Michael Judge, Undersecretary of Energy

DEEP DIALOGUE

MONDAY, MAY 20

4 - 5:30 PM On Zoom

Zoom link:  

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83538742353?pwd=YUU5QU16VVlDMExOMmlPSWVwTG9xUT09

Blue Solutions

Oceans drive climate and weather, shape planetary chemistry, shape planetary temperature, and are home for most of life on earth. The ocean has absorbed about one-third of all the carbon dioxide we have emitted through burning fossil fuels and that has changed the chemistry of the entire ocean. The blue economy can be a vital piece of the puzzle in addressing and combating climate change.

We will be joined by Dr. Jennifer Bender, a Boston-based environmental scientist and professor and Program Director at the School for the Environment at University of Massachusetts. She is actively involved in bridging gaps between scientists, policy makers, the public, and other stakeholders when it comes to issues relating to the marine environment and our coastal zones. She serves as the executive director of the Marine Studies Consortium, which offers courses in marine and aquatic sciences and other topics. She is an active advisor to Sea-Ahead, a support system for start-ups in the blue-economy, and is a consultant to a variety of organizations.

Jennifer will discuss the changing role of oceans in the context of climate change. She will focus on three areas of interest: 

1. The blue economy
2. Blue Tech 
3. Blue carbon

Join us!

Seth Evans

OSW in Europe vs the US

Europe now has over 5,400 large offshore wind (OSW) turbines in operation, but the US has only two small projects with seven turbines so far. Why the difference?

Science tells us there is plenty of wind off the east coast of the US. Off-shore turbines can be placed well out to sea where they don’t block the view. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has concluded that there is no evidence linking the development of offshore wind and whale mortality. Instead, it’s strikes by ships and entanglements in fishing gear that can kill whales. So, what’s the problem?

Fossil Fuel Money Spreading Misinformation

It appears that fossil fuel interests are feeling threatened by a clean, renewable source of energy. Surprise!! A recent article in the Nantucket Current reports that a federal appeals court has blocked the claim that the agencies permitting the project had violated the Endangered Species Act by deciding that offshore wind construction posed no threat to the North Atlantic right whale. But the fight isn’t over.

Local groups of citizens have sprung up to block offshore wind projects up and down our coast. They cite various reasons for not deploying OSW and are creating a growing backlash against the Biden administration’s push for clean offshore energy. Hmm. 

Brown University Report

It turns out that many of these groups are supported and funded by fossil fuel interests. This is revealed in a recent report from Brown University by Isabella Garo and Timmons Roberts, Spinning Negativity: Discourses of Delay on Offshore Wind in the 118th Congress. We now know that Congress is flooded with disinformation on OSW, even though the science and Europe’s experience does not support most negative arguments.

We Need Wind Energy

OSW can be a massive source of clean energy for Massachusetts. ECA activist, Michael Sales, is studying awareness of and attitudes toward OSW to see how this emerging industry can benefit the entire state, including non-coastal areas like Holyoke.

What YOU Can Do

ECA Mass is tracking wind issues and legislation and will be issuing action alerts when member action is called for. Another way we can support this clean, renewable source of power is by staying up-to-date with the activities of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and contacting it with your concerns about disinformation. We also can talk to our political leaders to let them know of our support.

We need the voices of climate activists supporting this clean, renewable source of power!

Rick Lent

On Monday, May 6th, roughly 30 ECA members attended an “Actionar” on Zoom to express their concerns to the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) about a proposed Hanscom Field Expansion – building 17 new hangars on nearly 50 acres of land at Hanscom Airport in Bedford and potentially adding 50-80 private luxury jets to the airfield. 

A large coalition of climate and environmental justice groups have organized to stop this development. For more information about the project and the fight against it, see here. During the Actionar, ECA members did two things:

• Action #1: We sent emails to EEA, pointing out the inadequacy of the developers' draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR).
• Action #2: We signed a petition to the Governor asking her to stop private jet expansion.

It's not too late to add to our action! The petition is still open and here's a link to the instructions for emailing EEA. Try it on your own, but if you are having trouble following the directions, keep on the lookout for announcements of our next Actionar at the beginning of June.

Seth Evans

Climate Omnibus Bill in the Works

With budget season winding down on Beacon Hill, legislative decisions on climate legislation will be back on the State House agenda as we approach the July 31 end of session. We are expecting a climate omnibus bill from the Senate, which President Silkas has promised. Its development will be facilitated by Senators Barrett and Creem and likely involve elements of the climate bills now in Senate Ways and Means.

The ECA Mass Legislative Team will be finalizing priorities for the omnibus bill this week, along with an advocacy strategy. It is less clear what will happen with the “mini-omnibus” bills in the House Ways and Means Committee, but we will be monitoring developments and advocating for bill elements related to our policy objectives. Stay tuned for some Action Alerts once we have confirmed our priorities and strategy.

What's on Our Wish List

We have a lot of bills on our energy/buildings/transportation priority list, but our allies will be leading the charge on many of these, and we will focus our advocacy on bills where we can make a difference and support our allies. The Future of Clean Heat, the Gas Moratorium and the Better Buildings bills may be on our agenda.

Clean Energy Siting Matters

We are closely following developments related to the siting and permitting bill aimed at speeding up the process for building the clean energy infrastructure critical to decarbonizing the state. The bill in House Ways and Means includes many useful elements, but environmental justice (EJ) and rural community advocates have serious concerns about protecting their communities from being unfairly targeted for solar, wind, and transmission line projects that can adversely impact forests and land they want preserved to meet community needs. We will be doing what we can to get a bill passed that improves the permitting process and addresses the concerns of EJ and rural communities.

More Investment in Clean Tech

The Economic Development bill sponsored by the Healey administration calls for major investment in green technology research and development. We are supporting the bill and also an amendment that calls for more investment in decarbonizing buildings.

Muni Reforestation

The Natural Solutions Working Groups is focused on advocacy for the Municipal Reforestation bill and two bills aimed at eliminating incentives for burning biomass for heat and energy. If you missed the Action Alert on the Municipal Reforestation bill or want to learn more about it check out this copy of the Alert.

Supporting Mass Save + No More Jets at Hanscom

The Legislative Team is also actively advocating for the climate in proceedings related to the Mass Save program and the Hanscom airport expansion. ECA Mass is participating in a Mass Save Reform Coalition advocating for the Mass Save plan to address decommissioning of the gas system and other issues aimed at accelerating the decarbonization of residential buildings.

Advocates opposed to the expansion of the Hanscom airport to accommodate more private jets are calling for all of us to submit comments on the environmental assessment of the Hanscom project that fails to address the emissions of the jets that would use Hanscom and other problems. Information on how to submit a comment is here. ECA Mass sponsored an Actionar on Hanscom last week. 

If you would like to learn more about what the Legislative Team is doing, or offer some of your time and talents to our effort, contact Roger Luckmann (roger.luckmann@umassmed.edu) or Tina Grosowsky (tgrosowsky@gmail.com).

Roger Luckmann

New England for Offshore Wind partner Elders Climate Action Mass Chapter is conducting a new study of offshore wind awareness in the Holyoke, MA area. 

New England for Offshore Wind is a broad-based coalition of environmental organizations, academic institutions, businesses and business associations, and labor unions that aims to drive regional collaboration and increased commitments to responsibly developed offshore wind in New England. We were founded in 2020 and have grown to 100+ organizations aligned on our mission to strengthen our regional economy, protect ratepayers, improve public health by reducing pollution, and create high-quality jobs and equitable access to economic opportunity. Offshore wind is a reliable renewable energy resource. If widely implemented, it would be a game-changer for the New England grid – allowing us to address the climate crisis, meet our future energy needs, and grow our economy simultaneously. Offshore wind is cost-effective and would lower utility costs for Bay Staters, all while making an investment in the future well-being of our state.

ECA chose Holyoke for its long and storied history as an industrial city, the diversity of its population and workforce, and the potential impact of climate change on the city, e.g., flood related risks. 

“ECA believes that community members across Massachusetts must understand and support the offshore wind investments needed to develop offshore wind to its full potential. The new industry has the potential to create family sustaining union jobs, while also addressing atmospheric pollution and mitigating the adverse health consequences of climate change, especially for children. While there is much to be learned, research indicates that offshore wind’s benefits can be achieved with no or minimal impact on wildlife habitats and nature more generally,” said Michael Sales, member, ECA.

If you live in or have connections in the Holyoke area, please contact us at info@ne4osw.org. We plan to conduct informational interviews from May 2024 – July 2024 to better understand the sentiments, thoughts, and attitudes towards offshore wind in this region. The completed report will be available to all who participate in this endeavor in either late 2024 or early 2025.

Michael Sales

We need your help in supporting S.452 & H.869, An Act establishing the Municipal Reforestation Program. This bill was reported favorably out of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee.

Please call House Ways & Means Chair Aaron M. Michlewitz at 617-722-2990. Using your phone camera, you can scan the QR code below to make the call.

Ask him to provide enough funding to stand up the Municipal Reforestation Program, in preparation for the millions of federal dollars that will be coming from the IRA & IIJA laws. Thank you for helping the climate and public health.

Glen Ayers

Mass Climate Resilient Schools Coalition

The Massachusetts Climate Resilient Schools Coalition is a diverse network that empowers teachers, students, and community members to catalyze rigorous climate education and infrastructure improvements in Massachusetts schools by passing and implementing climate action resolutions at the district level. The district resolutions will support school building retrofits and climate change curriculum in schools.

The Coalition provides support to district level teams along the way, including: 

• Monthly Organizing Network meetings with teams statewide
• Slack workspace for intra- and inter-team collaboration
• Resolution templates and other resources
• Live office hours
• Technical support
• Networking opportunities

Tina Grosowsky is the ECA liason to the Coalition. As a director of Green Hudson, she is starting a Hudson Climate Resilient Schools group in Hudson. Please contact tgrosowsky@verizon.net if you are interested in the Coalition, to find out if there is a group in your town, or if you would like to start a group in your town.

Tina Grosowsky

Seth Evans, Tina Grosowsky, & Maiyim Baron

Check out these photos of ECA Mass tabling with high school students from Spring Forward at the Wake Up the Earth Festival in Jamaica Plain!

Join us! We're teaming up with Mothers Out Front on Tuesday, June 4 from 12-12:45 PM for a statewide climate action call.

RSVP here!

All we are saying is…. give us a choice. Let’s speak out together to the people running Massachusetts’s 529 College Savings Plans to say we want fossil free fund choices. When we’re saving for our loved one's education, we don’t want to invest in the very companies destroying the future they face. 

Tina Grosowsky

We send announcements of our meetings and Action Alerts to eca-mass@googlegroups.com, which includes all those on our active list. 

Please contact Dawn Edell if you want to confirm you are on our active list.

Maiyim Baron