Photo: Zack Frank via Shutterstock
March 18, 2021 (BOSTON, MA) – Massachusetts legislators have again sent an important climate bill to Governor Baker for his signature after he vetoed a similar bill earlier this year. The bill includes a 2050 roadmap to reach net-zero climate-damaging emissions as well as new protections for environmental justice communities. Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) released the following statement in response.
“This legislation, passed with veto-proof majorities, is a momentous step forward in confronting the climate crisis and protecting communities that suffer first and worst from climate change,” said Caitlin Peale Sloan, Interim Director of CLF Massachusetts. “The Legislature honored its pledge to return the bill quickly to Governor Baker’s desk and incorporated changes to address administration concerns without weakening the bill. It’s past time for Governor Baker to sign the bill into law and get on with the important work of cutting emissions and forging the path to a safer and more sustainable future.”
The legislation establishes important mandates and deadlines to ensure progress under the state’s landmark Global Warming Solutions Act, giving leaders a detailed path for how to meet the goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions economy-wide by 2050. It also includes provisions that may lead to better protection of human health and the environment in environmental justice communities.
CLF experts are available for further comment.
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