On Friday, Gov. Charlie Baker signed into law sweeping legislation combating climate change titled “An Act Creating a Next Generation Roadmap for Massachusetts Climate Policy.” An overwhelming Democratic majority would have easily passed it over the governor’s veto if he had not signed.
Designed to set the stage for the state to lower greenhouse gasses over the next 30 years, it uses 1990 greenhouse gas statistics as a base to calculate the new law’s goal: 50 percent reduction by 2030; 75 percent reduction by 2040: and net-zero by 2050. While there are many other interesting parts of the new law, its most significant action is the transformation in the state’s use of energy, eliminating most — if not all — fossil fuels (coal, oil, gasoline, diesel, fuel oil, propane, natural gas ) that emit greenhouse gasses when burned.
Obviously, we cannot reach goals like these without carefully and steadily measuring greenhouse gasses over time; by providing time to evaluate the results of studies; and by gathering expert consultation on options for reaching the schedule of intended reduction. But the good news is that while losing the carbon, we can save money. The law includes many ways to improve quality of life by providing more jobs and creating a cleaner, healthier and more egalitarian society.
The law builds on a study commissioned by the governor’s office and released last December titled A Decarbonization Roadmap. Following its release, legislators — some of whom had been studying the issues for years — had a short time to review results and submit plans for the recently enacted law.
In the new climate law, the legislature outlines a process to ensure the state adheres to its goals: starting in 2025 and every five years until 2050, the law states that the administration is mandated to provide ”real, permanent, quantifiable, verifiable and enforceable” data. Deadlines are intended to mesh with the schedule of the legislature.
This is an important part of the law because Massachusetts legislators work on a two-year cycle.
Following election years, which fall every other year, legislators collect data to create well-crafted legislation. All proposed new legislation is then submitted on deadline during the first few weeks of January to be taken up during the next two-year session.
Proposed bills are then assigned to one of many House, Senate or joint committees in the legislature. If a bill is approved by its committee and if it requires funding, it is reassigned to the Ways and Means Committee. The Senate and the House, often using parallel schedules, then come up with different ideas that require reconciliation before it’s passed into law.
This process can easily take two years.
This past January, for example, over 5,000 bills were submitted to address a wide range of concerns. Urged on by an army of for-profit and non-profit organizations, residents then start calling to encourage legislators to become co-sponsors of the bills they want passed by 2022.
It takes courage to grapple with legislation like the “An Act Creating a Next Generation Roadmap for Massachusetts Climate Policy” because it is so complex. It requires thinking ahead 30 years into the future — unprecedented territory — and it’s weighted with responsibility for decisions that will affect the continuity of life on the planet.
Thankfully, we have representatives who are committed to a better future.
Our region’s state House representative, Rep. Paul Mark, D-Peru, for example, has been leading the charge. This dedicated lawmaker has made climate change one of his areas of deep concern.
Among other notable bills, Mark spearheaded “An Act creating a green bank to promote clean energy in Massachusetts.” If passed, the bill would create a green bank to “evaluate and coordinate financing for energy improvements and energy technologies throughout the (state),” according to the bill. Mark also accepted an interstate planning role, joining multi-state legislators grappling with climate change. He has more recently been offered leadership as the vice chair of the most critical joint committee targeting climate change in the state legislature, the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy. For his work, Mark deserves our respect and deep support.
Pam Kelly, has lived in Franklin County close to 20 years, and was former director of the Unitarian Universalist Association’s national economic justice network. Contact Kelly at PamelaSKelly@comcast.net.