As the new home of MASSPIRG's environmental work, Environment Massachusetts can be contacted regarding this news release.
Representatives
Balser and Khan today received an award from MASSPIRG, the statewide
environmental group, for their work to pass the Global Warming Bill
this session. The bill, championed by Representatives Balser, Khan and
other legislators, would cut global warming pollution from power plants
in the state, and is under consideration by the Senate.
“We’re
thrilled that Representatives Balser and Khan have taken on leadership
roles in the fight to solve global warming,” said Rob Wilson. “Global
warming is the greatest environmental problem of this generation, and
the Global Warming Bill will put Massachusetts on track to solving it.”
The
bill would have the state join a regional program negotiated by
Northeast Governors over the last three years, called the Regional
Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Gov. Romney was expected to support the
program, but backed out at the eleventh hour. Seven other Northeast
Governors—from Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, New York,
New Jersey, and Delaware—signed the agreement in December 2005. Then in
April 2006 the Maryland legislature passed a bill to join the
agreement, making it the eighth Northeast state in the program.
Power
plants in the region would be put under a pollution cap starting in
2009, and then would ratchet down pollution ten percent by 2019. Plant
owners can use a market-based trading system to comply with the limits.
After
receiving the award, Representative Balser stated, “I’m disappointed
the Governor did not lead and failed to join the other Northeastern
Governors in protecting our environment. In the absence of leadership,
we in the legislature are stepping up to the plate in order to bring
Massachusetts back to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.”
Representative
Khan added, “I’d like to thank MASSPIRG for doing all the work they do
with regards to global warming, which is one of the serious issues we
have to face today. I have six young grandchildren, so I’m very
concerned about our future and about our environment and I am very
committed to being a voice in insuring we take this issue seriously.”
“The
best minds in the region have set about to solve global warming, and
they came up with this plan,” said Wilson. “Massachusetts should be
leading the way toward a cleaner energy future, and this bill will
position us to do just that. Plus, if we do this right and expand
energy efficiency programs, we’ll actually be lowering energy bills
while also cutting pollution.”
