State Senator Pat Jehlen All at once 2: Climate and more

 

https://mailchi.mp/electpatjehlen/all-at-once-2-climate-and-more?e=b54498e434

Dear Neighbor, On July 12, I wrote about the eight conference committees meeting to resolve differences on legislation between the House and Senate.  Since then, we have given final approval to four conference committee bills - and passed new bills that need resolution by conference committees.  This week, I wrote about the bills we approved on Tuesday.  Here is information about the bills we've approved on Climate and COVID Extensions. Climate  (future work needed on air quality!) So many people have written to me about the urgent need for bold action to slow and reverse climate change.  Last week we passed sent to the governor a comprehensive bill addressing green transportation, green buildings, and clean power production, including offshore wind, solar, storage and networked geothermal.  Environmental leaders praised the bill, but there is much work ahead!  I was disappointed that the final bill didn't include my amendment to monitor air pollution in environmental justice "hot spots."  I will continue to work on this issue, which is incredibly important in my community, and part of a comprehensive air quality bill I filed with Reps. Christine Barber, Mike Connolly, and local and state-wide activists and organizations.  Here's a local reason why this is important: The Green Line Extension is being built to mitigate the pollution from I-93.  It's a great project, increasing public transit to many new areas.  But it really did little to reduce health damage to the people most affected.  The closer you live to a highway or a diesel train, the worse the impact on your health.  The area along I-93 is home to the lowest income families and the most people of color in our district. Air quality isn't just a public health issue; it's an environmental justice and racial justice issue.  For example, the Mystic Housing Project is located right next to I-93 and Route 38.  Seven hundred people live there, most of them Black or Latino, within 50-100 meters of two highways.  They have a 54% higher risk of death from heart disease, a higher risk of stroke and lung cancer, and they're almost twice as likely to get type 2 diabetes.  The children have almost twice as high risks of asthma and autism.   For 40 years since the building of I-93, these residents, and those in East Somerville along the States Avenues have been subjected to higher rates of disease and death.  Rep. Christine Barber, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley and I have been working to get funding to get triple glazed windows to reduce air pollution inside the buildings at Mystic Housing. Speaking of Environmental Justice  Here's a map from WGBH, Mystic River Watershed Association and the Museum of Science showing how hot it was last week in different parts of Greater Boston, with up to 10 degrees difference in different parts of our district.  Take a closer look here. I COVID Extensions  This bill, signed into law on July 16 by Lt. Gov. Polito, extends until next March many important provisions adopted during the pandemic.  Many of you have asked that communities continue to be able to have remote or hybrid meetings of local government bodies; that power is extended. Assisted living residences have been able, during the pandemic, to offer "common sense health services" such as insulin injections.  This can continue until next March.  I'm still hoping to pass my bill to make those services permanently available, allowing many assisted living residents to remain in their homes instead of being sent to nursing homes. So much happening and so little time to write in this last week!   We'll be working late tomorrow and Sunday too.   More soon. Stay in touch,