The Lincoln Squirrel – News, features and photos from Lincoln, Mass.

My Turn

My Turn: Joining The Atlantic in endorsing Harris

By Barbara Slayter

In less than two weeks, Lincoln voters will be selecting a candidate who will become President of the United States for the next four years. Although there are six pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates, most voters will choose between Harris and Trump. It is a momentous decision, and we would be wise to learn as much as we can about the candidates and to seek the wisdom of respected sources. That brings me to The Atlantic magazine to which my family has subscribed for much of my adult life.

The Atlantic, a widely read and respected American journal, was founded in 1857. It is a literary and cultural commentary magazine with a national reputation. The journal has published leading writers’ commentaries on abolition, education, and other major issues in contemporary political affairs, and it has won more National Magazine Awards than any other monthly magazine. 

Only four times in the course of its existence has it endorsed a candidate for president. The first time was in 1860 when it endorsed Abraham Lincoln. The second time was 100 years later when it endorsed Lyndon B. Johnson; the third and fourth times involve support for Hilary Clinton and Joe Biden in the face of an unstable and incompetent candidate.

Now in 2024 with its fifth endorsement of a presidential candidate, The Atlantic concludes that Trump’s “insults, cruelties, abuse of power, corrupt dealings, and crimes, most particularly, his efforts on January 6 to overturn the election and prevent the peaceful transfer of power, have rendered him ineligible for the highest office in the land… Trump has made clear that he would use a second term to consolidate unprecedented power in his own hands, punishing adversaries and pushing a far-right agenda that most Americans don’t want….

“About the candidate we are endorsing,” the editors write, “we know a few things for sure: Having devoted her life to public service, Harris respects the law and the Constitution. She believes in the freedom, equality, and dignity of all Americans. She’s untainted by corruption, let alone a felony record or a history of sexual assault. She doesn’t embarrass her compatriots with language and behavior to pit them against one another. She doesn’t curry favor with dictators. She won’t abuse the power of the highest office in order to keep it. She believes in democracy. These, and not any specific policy positions, are the reason The Atlantic is endorsing her.”

Acknowledging the extraordinary character and values differences between these two Presidential candidates is not intended to suggest that I am not concerned about Trump’s policy positions. His policies arising from his isolationism, dismissal of climate change, misogyny, hostility to reproductive rights, embrace of tariffs, intimidation of those who speak against him, and his verbal assault on the military, among other things, could transform our country in profound ways.

Let’s do everything we can in the days remaining before the election to ensure that this transformation does not happen.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: U.S. is falling behind in the renewable energy race

By Emma Loren

By the year 2050, it is estimated that 90% of the world’s energy can and should be supplied by renewables. Countries like Iceland are above this curve, as almost 100% of their energy comes from geothermal energy, a renewable source. With countries like Iceland, China, and Norway in the lead, it’s hard not to notice that the United States continues to lag. While the U.S. has made noticeable strides in renewable energy, it is falling behind in the transition compared to other major global economies.

Currently, the United States gets only 20.3% of its energy from renewable sources, which is behind the global average of 30%, despite having the resources and potential to be a leader. Meanwhile, China firmly establishes itself as a dominant force in the renewable energy sector, particularly in solar panel manufacturing. In an impressive show of growth, China increased its renewable energy generation capacity by 301 gigawatts (GW) in 2023, which includes solar, wind, and hydro. This increase followed a addition of approximately 168 GW in 2022, a 79% increase from 2021. Notably, this accounted for about 59% of the total global additions to renewable capacity in 2023. In comparison, the United States added just 33.8 GW of new clean energy projects in 2023, allowing for a 12.5% increase from the previous year.

This map (click to enlarge), created with data from the World Bank, shows how countries around the globe are progressing in renewable energy consumption. As the urgency of climate change intensifies, this map serves as a reminder of where we stand and how far we still have to go.

The United States’ slow transition to clean energy sources can be blamed on policy inconsistencies, infrastructure, and historic dependence on fossil fuels. Unlike countries such as Germany and Denmark that have established long-term energy policies, the U.S. lacks a bipartisan unified approach, resulting in stagnant progress. Political shifts in leadership often lead to changes in energy dynamics, causing uncertainty for renewable energy implementation and gaining the interest of investors.

Infrastructure challenges further hamper progress. The U.S. power grid, much of which was built in the mid-20th century, is not designed to handle the variability of renewable sources like wind and solar. Unlike fossil fuel plants that produce a steady flow of electricity, renewables generate power intermittently; solar panels only work when the sun is shining, and wind turbines need a wind in order to spin. This inconsistency requires a more flexible, modernized grid that balances supply and demand in real time. However, the challenge of modernizing the grid is complex due to America’s historic support for the fossil fuel industry.

The continued support for the fossil fuel industry is one of the main reasons why the U.S. is lagging in the global clean energy transition. Many benefits given to fossil fuel companies were established over a century ago and continue to give them an unfair advantage today. Despite evidence of the urgency to shift to renewables, U.S. policies still lean to favor oil and coal through subsidies and loopholes that ultimately give then an advantage. For example, the Percentage Depletion Allowance lets oil and gas companies reduce their taxes by deducting a set percentage of their income — often more than what they spend. Other industries lost this tax break long ago, but fossil fuel companies continue to see benefits. Additionally, another benefit known as Intangible Drilling Costs, allows these companies to deduct most of their drilling expenses, thus gaining more profits. These oil, gas, and coal companies can even lease federal lands for extraction at bargain rates.

These incentives make it harder for renewables to compete on a level playing field. In 2020 alone, the U.S. provided $649 billion in fossil fuel subsidies, according to the International Monetary Fund. If we want to tackle climate change seriously, we need to stop these subsidies and give renewables a fair chance to grow. The U.S. has made progress in renewables, and wind energy alone has increased, contributing to nearly 10% of the nation’s electricity generation, which is projected to reach 20% by 2030. The Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law highlighted some positive progress regarding climate investments. But with a change in administration, these two pieces of legislation can go away. Therefore, to catch up in the global clean energy race, we need lasting investments and a complete redesign of the outdated power grid.

Lincoln resident Emma Loren is earning a master’s degree at Georgetown University studying environment and international affairs, focusing on energy policy and science.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: FELS seeks donations (and pie purchases) on its 25th anniversary

By Nancy Marshall and Tara Mitchell

It’s a year of numbers for our towns and for FELS.

2024-25 marks a wide array of reasons to celebrate. Lincoln and Sudbury are celebrating 250th anniversaries. Our beloved Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School is in its 70th year, and its 20th in the “new”” building. FELS, the Foundation for Educators at Lincoln-Sudbury, www.FELSGrant.org, is celebrating 25 years of providing grants to teachers and staff at LSRHS to pursue their individual and professional interests and passions. 

In our 25 years, FELS has given out well over 100 grants, totaling in excess of $150,000. Funding for the grants has been thanks to the support of many people responding to our Annual Appeal and purchasing pies through our annual Thanksgiving pie sale, which kicks off once again on October 15. 

Please, in this special season of celebration, consider a donation to FELS by matching an anniversary number, ($25, $70, or $250), or by buying a pie for your Thanksgiving table or to share with a local food pantry, police and fire department, or a particularly special teacher or staff member at L-S. Your contribution will be impactful. 

Our motto is “Inspired Teachers Inspire Students.” We encourage applicants to dream big and act on that dream by submitting a thoughtful application. Grant recipients speak of the level of refreshment and renewal they find in dreaming big and checking that dream off their bucket list. In returning to their important work with our kids in the classroom, they carry with them satisfaction in their personally fulfilling accomplishment, coupled with the understanding that we, Lincoln and Sudbury, have supported them in achieving that accomplishment.  

FELS was founded by Lincoln L-S parent, Peter von Mertens 25 years ago. Our mission is deeply personal to us as a board, to the grant recipients, to families and, inevitably and intangibly, to our kids in the classroom and well after they leave LSRHS. Thank you for considering a donation to FELS or purchasing a pie. 

Marshall and Mitchell are co-presidents of the Foundation for Educators at LSRHS.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Sen. Barrett and town Dems urge passage of climate bill

By Barbara Slayter and Joan Kimball

On Saturday, Oct. 5, State Sen. Michael Barrett spoke to an attentive audience at Bemis Hall on “The State of the Environment in Massachusetts.” The Lincoln Democratic Town Committee chaired by Joan Kimball and Travis Roland hosted the event, whose attendees included environmental activists from 350 MASS, Mothers Out Front, Lincoln’s Green Energy Committee, and Stop Private Jet Expansion at Hanscom or Anywhere.

Barrett — who is Assistant Majority Leader, chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy and vice chair of the Senate Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change — reflected on the state’s key issues in environmental policy making, the best ways to address them, and what we as Massachusetts citizens can do to move the process along.

The state Senate passed sweeping climate legislation” in June and the House has also passed its own climate change bill. However, the legislative session closed July 31 without a joint bill coming out of the Conference Committee. How might be moved forward?

The context for getting a climate bill passed

According to Sen. Barrett, central to advancing clean energy policies are questions about how to “upsize” electricity and “downsize” gas as Massachusetts strives to implement a clean energy economy as expeditiously as possible. The pace and the cost of this effort affect stakeholders differently.

Stakeholders have strong opinions on energy sources and how it’s provided, how much we focus on EVs, solar canopies, heat pumps or recycling throwaway plastics, carbon pollution and more. Rate payers worry about the cost of energy, especially the construction of the electric grid; businesses focus on investment profitability; and the legislature and administration are concerned about the price tag and about balancing various interests and needs.

Climate legislation

The climate omnibus bill approved last June aims to upgrade the grid and protect rate payers. The bill deals not only with siting and permitting needed to move Massachusetts away from polluting fossil fuels to more reliance on electricity, but also on reduction of plastics and other toxins such as PFAS that are polluting our environment.

Decisions about gas — The bill’s intent is to slow down the momentum for constructing new gas structures. Currently there is a huge economic incentive for the gas companies to replace pipes, as they make much more profit on construction work than on selling gas. At present the DPU is authorized only to “repair” and “replace” pipes. The Senate bill would allow “repair, replace or retire” so that new pipes lasting well beyond 2050 would not be constructed.

Decisions about Massport — An issue of great concern to Lincoln residents is the plan to expand Hanscom Airport to accommodate private jets. In 1956, the legislature passed the Massport charter for the independent authority with the goal of increasing air transportation. The Senate version of the climate bill provides for amending that charter to require that Massport consider Massachusetts mandates for addressing global warming and climate change as part of all its decisions.

Lincoln residents vigorously support the Senate bill’s provision to update the Massport charter. Times have changed since 1956, and Massachusetts is a leader in addressing problems caused by global warming and climate change. Research has shown that this airport expansion would significantly worsen carbon pollution.

How to pass this legislation?

Barrett strongly supports passage of a comprehensive bill by the Senate and House conference committee. He hopes that this can be accomplished in a formal session rather than an informal session this fall when the legislature may be called back into session to complete unfinished work. If discussed in an informal legislative session, any legislator can stop the legislation from proceeding using parliamentary rules in place.

House and Senate negotiators including Barrett and Rep. Jeffrey Roy of Franklin are optimistic that they can come to some sort of agreement. Barrett, who had all but given up hope for a larger bill after the governor filed her closeout spending bill, recognizes that not everything is aligned quite yet, but with effort, the committee can emerge with a deal

What can we do?

Barrett urged citizens to pressure the House and the Senate to resolve differences in their two bills. Lincoln’s two representatives, Carmine Gentile and Alice Peisch, have been supportive of this climate legislation, said Barrett, urging attendees to “put the pressure on… It makes a difference when I can go to the Senate and make a strong case that this is what citizens in my community want. The same will be true for your representatives in the Massachusetts House.”

In sum:

  • Write or call your Massachusetts representatives to urge them to move the clean energy agenda forward in a compromise climate bill resulting from the House and Senate negotiations this fall.
  • Respond to the Lincoln Democrats’ call to action — a group letter advocating a compromise climate bill from House and Senate negotiations or contact the LDTC at selenejck@gmail.com.
  • Write or call state senators and representatives asking them to update the Massport charter to reflect current climate concerns and priorities
  • Look for an elaboration of Sen. Barrett’s reflections in his newsletter, The Barrett Report, which explores in detail many of the issues surrounding a clean energy agenda that were presented in his talk.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: Ansara urges Lincoln Dems to get out the vote

By Barbara Slayter

What is at stake in this election? The very survival of our democracy!

On Saturday, Sept. 14, the Lincoln Democratic Town Committee kicked off its 2024 election events with a talk by Michael Ansara, political organizer, longtime activist, and poet whose work contributes to our understanding of justice, political choices, and effectiveness. Led by LDTC co-chairs Joan Kimball and Travis Roland, an attentive audience of about 40 Lincoln residents greeted Ansara, and we were not disappointed. His astute analysis, informal style, savvy political perceptions, and grasp of critical facts were apparent throughout the morning.

Ansara — organizer for Together 2020, a board member of Indivisible Massachusetts Coalition, and a founder of Volunteer Blue — has spent many years as an activist and an organizer on political campaigns, voter registration efforts, and civil rights. He opened his comments with recognition that this is the most consequential election of our lifetime. People with autocratic inclinations and extremist ideologies are threatening our democracy and we — all of us — need to defend it as best we can in this upcoming election.

Ansara asserted that electoral victories in certain states are critical to a Democratic win. For the presidency, there are seven swing states that will determine the outcome: Arizona, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Georgia, and North Carolina. For the Senate retaining seats in three states is essential: Ohio, Arizona, and Montana. For the House, which Ansara believes Democrats have a good chance of taking, the critical states are New York and California.

What is the single most effective action members of grassroots organizations like the Lincoln Dems can do to bring about a Democratic victory? Register voters and assure that they are able to vote. And the most effective way to do that is to talk with them. He urged members of the audience to do several things:

  • Look at that list of critical states and figure out who you know in those states, whether relatives, friends or distant colleagues. Contact them, have a conversation about what’s at stake in this election, and persuade them to vote.
  • Spend some time canvassing, especially in areas where low voter turnout is prevalent. Ansara noted how much Trump benefited from canvassing in 2020 as opposed to the Dems, who scaled back due to Covid. Moreover, Trump, he asserted, can’t win without taking North Carolina, a highly purple and key swing state. (Groups are going regularly from Massachusetts to canvas in North Carolina and Pennsylvania.)
  • Make phone calls. Starting next week, phone banks will be calling known Democratic voters and encouraging them to vote early.

These tasks may seem small and unimportant, but in a tight election with a deeply polarized public, such efforts can make a critical difference. Some day, Ansara said, your grandchildren will ask, “What did you do when democracy was so profoundly threatened?” You want to be able to say, “I gave it my all.”

Ansara spoke for about half an hour and then fielded a great variety of questions from a politically engaged and savvy audience, including:

  • Why has North Carolina become a critical state? (Answer: changing demographics and a revitalized, younger more focused N.C. Democratic Committee)
  • Are Democrats writing off the Midwest? (Answer: there is a new emphasis on Midwest voters, including persuading Democrats to challenge races even if they can’t win and working on getting out the rural vote.)
  • How do you explain the gender gap in voting? (Answer: partially by Trump’s successes in engaging young men who are not college graduates, and widespread concern among women about reproductive rights)
  • Why are journalists treating Harris and Trump so differently? (Answer: journalists want a horse race when they should be comparing policies)

Ansara identified two local organizations in which he has great confidence: Force Multiplier and Volunteer Blue. The latter’s webpage has important information including a calendar of opportunities for political activism in key races and swing states as well as a volunteer coach who will help people with canvassing, texting, and phone banking.

In sum, voter contact is essential, talking with people face-to-face is the most effective way to get out the vote, and getting out the vote is central to winning this election, whether we are talking about the Presidency, the Senate, the House, or down ballot. Drawing on Michelle Obama’s oft-quoted phrase, Ansara urged us to “do something” — inspiring many of us to head to the activities table to sign up for canvassing or purchase a yard sign, dig more deeply into our pockets, and make that telephone call to a friend or relative in a critical state.

For more information about the LDTC, check the website at lincolnmadems.org and follow us on Instagram (lincolnmadems). For opportunities to canvas and to write postcards to swing states, contact Travis Roland at travisroland89@yahoo.com or Joan Kimball at selene@gmail.org.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: L-S School Committee leaders introduce themselves

By Ravi Simon and Cathie Bitter

As the recently elected chair and vice chair of the Lincoln-Sudbury Regional School Committee, we would like to take a minute to introduce ourselves. We both appreciate the opportunity to serve in these roles and look forward to advocating on behalf of students, family members, and residents to ensure Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School provides an excellent, welcoming, and engaging learning environment for all students. Here’s some background about us:

Committee chair Ravi Simon is in his second year on the committee. Ravi is an LSRHS alumnus (Class of 2015), and a legislative staffer in the Massachusetts State House. He grew up in Sudbury and attended Sudbury’s public schools. He currently works for state Rep. Carmine Gentile, who represents Sudbury, half of Lincoln and Wayland, and parts of Concord and Marlborough. Ravi has a passion for public service and is honored to be working to advocate for and help members of his community every day. He ran for a position on the L-S School Committee in 2023 to bring his perspective as a former student to the committee’s discussions and to ensure that today’s students receive an education as good as the one he received at L-S.

Vice chair Cathie Bitter is just starting her second year on the committee. She is a resident of Lincoln with two children who attended Lincoln Public Schools and who will be attending L-S in the fall. A former high school chemistry teacher, she has worked as an education researcher for more than 20 years, leading research and evaluation projects in the areas of K-12 school improvement, innovative instructional approaches, and postsecondary preparation. Cathie has also been an active volunteer in Lincoln schools, having served on the boards of the Lincoln School Foundation, the Lincoln PTO, and Magic Garden Preschool.

We both look forward to leading the committee through the 2024-25 school year. The committee will meet in an upcoming retreat to brainstorm, discuss, and select goals for the year. Our priorities will be set during the retreat, but we do know that several important items will be on our plate this year, including negotiating a fair contract with the teachers; taking a look at the new advisory program that kicked off last school year; and our annual responsibilities, which include approving a budget and evaluating our superintendent/principal, who was new to L-S last school year.

We are both committed to ensuring the committee is transparent, accessible, and open to good faith feedback. Last year, we worked to ensure that our agendas linked to the documents the committee discussed in meetings, held listening sessions to get input from the community, and posted regular newsletters. We look forward to sharing our work and maintaining opportunities for community input this upcoming school year.

You can sign up for the school committee’s email list and find all of our meeting agendas, minutes, and presentations at our website: www.lsrhs.net/about/school_committee. We are excited for the school year ahead and continued opportunities to collaboratively support L-S’s students, teachers, and community.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: Vote Mara Dolan for Governor’s Council

By Barbara Slayter

On Tuesday, Sept. 3, Lincoln voters choosing the Democratic primary ballot will find only one office for which the incumbent is contested.  This is the office of Governor’s Councillor representing the Governor’s Council District 3 that includes a swath of cities and towns to the west of Boston, among them Lincoln.

I urge all those voting in the Democratic primary to cast their ballot for Mara Dolan. She seeks to replace Marilyn Petitto Devaney, who has served on the Council as representative from district 3 for 25 years. Mara Dolan would bring to the position:

  • Extensive experience as a public defender
  • Professional qualifications for confirming judges, parole board members, and commutations and pardons, all Governor’s Council responsibilities
  • Determination to defend women’s reproductive rights
  • Support for humane, science-based policies for addiction recovery
  • Support for raising the age for Juvenile Court jurisdiction
  • A commitment to transparency in government

Having attended a debate between Devaney and Dolan at the Concord Public Library in June, where, indeed, the sparks did fly, having heard both speak at several local Democratic gatherings, and having perused their websites and records, I have concluded that Mara Dolan is far and away the stronger candidate. The Boston Globe has come to the same conclusion and has endorsed Dolan.  Despite Marilyn Devaney’s long service — and perhaps also because of it — I urge you to cast your vote next Tuesday, Sept. 3 for Mara Dolan for Governor’s Councillor representing District 3.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: Did you get Trump’s strategy?

By Alexander Creighton

What a clever strategy Donald Trump’s MAGA advisors pulled off to overwhelm and beat down President Joe Biden last Thursday night! They knew Orange Man would not have an open mic to heckle and harass as he did four years ago. And Biden, most likely too overprepared at Camp David, was left to his own memory without prompter or notes to stand up to such a barrage. What a target!

The entire 45 minutes was nothing but a clear and direct assault on Biden’s ability to concentrate and make any meaningful points.

Countless times, a CNN moderator’s question to Trump was never addressed directly by him. Instead, his handlers coached Trump to take his four-minute exclusive time slot to harass, berate, and bombard Biden, repeatedly using the immigration issue on every subject he was given to address for that four minutes. He deflected, as is his style, blame on Biden every subject that was brought up from the get-go. It was a nonstop lambasting force of energy aimed directly at Biden’s mind — so much so, unbeknownst to Biden and to the disbelief of all watching, it completely befuddled him to the point where it was obvious that he was unable to recall any of the preparation days before at Camp David.

It was an excellent strategy and it worked, showing us a diminished man who has done so much for this country in the last four years despite Trump’s back-door control of his toadies in Congress and elsewhere. Yes, President Biden did come back, sort of, in a few places, but he never had time to really recover after 40 minutes of the constant barrage of negativity aimed in his direction.

The final result of this clever strategy showed itself as a success when Biden reacted to Trump’s golf scores trap. Then Trump was the one to say, “Let’s stop acting like children.”

But the final blow however was President Biden’s exhausted physical appearance, facial expression, and speaking style. It reduced his ability to utter even a coherent final statement, which was also sadly far below everyone’s expectations. Then came the talking heads’ immediate reactive panic and suggesting that he must step aside. Too late!

His showing the next day was proof positive to me that, despite Thursday night’s debacle, I have certain faith in Joe Biden and his team being quite capable of leading this great and diverse nation for another four years.

Creighton, a Lincoln resident, is in his words “an 84 year-old independent voter who’s been there too!”

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: Town staff group voices “strong support” for LGBTQIA+ community

By the Lincoln Staff Diversity and Inclusion Committee

The Lincoln Staff Diversity and Inclusion Committee (SDIC) is made up of staff members from a variety of ages, religions, ethnicities, races, cultures, genders, and sexualities. We are proud to work for this town, with many of us having been on the staff for over a decade. SDIC’s mission is as follows:

  • Create an inclusive environment by engaging diverse talent and influencing recruitment, development, advancement, and retention.
  • Articulate our diversity and inclusion values through proactive communications.
  • Regulate and manage workplace equity and inclusivity by reviewing and improving our policies and practices.
  • Evaluate our progress by continually assessing our organizational culture.

While our efforts are mainly focused on diversity and inclusion within the workplace, we recognize that the culture of the town is just as critical to the wellbeing of its current and future employees as the culture within Town Offices.

We were shocked and saddened to read that some members of the community believe that the recognition of Pride Month is harmful. What hurts people is telling them to hide who they are. Many of us have seen first-hand the devastating impacts that homophobia and transphobia have on our children, family, friends, and even on ourselves. Pride is not just about acceptance — it is about celebrating who you are and who you love unapologetically. Pride is about support, love, and kindness.

In no way do we seek to silence those that we disagree with. As others have said, freedom of speech and equitable participation in the public process are the foundations of democracy. However, freedom of speech is not the same as freedom from criticism. Hate does not have a place in Lincoln’s community. We commend the Lincoln Squirrel’s decision to publish this article and shed light on this harmful rhetoric. It provides an opportunity for people to speak out and share their support for the LGBTQIA+ community.

With the politicization and attacks on LGBTQIA+ people in this country, they need our support now more than ever. In that vein, we are using our voices to speak out and share our strong support for the LGBTQIA+ community. We hope that others in Lincoln will do the same, and we are grateful to those who already have. It costs nothing to be supportive, loving, and kind.

Signed,
 
Victoria Benalfew, Administrative Assistant to the Building Department and Board of Health
Abigail Butt, our Director of Council on Aging and Human Services
Stacy Carter, Conservation Planner
Jennifer Curtin, Assistant Director of Planning and Land Use
Michael Dolan, IT Director
Valeria Fox, Town Clerk
Tim Higgins, Town Administrator
Dan Pereira, Assistant Town Administrator
Robin Rapoport, Reference Librarian
Ian Spencer, Sergeant, Police Department
Colleen Wilkins, Finance Director/Town Accountant

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: Next steps on the Hanscom hangars

Editor’s note: The Mass. Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) issued a ruling on June 24 saying that the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Hanscom Field expansion project “does not adequately and properly comply” with Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act Office (MEPA) regulations. Five Massachusetts state representatives also sent a letter on June 14 criticizing “this profoundly flawed DEIR.” For more coverage of the latest development on this issue, see the June 24 articles in the Bedford Citizen and the Concord Bridge.

By Christopher Eliot

The June 21 MEPA determination that the North Airfield Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) is “not adequate” was very good news but is not the end of the story. Our next step is to write letters by August 13 to dispute the most recent Environmental Status and Planning Report and prevent the introduction of planning assumptions that can be used to justify the next version of the DEIR.

Some background: every five years, Massport publishes an Environmental Status and Planning Report (ESPR) that defines the planning assumptions for a five-year period. The ESPR is distinct from the DEIR, but the two are closely linked. The recently rejected DEIR was based on the 2017 ESPR, but the 2022 Hanscom ESPR has been written and is now open for review. (Writing an ESPR takes two years, so the publication date is two years after the reporting date.)

The 2022 Hanscom ESPR is closely linked with the proposed North Airfield hangar project and will be used in the next version of the DEIR to justify the project. We need to write letters disputing assertions in the ESPR that will be used to justify the future supplemental DEIR. Public comments can make a difference, and you are encouraged to write another letter to MEPA on this subject.

Much of the ESPR provides good factual data, but there are three major problems with the ESPR that need to be corrected:

1. Chapter 3 of the ESPR reports historical and projected airport activity levels through 2040 including a compound grown in business jet operations of 1.2%. This is incompatible with the climate crisis. It may be a valid projection of historical growth rates but we need to reverse the growth of private jet usage. Our local legislators understand this issue and are prepared to help. The ESPR needs to reflect the fact that sane public environmental policy will reverse the growth of private jets use, eliminating the need for new hangars.

Chapter 3 also fails to discuss likely scenarios for the introduction of eVOTL (electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft), eCTOL (electric conventional take-off and landing aircraft), and advanced air mobility aircraft (AAM). These new technologies might be an improvement or might have scary implications for residents near Hanscom airport; I don’t know because Massport has not said anything about their plans. This needs to be fixed. This technology is already being deployed in some parts of the world and should be discussed.

2. Chapter 7 reports on noise issues but fails to account for recent research showing that noise is a public health problem. It has been scientifically demonstrated that noise leads to systemic inflammation and causes increased mortality due to heart disease as well as learning problems and mental illness. The ESPR chapter incorrectly minimizes all of these problems and needs to be fixed.

3. Chapter 8 includes problematic descriptions of improved aviation fuels:

First, the ESPR incorrectly states that unleaded aviation fuel is not yet available. “As of writing, it is still unknown exactly when 100UL [fuel] will become a readily available resource at all airports” (page 8-37). This is not true: the fuel can be sourced from Vitol Corp. I called this company and verified that they are able and willing to deliver this unleaded aviation fuel to Hanscom Field as soon as they get a purchase order.

Second, in section 8.6.5 starting on page 8-38, there is a discussion of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at Hanscom Field. The discussion regurgitates industry propaganda about SAF that is easily refuted. The Government Accountability Office published a report last year that disputes many of these claims. More recently, Chuck Collins et al published a report titled “Greenwashing the Skies” that provided a detailed explanation of the problems with SAF as a solution to the climate problem of aviation. While industry wants us to believe this is a solution that just needs to be deployed, there are many fundamental issues in the way, and it is very unlikely that the promise of SAF will ever be fulfilled. In the meantime, industry uses the false promise of SAF as an excuse to avoid any meaningful response to their contribution to the climate crisis. There are a number of better proposals to mitigate aviation’s contribution to the climate crisis, so it is important not to allow the industry to pursue the distraction of SAF for the next 10 or 20 years.

The ESPR is extremely important in the debate over the North Airfield project because the ESPR is the planning document used to justify the North Airfield project. We should ask MEPA to require corrections to the ESPR while the comment period is open until August 13, 2024. Changing the ESPR to make more realistic assumptions about how community response can limit the growth of private jet travel will remove the primary justification for the North Airfield project. The developers are now required to write a supplemental DEIR based on the 2022 EPSR as a foundation.

As written, the 2022 ESPR provides a pillar of support for the project; your letters can help convert it into a pit of quicksand.

Comments on the 2022 ESPR should be sent to the same place as comments on the DEIR but should reference “Project 2022 L.G. Hanscom Field Environmental Status and Planning Report (2022 ESPR) (EEA #5484/8696)”:

Secretary Rebecca Tepper
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
Attn: MEPA Office
Alex Strysky, EEA No. 5484/8696
100 Cambridge St., Suite 900
Boston, MA 02114

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Eliot is chair and Lincoln’s representative to the Hanscom Field Advisory Commission.