Energy + Environment

(BOSTON) - This week, Representative Joan Meschino (D-Hull) joined the founder of the Massachusetts chapter of Elders Climate Action and seniors in Lasell Village to offer a presentation on the Next Generation Climate Roadmap, its implementation, and the Commonwealth’s next steps in tackling the climate crisis. Since the passage of the Next Generation Climate Roadmap, Representative Meschino has given dozens of these presentations to various groups across Massachusetts.  During most presentations, Representative Meschino outlines the key components of the Roadmap, reviews emerging climate legislation and her own bills in the energy and environment space, and offers thoughts on the future of climate legislation in the Commonwealth.  Representative Meschino has also given presentations on environmental justice and the decarbonization of the transportation sector to national groups like Climate XChange and Ceres. “It is promising that so many groups and leaders across the Commonwealth have taken such an interest in the . . . Read More

(BOSTON) - Today, Representative Joan Meschino (D-Hull) joined her colleagues in the House of Representatives in a vote to pass H.4515, An Act advancing offshore wind and clean energy, which makes historic investments in and establishes incentives for increased offshore wind development in the Commonwealth.  The legislation would establish a $50 million tax incentive program for capital investments and employment in the wind sector, fund wind technology and innovation through utility bill surcharges, create new environmental and fishing industry-related requirements for offshore wind projects, and institute important cost containment safeguards for the wind energy bidding process.  In addition, the legislation directs electric utilities to develop grid modernization plans and submit them for review, and the bill calls for a study conducted by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center and the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) to examine the viability of a solicitation for energy storage installations.  The bill also . . . Read More

(BOSTON) - Today’s report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change underscores the need for urgent action to combat the climate crisis. The report, authored by 234 leading scientists from more than 60 countries, documents that the world has quickly warmed 1.1 degrees Celsius higher than pre-industrial levels and is moving rapidly toward the 1.5 degree threshold, a limit decided upon by scientists that could avoid the worst impacts of climate change.  Without large-scale reductions in emissions, the report finds, limiting warming to close to 1.5°C or even 2°C will not be possible. The report presents five scenarios demonstrating the paths our planet could take in response to the climate crisis, all of which see the globe warming at least 1.5º Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Only one - the lowest emission scenario in which emissions decrease to net zero by 2050 - sees the planet’s warming eventually move below . . . Read More

(BOSTON) – At a hearing held today by the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy, Representative Joan Meschino (D-Hull) joined colleagues and advocates to support her legislation promoting the electrification of fleets and vehicles. Efforts to advance a transition to electric vehicles in statute are part of a broader trend that recognizes the pressing need to decarbonize the transportation sector, both within and beyond the United States.  Massachusetts and California have already indicated commitments to have all new cars sold in each state be electric by 2035.  The United Kingdom and Norway have made similar commitments, making plans for car sales to be zero-emission by 2035 and 2025, respectively.  Automakers have also recognized the significance and urgency inherent in the transition, with Volvo planning to go fully electric by 2030, Honda setting a goal of all electric vehicles by 2040, and General Motors aspiring to zero emissions in . . . Read More

(BOSTON) — Today Representative Joan Meschino (D-Hull) led a special briefing of over 150 state lawmakers from across the country, focusing on Massachusetts’ progress in establishing climate change goals and promoting environmental justice. “It's important to take the next step on environmental justice, both in Massachusetts and beyond,” said Representative Joan Meschino. “We must ensure that all overburdened and underserved communities have real access to justice.” The event was organized by the State Climate Policy Network (SCPN), a project of Climate XChange that includes more than 15,000 advocates and policymakers across the country who are pushing for effective and equitable climate policies in their states. Climate XChange is a Boston-based nonprofit working to support state-level climate action through research, communication, and education “Given Representative Meschino’s history of passing climate legislation in Massachusetts, and her focus on environmental justice this session, she’s definitely a national leader on climate policy,” said . . . Read More

(BOSTON) - Current and future efforts in Massachusetts to move to net-zero emissions are set forth in the House vehicle for major climate legislation from last session, State Representative Joan Meschino’s (D-Hull) “2050 Roadmap” Bill, which was enacted in law as S. 9 An Act creating a Next Generation Roadmap for Massachusetts Climate Policy. Provisions in the 2050 Roadmap update the state’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, set strong interim targets, and establish comprehensive and iterative planning mechanisms focused on equity to enable the Commonwealth to achieve this ambitious goal.  Building upon last session’s legislation, Representative Meschino has filed eight bills related to energy and the environment in the 192nd Session.  “I filed the 2050 Roadmap to align the Massachusetts economy with the pressing urgency of the climate science,” said Representative Meschino. “The bills I filed this session advance key provisions of the . . . Read More