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Beacon Hill Weekly Roundup - 1/23/09
Jack Clarke, Director of Public Policy & Government Relations
Jennifer Ryan, Assistant Director for Legislative Affairs
This Week:
On Beacon Hill
Legislative clerks have reported that over 6,000 bills had been filed as of last Friday, January 16, the bill-filing deadline for this legislative session. 2,047 of these bills came from the Senate, and 4,014 have been received from the House of Representatives. Bills were submitted electronically by legislators to the Senate or House Clerks, and legislators now have until Wednesday, February 4 to sign onto bills as co-sponsors. Delays could occur as bills go on to be reviewed by committees, as many committees have not yet been assigned new members and joint legislative rules could change during the start of the new session. Mass Audubon's legislative priorities this session are as follows: - An Act to Sustain Community Preservation (Senator H. Creem, Representative S. Kulik)
- An Act Relative to Sustainable Water Resources (Representative F. Smizik)
- An Act Relative to Land Use Partnership (Senator H. Chandler, Representative K. Honan)
- An Act Relative to the Regulation of Snow and Recreation Vehicles (Representative F. Smizik)
- An Act to Protect the Natural and Historic Resources of the Commonwealth (Senator J. Eldridge, Representative R. Balser).
We'll also be working on: - An Act Amending the Conservation Restriction and Agricultural Preservation Restriction Statutes (Senator S. Brewer, Representative S. Kulik)
- An Act Authorizing the Establishment of Old Growth Forest Reserves (Senator S. Brewer, Representative S. Kulik)
- Renewable Energy Facilities Siting Reform
We'll be updating our website soon with this session's priorities and fact-sheets.
RPS Public Hearing
The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources will hold a public hearing on Thursday, February 5 on the proposed final regulations for the revised Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (RPS) Class I, the new RPS Class II, and the new Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard (APS). These proposed regulations would set new requirements for Renewable and Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards, which mandate that all retail electricity suppliers must a provide a set percentage of their electricity from renewable and alternative sources. Mass Audubon provided stakeholder comments and will be commenting on the proposed final regulations. Written and oral testimony will be accepted during the hearing, which will take place at 100 Cambridge St., Boston, from 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. Written comments will be accepted until Monday, February 9 at 5:00 p.m., and should be directed to Courtney Feeley Karp, Department of Energy Resources, 100 Cambridge St., Suite 1020, Boston, MA 02114.
Calendar
Climate Change and the Marine Environment Conference
February 5th, 2009
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Moakley Courthouse
Boston, MA
*Free, registration required (please e-mail vcataldo@neaq.org)
EEA ocean management public stakeholder meetings
Saturday, February 7, 2009
9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Daniel Webster Inn
149 Main St.
Sandwich, MA Tuesday, February 10, 2009
6:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Boston Fish Pier - Exchange Conference Center
Boston, MA These meetings will be identical in content. Registration required SAVE THE DATE Greening the City: Fostering Inspired and Innovative Leadership for Just and Sustainable Urban Communities A conference sponsored by Lesley University's graduate Division of Environmental Studies and Mass Audubon, March 20-22, 2009. Join more than 150 urban environmental leaders from throughout New England at the main campus of Lesley University in Cambridge, MA to explore key strategies for fostering inspired and innovative urban environmental leadership. "Greening the City" is geared toward environmental practitioners and thinkers from nonprofits, higher education institutions, local community groups, government agencies, and businesses. It will feature prominent environmental thinkers and practitioners from academia and government agencies, as well as from for profit and nonprofit organizations. There will be keynote talks, workshops, and an exhibit area, and other interactive ways to engage with the challenges and solutions arising from our increasingly urban world. Keynotes will include well known environmentalists like Julian Agyeman, environmental social scientist, activist and academic from Tufts University. Other keynotes will be announced shortly. The conference is meant to engage in-depth and meaningful dialogue among participants while addressing the difficulties and opportunities faced in cultivating just and sustainable urban communities. Conference registration will begin in early 2009. All efforts will be made to keep registration fees as low as possible and need-based scholarships will be available.
Please contact us if you have any questions at: action@massaudubon.org.
About The Beacon Hill Weekly Roundup
The Beacon Hill Weekly Roundup tracks the legislative priorities of Mass Audubon, focusing on the protection of the nature of Massachusetts. We encourage you to forward this newsletter to friends, family, and colleagues and to enlist their support.
If you are not already a member of Mass Audubon's Action Network, we encourage you to join by filling out our online form or by e-mailing us. Membership dues provide vital support for Mass Audubon's advocacy work on Beacon Hill and across the state. If you are not already a Mass Audubon member please join today.
Legislative Tool Kit
Stay In Touch
Senators and Representatives need to hear from their constituents! Contact your legislators and share with them the environmental issues that are important to you.
Find out who represents you in the Senate and House.
Senate and House Sessions Go Live
Consistent with the theme that decision-makers act differently when they know they are being watched, House and Senate sessions are now available on live webcast. Tune in to view live web stream broadcastings of the Senate and House and watch as the Massachusetts legislative process unfolds!
Current Legislation
Access the text of current legislation, bill histories and Massachusetts General Law by visiting one site. We encourage you to visit The General Court's website frequently as it is an important tool for conservation advocates like you!
How to Lobby
Discover effective ways to convey your environmental interests to your Senator or Representative.
View Mass Audubon’s How to Lobby document, and get started now!
How the Law is Made
Learn about the steps a bill takes before becoming law. You can also use our graphic charts to guide you through the life of a bill, from when it is first filed, to when it is signed into law.
 Mass Audubon Advocacy
6 Beacon Street, Suite 1025
Boston, MA 02108
617-523-8448 (phone)
617-523-4183 (fax)
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