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Beacon Hill Weekly Roundup - 3/13/09
Jack Clarke, Director of Public Policy & Government Relations
Jennifer Ryan, Assistant Director for Legislative Affairs
This Week:
State Updates
Federal Stimulus Funding Update The state legislative committee tasked with overseeing federal stimulus funds will hold its first hearing on March 19th at 10:00 a.m. in the State House's Gardner Auditorium. All agency heads and relevant constitutional officers will speak. This will be informative and the first public opportunity to hear from the agencies on what they plan to finance with federal stimulus funds. We urge you to attend. A breakdown of state-by-state stimulus information can be found here, including a fact sheet on Massachusetts. Mass Audubon recently joined with many of our conservation partners in writing a letter to the Governor commenting on his Stimulus Permitting Task Force recommendations. We urged that stimulus funding for smart growth and environmental projects be prioritized and that the state should not expedite or forgo full environmental review for projects, as once shovels go in the ground environmental damage cannot be undone. Renewable Energy on State Lands Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Ian Bowles recently sent a letter to state legislative chairpersons announcing a newly published report on renewable energy capacity on state lands. The report highlights the potential for 946 megawatts of wind power on state land, much of it conservation land, as well as hydropower, solar power, and biomass facilities. The development of renewable energy is critical to our future, and siting must take into account the full ecological values of state lands, including biodiversity, carbon sequestration values of forest, and the regional significance of the large forest reserves designated by the state as well as siting opportunities on non-conservation land. Massachusetts has reduced energy use enough to save $25 million a year, and the new report finds that this savings could be doubled with further improvements. Public Meeting - FSC Certification Evaluation of State of Massachusetts Forests The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is seeking Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) endorsed re-certification for approximately 550,000 acres of forest owned by the state. A public meeting will be held on April 6 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. at John Augustus Hall in West Boylston, MA. For more information contact dwager@scscertified.com or (508) 792-7423. Full notice here.
Endangered Species Act
President Obama announced last week his decision to rescind harmful changes made to the federal Endangered Species Act during the previous administration. Federal agencies will now once again be required to consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) or National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) during project planning, a process that is often crucial to reducing impacts on wildlife. Obama described his actions as "restoring the scientific process to its rightful place at the heart of the Endangered Species Act."
2009-2010 Bills Posted Online
3,408 House bills were posted online last Friday and are now available for public viewing. 2009-2010 Senate bills are still in the process of being posted, and are expected to be accessible online soon. We will follow up with links to our priority bills when all are posted.
Massachusetts Ocean Management
With the Massachusetts Ocean Management Act having been signed into law, and a gubernatorial appointment of Mass Audubon to the 17-member Ocean Advisory Commission, implementation of one of Mass Audubon's Legislative Priorities is underway as we work with the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs to craft an ocean plan for Bay State waters. To see the latest on ocean management progress, visit our Ocean Coalition web site at: www.massoceanaction.org.
Calendar
The Great Marsh Symposium: A Coastal Treasure in our Backyard
Saturday, April 11, 2009
8:30 a.m.-- 2:30 p.m.
Parker River National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters
6 Plum Island Turnpike, Newburyport
$15, registration required
To register, please call 978-462-9998, or download a registration form.
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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