Sierra Club on House Climate Bill: A Step in the Right Direction, but Work Remains

Boston, M.A.-- The Massachusetts House voted on H.4912, a proposed rewrite of a Senate bill passed in January. The bill would create carbon emissions targets for 2030 and 2040, requiring the state to reduce emissions by 50% and 75% below 1990 levels respectively. The bill also would establish a target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, create a clean energy equity workforce, and fund energy efficiency and weatherization upgrades for public housing, just to name a few. It was amended to include essential protections for environmental justice communities that are already suffering from environmental pollution and climate impacts.

Unfortunately, the bill would also push back the implementation for many of these policies until 2024 and fails to include a commitment to reach 100% renewable energy in a reasonable timeline. 

In response, Jacob Stern, Massachusetts Chapter Deputy Director for the Sierra Club, issued the following response:

“This bill is a small step in the right direction. We applaud House leadership for creating additional opportunities for low income residents to benefit from the renewable energy revolution and for providing long overdue protections for environmental justice communities. However, it is critical that the state takes immediate action to lower our emissions now. As a millennial, I find it unacceptable that Massachusetts will reach 100% renewable electricity the same year I turn 100 years old.

“Many of these policies are the right steps, but we need to implement them sooner, not later. Without moving up the implementation timeline, we significantly hurt our chance to meet the bill's own 2030 emissions reduction targets.”