Last week’s meeting on environmental legislation included (left to right) Lincoln residents Paul Shorb, Lucy Chatfield, and Stacy Montori; Rep. Tom Stanley; and Lincolnites Joan Kimball, Barbara Slayter, Emily Haslett, and Alex Chatfield.
By Alex Chatfield
Lincoln residents concerned about climate change and its impacts on Massachusetts met with State Rep. Tom Stanley on Thursday. The group included members of Mothers Out Front, 350 Mass, and the Lincoln Democratic Town Committee. This was the second such meeting with Stanley to discuss several environmental justice and climate bills that have been introduced in this legislative session.
Among the Lincolnites present was Lucy Chatfield, a college sophomore and member of the Sunrise Movement, a youth-led climate advocacy group best known for introducing the Green New Deal in Washington last fall. She pointed out that meaningful progress on climate legislation has been stalled repeatedly due to the enormous influence of the fossil fuel industry on politicians at the federal and state levels. That industry has spent hundreds of millions lobbying Congress and promoting disinformation to cast doubt on the science of human-caused climate change.
Chatfield asked Stanley if he would agree to sign the “No Fossil Fuel Money Pledge” being used around the country to get politicians to go on record that they will forego donations from the fossil fuel industry and “prioritize the health of our families, climate, and democracy over fossil fuel industry profits.” Stanley readily agreed and signed the pledge form with Lucy at his side.
On June 4, the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture will hold a hearing on several environmental justice bills including SD.1885/HD.3878 and SD.1824/HD.3523. Environment justice is the equal protection and meaningful involvement of all people with respect to the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws. Stanley pledged to be at the hearing and to offer testimony in support of these bills.
Other key bills that have been endorsed by multiple climate and environmental groups include SD.1625/HD.3092 (An Act Repowering Massachusetts with 100 Percent Renewable Energy); HD.2370 (An Act to Promote Green Infrastructure and Reduce Carbon Emissions), SD1541/HD 3009 (An Act to Advance Modern and Sustainable Solutions for Transportation), and H.2849 (An Act for Utility Transition to Using Renewable Energy).
We want to thank Rep. Stanley for his strong commitment to protecting the environment and a livable future climate. We look forward to working with him as these important bills make their way through the legislative process in the coming year.