Hope remains for quick action this spring!
Yesterday, Governor Baker vetoed S.2995, the most significant climate and environmental justice legislation since the 2008 Global Warming Solutions Act. The Mystic River Watershed Association joins the chorus of thousands of residents and workers, environmental organizations and social justice organizations in voicing our disappointment about this move.
“Climate change is already harming communities in the Mystic with record storms, drought and heat waves,” said Julie Wormser, Deputy Director of the Mystic River Watershed Association (MyRWA). This is not something cities and towns can tackle themselves. Addressing climate change needs to be a core government function, like schools and roads.”
The Next Generation Roadmap bill passed the legislature with overwhelming support, and Senate President Karen Spilka and new House Speaker Ronald Mariano vowed to immediately refile it and work for its passage in coming months. Indeed, the bill is very close to the Baker Administration’s own climate policies.
“Like COVID, extreme weather hits our low-income communities of color first and worst,” said Melanie Gárate, MyRWA’s Climate Resilience Project Manager. “Passing this climate bill would be a significant down payment in equitably addressing these challenges, and it would make Massachusetts a leader in addressing environmental justice. I call on our legislators to push this important bill as soon as possible for the health and well-being of our communities.”
In 2018, MyRWA and ten cities and towns launched the Resilient Mystic Collaborative (RMC) to build resilience at the watershed scale. The voluntary partnership has grown to 20 municipalities covering 98 percent of the watershed. Together we are:
Working to manage stormwater flooding across 17 communities,
Working to storm-harden critical regional infrastructure in the Lower Mystic--which during a major storm could disrupt services for the major metropolitan area and have catastrophic impacts on local residents, and
Working to protect vulnerable residents and workers from extreme weather.
“This legislation is too critical to give up on,” said Patrick Herron, MyRWA’s Executive Director. “Summer heat waves put our elders, children, and others with health concerns at risk. Coastal flooding is drowning saltmarsh habitat. Intense rainfall floods roads and causes sewage to flow into rivers and basements. This is a problem no one community can tackle alone.”
We urge Governor Baker and the legislature to agree on strong climate and environmental justice legislation as soon as possible. With 2020 tied for the hottest year on record, we have no time to lose.
