are a movement of elders committed to making our voices heard... to change our nation's policies while there is still time to avoid catastrophic changes in the Earth's climate. Visit the ECA Massachusetts website, event calendar, and Facebook page to learn more about our chapter's activities and climate news. JOIN ECA MASSACHUSETTS AND STAY CONNECTED! Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, and for more active participation, sign up to receive Action Alerts and meeting announcements. Fill out our subscription form.