Recent action

Diesel pollution bill takes a step forward

This fall, Environment Massachusetts’ work to clean up dirty diesel pollution took a step forward as a key committee in the Legislature voted to support a bill that would dramatically reduce harmful emissions from diesel powered vehicles, such as trucks and waste haulers.

Diesel emissions contain fine particles that can lodge deep within our lungs, triggering asthma attacks, and even pass into our bloodstream, leading to heart attacks. Every year, diesel pollution results in 450 premature deaths, 700 heart attacks, 9,900 asthma attacks and 60,000 missed workdays in Massachusetts.

“This is an important step forward,” said Winston Vaughan, field organizer for Environment Massachusetts. “We applaud the bill’s authors, Sen. Hart and Rep. Coakley-Rivera, for their work on behalf of public health.”

Diesel soot causes 9,900 asthma attacks in Massachusetts every year.

Congress advances on clean energy

In Congress, both the House and Senate have passed ambitious bills that would move America’s energy policy in the right direction. The House, under the direction of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, has passed a federal renewable electricity standard (RES) that would bring more renewable energy to the country, and which also includes several important energy efficiency provisions. The Senate, under the direction of Harry Reid, has passed a bill to require that vehicles go further on a gallon of gas.

Massachusetts’ Rep. Ed Markey (Malden) has been a champion for better federal energy policy, and Environment Massachusetts staff have been working with him and other allies to ensure that any final energy bill includes more renewable energy, better efficiency standards, and higher gas mileage standards.

Mission statement

We all want clean air, clean water and open spaces. But it takes independent research and tough-minded advocacy to win concrete results for our environment, especially when powerful interests stand in the way of environmental progress. That's the idea behind Environment Massachusetts. We focus exclusively on protecting Massachusetts' air, water and open spaces. We speak out and take action at the local, state and national levels to improve the quality of our environment and our lives.

Credits

Photos:
Banner: Ben Dale/Shutterstock,
"A new energy future for Massachusetts": Devin Ford/Creative Commons, staff.
"Organizing to protect our world-class parks": Lisso/Creative Commons.
"Progress on global warming": Debra James/Shutterstock, staff.
"Recent action": Vladimir Mucibabic/Shutterstock.

Editor: Frank Gorke. Contributors: Diana Connett, Tonya Sabo, Ben Wright, Cecily Anderson, Justin Boyles, Zach Cullimore, Matthew Curtis, Sara Landis, Ethan Lavine, Jenna Perry Leschuk, Ryan Moeckly, Leana Nordstrom, Dan Platt, Nathan Proctor, Jenne Turner, Drew Stephan, Chris Wand. Publications Director: Richard J. Hannigan.

Design: Public Interest GRFX, (215) 985-1113