The Massachusetts Senate Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change released a report Jan. 29 reflecting Massachusetts residents’ concerns about the state being “green.”
The report was made after 10 hearings across the state to listen to what residents were worried about in terms of clean energy and the climate. At these hearings, people across the state said they were in support of more renewable energy, carbon pricing and more environmental justice, as well as other concerns.
Sen. Marc Pacheco, president pro tempore and chair of the committee, said they launched the Massachusetts Clean Energy Future Tour to fulfill the committee’s mission of “making Massachusetts stronger and healthier.”
“The engagement was incredible,” Pacheco told The Daily Free Press. “Our residents are concerned about the health of their children and community. They’re concerned about sea level rise and extreme weather. They’re concerned about job creation and economic strength.”
Andy Bean, campaign coordinator for the Boston Climate Action Network, said Massachusetts is facing massive environmental issues.
“We have a pretty big, vulnerable coastline,” Bean said. “And already this year, we’ve … seen some enormous coastal flooding during some storms and we have to be ready for the threat of climate change when it arrives in full force … we’re not ready for that right now.”
Bean said the report set up a good base for a much larger conversation about climate policy.
“There are several pieces before our [legislative] body that provide a vehicle for an omnibus energy bill consisting of the people’s priorities, and we look forward to unveiling the final result in the coming days,” Bean said. “All of these priorities can be implemented if the political will exists. The people need to stand up and demand a healthy future.”
Nanyong Kim, 47, of Back Bay, said she thinks people have a responsibility to keep the Earth clean.
“This Earth we live on is so beautiful,” Kim said. “I think people have a responsibility to ensure that we keep it clean and it starts with small things like recycling, using less water and taking public transportation with other people.”
Sabrina Mclane, 59, of East Boston, said she thinks locals should utilize and contribute to more of Boston’s clean energy and recycling efforts.
“Public transport is the oldest system in America, so people should use it more,” Mclane said. “People need to stop littering and [start] putting recyclables in the right place.”
Although the report has been received well by many, some professionals have had specific doubts. Steve Dodge, the executive director of the Massachusetts Petroleum Council, said he supports the report, but claims it falls short in some areas. Dodge said he believes the report did not cover everything properly, leaving key details out.
“Our companies that we collectively represent, even the big oil companies, are heavily invested in renewables,” Dodge said. “In fact, our industry is the largest single private investor in renewables, aside from the federal government. We believe in renewables and so, a lot of what the report with says, we agree with.”
Dodge said the report may mislead state residents who read it without context.
“The problem that I have in particular with the report is that it’s not very well balanced,” Dodge said. “It really doesn’t cover any new ground. It doesn’t talk about the price implications of these green energy policies. It doesn’t cite a report.”
Dodge said his primary concern was with the report’s discussion of energy prices. He said if legislators further examined the recommendations in the report, they would find that these recommendations are too expensive for many Massachusetts residents.
“We’re already paying the highest utility prices, gas and electricity in the country,” Dodge said. “New England pays 50 percent more than the rest of the country on average. Our rates are so high because of the natural gas infrastructure issues we have up here. We can’t get the gas up here that we need.”
John John, 75, of Back Bay, said he thinks older people care more about the environment and pay more attention to policy changes than younger generations.
“Younger kids care but they don’t know anything about the legislation and that’s where the big change happens,” John said. “I’d like to see more [young] people getting involved in climate policy here in Massachusetts as a whole, not just Boston.”
You are already a pro.
“The problem that I have in particular with the report is that it’s not very well balanced,” Dodge said. “It really doesn’t cover any new ground. It doesn’t talk about the price implications of these green energy policies. It doesn’t cite a report.”
Dodge said his primary concern was with the report’s discussion of energy prices. He said if legislators further examined the recommendations in the report, they would find that these recommendations are too expensive for many Massachusetts residents.
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BUT, Mr. Dodge, if you add up the costs of damage by climate change and the continued use of fossil fuels (already occurring) THAT is the really huge expense. The climate science is now clear. The costs of continued fossil fuel use will be much, much bigger than our switching to green energy policies. That is what you are NOT saying.