Thank you Senator Adam Hinds of the first district for your sponsorship of Mass. Senate bill 1021.
I am writing as a member of the Ashfield chapter of Citizens Climate Lobby. CCL is a national nonpartisan organization that trains people to do effective lobbying for climate change legislation. The goal is to pass legislation that places fees on oil and gas pollution and rebates the money collected to all households. By placing a fee on carbon pollution, gas and oil, producers have market incentives to help transform our economy from dirty fuels to efficiency measures like solar and wind energy. The process of switching to clean energy will bring thousands of jobs to Massachusetts.
Objections to this plan are usually tied to the increase in price that corporations might charge for their product. That is why the consumer would receive rebates.
We are working to help legislators add more sponsors to two bills in the state Legislature that place a fee on carbon pollution. They are the Barrett Bill, SD 1021, and the Benson Bill, HD 1504.
We are working for climate legislation at the state level because it is evident that the federal government wants to leave our grandchildren to inherit a dying planet.
Thus far, our local CCL members are working to place resolutions on spring town warrants in Ashfield, Buckland, Charlemont, Conway and Plainfield. This kind of action provides legislators with the support they need to act courageously.
Go to ccl.org to learn more or contact Richard Pree at richpree@gmail.com.
Ellen Kaufmann
Buckland