Help stop global warming

By Courtney Llewellyn

Reminder Assistant Editor

EAST LONGMEADOW Environment Massachusetts, the new home of the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group (MASSPIRG)'s environmental work, recently launched a grassroots campaign in East Longmeadow to help pass legislation to cap global warming pollution from vehicles, power plants and other sources around the state.

"We're looking to build a grassroots support system throughout all of Massachusetts," said Sarah Lee, a local spokesperson for the organization. Campaign staffers are currently canvassing neighborhoods through the town, asking residents to sign petitions, call their state legislators or to join Environment Massachusetts as members.

"There are thousands of members across the state," Lee said, "and we need more to overpower the lobbyists who want to continue business as usual."

Lee said that people are more concerned and more supportive about stopping global warming than they were 10 years ago.

Global warming is a hot topic. Scientists expect global warming to lead to more heat waves, rising sea levels, more severe storms and other problems.

Because the federal government hasn't provided any action to stop global warming, it is up to individual states to regulate and control the things that cause it, like exhaust from cars and trucks that may produce toxic air contaminants like nitrous oxide, sulfur dioxide and mercury.

In January, Gov. Deval Patrick moved Massachusetts into a regional pact to cut global warming pollution 10 percent by 2018.

Others in Boston are concerned as well. Sen. Marc Pacheco of Taunton and Sen. Robert O'Leary of the Cape and Islands have filed legislation that would require 80 percent reduction in global warming pollution levels by 2050. Boston Mayor Tom Menino has set similar goals for the city.

"In order to avoid the worst heat waves and the most sea level rise, we're going to have to cap global warming pollution, and we have to start turning the trend line downward very soon," said Frank Gorke, Director of Environment Massachusetts. "The good news is that solutions are available today energy efficiency, renewable fuels that would help us to hit these pollution reduction targets."

One of the things East Longmeadow residents are doing when they support Environment Massachusetts is also showing their support for Senate Bill Number 534, the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2007. Introduced by Pacheco, the detailed bill announces that "Global warming poses a serious threat to the economic well-being, public health, natural resources and the environment of Massachusetts."

The bill goes on to list the detrimental effects global warming will have on the Commonwealth, including the "exacerbation of air quality problems, a loss of many of the state's indigenous species of plants and animals...and an increase in the incidences of infectious diseases, asthma and other human health-related problems."

There is hope, however. "Massachusetts has long been a national and international leader on energy conservation and environmental stewardship efforts," the bill states. The goal of the bill is to let the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) work with other state agencies to find solutions now.

Chapter 21L, Section 4(a) states that by January 1, 2009, "the DEP shall adopt regulations to require the reporting and verification of statewide greenhouse gas emissions and to monitor and enforce compliance" with the program to lower the amount of pollution. The study will report what the statewide greenhouse gas emissions level was in 2002. By 2020, the group has a goal of achieving an 85 percent reduction of those emissions.

Section 6C(b)(3) states that residents and businesses that voluntarily reduce their greenhouse gas emissions prior to the implementation of a statewide mandate to do so will receive appropriate credit for their early voluntary reductions.

The bill is viewable in its entirety online at www.mass.gov/legis/bills/senate/185/st00/st00534.htm.

"Global warming is the biggest problem this generation faces," Lee said. "This summer has been one of our best summers for public support."

To learn more about Environment Massachusetts' efforts in East Longmeadow and across the state, contact Peggy Mansperger, Campaign Director, at 256-6434.

To support the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2007, contact your local state senator.