To the editor:
State Senator Michael Barrett’s bill S1747–An Act Combating Climate Change as previously endorsed by the Lincoln Democratic Town Committee was recently presented to the Senate Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities & Energy. The hearing room was packed, showing broad bipartisan support by business, civic, environmental, and academic communities.
Senator Barrett and the Lincoln Democratic Town Committee fully understand the science and reality behind climate change and appreciates the need to take urgent steps to reduce carbon emissions as one means of helping to reduce global warming. The bill is based on the successful 2008 precedent used in British Columbia that charges a fee to users on their use of carbon-based fuels. However, because this bill is revenue-neutral, it encourages conservation, and collected fees are returned to businesses, institutions, and individuals, so it does not put an unfair burden on the poor or small business.
To the extent that the modestly sized Commonwealth can form a part of a universal climate solution, this initiative provides an effective way for Lincoln and Massachusetts to combat climate change and provide a constructive example to others.
Based on the presentation of Senator Barrett to the Lincoln Democratic Town Committee last January, the report of the Senate Committee Hearing, and his very thorough carbon pricing resource material, the Lincoln Democratic Town Committee has been pleased to support and endorse this important climate change bill since its original introduction.
Sincerely,
Gary Davis (chair, Lincoln Democratic Town Committee)
20R Indian Camp Lane
Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Letters must be about a Lincoln-specific topic, will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.
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