As the new home of MASSPIRG's environmental work, Environment Massachusetts can be contacted regarding this news release.
BOSTON—With
a twenty-foot tall “flaming” earth looming in the background and just
four weeks left in the session, environmental leaders and lawmakers
called on the state Senate to bring up the Global Warming Bill for a
vote.
The
Global Warming Bill, SB 2516 would have Massachusetts join the Regional
Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), an eight-state plan to reduce global
warming pollution from power plants that Governor Romney rejected last
December.
“It
is embarrassing that Massachusetts is not a part of this plan, but the
legislature has a chance to act on this bill and fix the problem,” said
Frank Gorke, Energy Advocate with MASSPIRG. “Global warming is a
serious public health threat, and Massachusetts must act now to reduce
its impact by limiting global warming pollution from power plants.”
RGGI
has widespread support, including from four Democratic governors (ME,
NJ, NH, DE) and four Republican governors (VT, CT, NY, MD). The
program is also supported by the entire Massachusetts Congressional
delegation. “With only 4 weeks left in the Legislative session, and
support from a majority of Senators, we think this bill ought to pass
the Senate without delay and move on to the House,” added Gorke.
2005
was the warmest year ever recorded, and the early effects of global
warming are already appearing, from more hot days to more intense
hurricanes. In the future, in addition to rising sea levels,
scientists are predicting species extinctions, spreading diseases,
ecosystem disruptions, as well as more severe weather and extreme
storms. The Bay State already loses 65 acres of coastal land every year
due to rising sea levels.
RGGI
is designed to reduce global warming pollution in the Northeast by
capping emissions of power plant greenhouse gas pollution levels in
2009, with a mandate for a 10% reduction by 2018.
“Membership
in RGGI is crucial to reducing global warming pollution in
Massachusetts,” added Gorke. “Scientists are saying we have been too
slow to respond to this problem. The region’s best energy minds spent
three years developing this program, and if eight other states can see
their way to join, so should Massachusetts.”
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