Massachusetts Sierra Club 2011-2012 Priority Legislation
The information we've provided is based on the best information
available to us at time of publication. The status and/or language of
bills can change quickly and the Sierra Club may
change its position on a bill based on the most recent data, which may
not be posted on this or the State House web site. In some cases, the
Sierra Club has not yet completed a formal analysis and voted to take a
position on the proposed legislation.
This is a partial list of the bills we're focusing on:
Waste and Recycling
Updated Bottle Bill – (H890/S1650. Rep. Wolf/Sen. Creem) Updates this
highly successful program to add deposits to water, juice, and tea
beverages. Improves recycling, reduces litter.
Bill Text,
Summary,
Sierra Club Testimony
STATUS 1/1/2012: Still in committee
Producer Take-Back for Electronics ("E-Waste") -
(S2078 Sen. Pacheco) Places responsibility of disposal of electronics
waste on manufacturers.
Bill Text,
Summary
STATUS 1/1/2012: Passed committee, now in Sen. Ways
and Means
Plastic Bag Ban – (S353/H1990/H1159 Sen. Eldridge/Rep. Ehrlich/Rep.
Smizik) Bans non-biodegradable plastic shopping bags that kill more than
1 billion animals/year.
Bill Text
H00353,
H01990,
Summary -
Sierra Club Testimony part 1,
part 2
STATUS 1/1/2012: Still in committee
Recycling in State Buildings (S.379) Sen. Rush-
Sierra Club Testimony
STATUS 1/1/2012: Still in committee
Recycling in Multifamily Buildings - (H.234, Rep. Koczera)
Sierra Club Testimony
STATUS 1/1/2012: Still in committee
Coal and Fossil Fuels
Coal-Free Commonwealth – (H2614 Rep. Ehrlich)
Omnibus bill, would end coal burning in the state with a phase-out
period and converting to cleaner fuels, and renewable energy
Bill Text
H02614
STATUS 1/1/2012: Still in committee
Act to Phase Out Coal Use – (H2612 Rep. Ehrlich) Seeks to end coal
use through a multi-faceted phaseout approach.
Bill Text,
Summary -
STATUS 1/1/2012: Still in committee
Regulate Coal Ash - (H1991 Rep. Ehrlich) Would classify coal ash as
solid waste, and therefore allowing its regulation as a toxic substance
while maintaining beneficial reuse and recycling.
Bill Text,
Summary -
Sierra Club Testimony
STATUS 1/1/2012: Still in committee
Regulate Gas Obtained by “Fracking” (H3055, Rep. Garballey) Requires
that gas that’s obtained by hydraulic fracturing comply with the Safe
Drinking Water Act.
Bill Text,
Summary -
Sierra
Club Testimony
STATUS 1/1/2012: Still in committee
Natural Gas Leaks Protection Bills – (H3051/3053/2776 Rep. Ehrlich). A group of bills that address the growing issue of natural gas
leaks from aging pipes. Natural gas kills trees, it is 25X more potent a
global warming gas than CO2, and there are 20,000 known gas leaks in
Mass. Bill
Text H03051,
H03053,
H02776
- Sierra
Club Testimony
STATUS 1/1/2012: Still in committee
Energy and Global Climate Change
Wind Siting Reform – (H1775/S1666, Rep. Smizik/Sen. Finegold) For
siting purposes, current law discriminates in favor of fossil-fueled
facilities. This bill facilitates the siting of land-based wind energy
projects while still retaining local control by cities and towns.
Bill Text,
Summary
STATUS 1/1/2012: Still in committee
Efficiency Bond - (S1686, Sen. Pacheco) Creates a bonding
program to improve energy efficiency in schools. Revenue neutral with
significant savings in energy costs and emissions.
Bill Text
-
Sierra Club Testimony
STATUS 1/1/2012: Still in committee
North/South Rail Link – (H2655, Rep. Parisella) A bill to study
the corridor to complete the northeast interstate rail system, thereby
allowing the protection of the right of way.
Bill Text,
Summary
STATUS 1/1/2012: Still in committee
Electric Vehicles - (S.1490, H.1798, H.1986)
Sierra Club Testimony
STATUS 1/1/2012: Still in committee
Tidal Turbines (Study) - (H.2013, Rep. Kocot) Sierra
Club Testimony
STATUS 1/1/2012: Still in committee
Toxins and Pollution
Safer Alternatives – (S2079 Sen. Tolman/Rep. Kaufman) Creates a
program to support businesses and manufacturers to transition away from
using and selling products containing toxic chemicals.
Bill Text,
Summary (courtesy of Clean Water Action)
STATUS 1/1/2012: Passed committee, now in Sen. Ways
and Means
Make Idling Law Enforceable – (H907 Rep. Brownsberger) The current
5-minute limit is difficult to enforce and produces excessive greenhouse
gas. This reduces the limit to 2 minutes.
Bill Text,
Summary
STATUS 1/1/2012: Still in committee
Incineration Moratorium – (S346/H226 Sen. DiDomenico/Rep. Garballey)
Places a legislated, permanent moratorium on increasing trash
incineration.
Bill Text,
Summary -
Sierra
Club Testimony
STATUS 1/1/2012: Still in committee
Reinstate the Landfill Moratorium - (H1998, Rep. Gobi)
Continues our state moratorium on new
landfill sites. -
Sierra Club
Testimony
STATUS 1/1/2012: Still in committee
Mercury Protection - (H.251, H.1163, S360 Rep. Smizik, Rep.
Story, Sen McGee) Producer responsibility bills that require
manufacturers to offer a small bounty on old thermostats in order to
keep them out of the trash. -
Sierra Club Testimony
STATUS 1/1/2012: Still in committee
Protecting Children from Bisphenol-A - (H2360 and S382,
Rep. Jones, Sen. Spilka),
Testimony
STATUS 1/1/2012: Still in committee
Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs) H2343, Rep. Ehrlich -
Testimony
STATUS 1/1/2012: Still in committee
Particulates, H2905/H.2753, Rep. Provost -
Testimony
STATUS 1/1/2012: Still in committee
Protecting our Natural Environment
Article 97/Public Lands Protection Act – (H3438 Rep. Balser/Sen.
Eldridge) Requires “no-net-loss” replacement of lands for parks being
used or transferred from protected status.
Bill Text,
Summary -
Sierra
Club Testimony
STATUS 1/1/2012: Passed committee, now in House
Ways and Means
Old Growth Forest Initiative - (H236, Rep. Kulik) Establishes Reserves
to protect the few remaining Old Growth Forests, which have escaped the
clear-cutting of the past and provide unique habitats.
Bill Text,
Summary -
Sierra
Club Testimony
STATUS 1/1/2012: Passed committee, now in House
Ways and Means
Public Postings when Making Changes to Parks/Forests – (H2008, Rep.
Kocot) Requires DCR to notify the public and allow for comment when
making changes (e.g. cutting trees) to public lands.
Bill Text,
Summary,
Sierra Club
Testimony
Protect the Northern Right Whale - (H2009, Rep. Kocot) With just 300
Northern Right Whales left, their greatest threats are boat strikes and
fishing net entanglements.
Bill Text,
Summary -
Protect Tropical Forests – (H836, Rep. Rushing) This Act would protect
tropical forests by restricting state purchases of certain wood
products.
Bill Text -
Sierra Club Testimony
Local Control of Personal Watercraft (“Jet Skis”) - (H1565 Rep.
O’Day) Enables cities/towns to place restrictions on smaller bodies of
water that are enclosed within the municipality if they so desire, for
example limiting hours, or curtailing use during sensitive waterfowl
migration periods.
Bill Text,
Summary -
Sierra Club
Testimony
Outdoor Lighting ("Dark Skies") - (H.1762/S.1651, Rep.
Garballey, Sen. Creem) Not only do some outdoor lights waste energy, they
also jeopardize wildlife and interfere with bird migration -
Sierra
Club Testimony
Other Bills
National Popular Vote - (H.212, H.1977 Rep. Straus, Rep.
Jones) Testified in support of NPV, against bills which would have
weakened or replealed it.
Sierra Club Testimony
|
