The Sierra Club Massachusetts Chapter will be prioritizing the following legislation during the 192nd legislative session. Each of these bills represents a step towards creating a cleaner, healthier, more equitable future for Massachusetts residents. If enacted, the legislation listed below will dramatically reduce carbon pollution, establish stronger environmental protections for historically marginalized communities, reduce fossil fuel reliance in the transportation and building sectors, expand public transit options to Western MA, restrict the use of PFAS and other harmful chemicals, protect our public lands, and establish new drought protections. You can download this list here. Last updated: 10/6/21
Use the links below to navigate:
Transition to Renewable Energy • Transportation • Toxic Chemicals, Waste, & Plastics • Environmental Justice • Lands, Water, and Open Space • Other Bills that Align with Our Vision for the Future • Wins
Transition to Renewable Energy
S.2226 / H.3365: An Act providing for building justice with jobs (Pacheco / Robinson, LeBoeuf)
This bill would establish a “Building Justice with Jobs” task force instructed to develop a plan to reduce annual statewide housing-related emissions by 50% by 2030, eliminate housing-related emissions by 2050, retrofit 1 million Massachusetts homes in 10 years, establish a program to train new workers to complete housing audits and renovations. The plan must also prioritize low income and environmental justice communities and create financial incentives to allow low-income renters and owners to participate in the retrofit program. The bill also sets up worker standards to ensure that people performing retrofits receive benefits and a fair wage. Click here for a fact sheet.
S.2136 / H.3288: An Act transitioning Massachusetts to clean electricity, heating, and transportation (Boncore / Decker, Garballey)
This bill charts a transition for Massachusetts’ three main emissions-producing sectors (electric generation, transportation, and heating) to 100% renewable energy. This legislation establishes the following goals:
- 100% clean electricity by 2035, with at at least 80% from Class I resources like wind and solar;
- 100% clean heating by 2045, with a requirement that by 2025 newly constructed buildings must be highly efficient and use clean heating technologies; and
- 100% clean transportation by 2045 and requiring that after 2035, all cars sold must be electric vehicles.
The bill also sets up a Just Transition Office to assist workers that are displaced in the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy, adds additional safeguards for environmental justice communities, and prevents polluting resources like woody biomass and trash incineration from being considered renewable or clean.
S.2186 / H.3362: An Act ensuring a healthy future for environmental justice communities (Gomez / Ramos, Livingstone)
This bill would prevent newly constructed “renewable energy” generation facilities from being considered a Class I renewable resource if said facilities are built within 5 miles of an environmental justice community and release air pollutants. This legislation has been endorsed by the Springfield Climate Justice Coalition.
S.2197 / H.3333: An Act to prevent biomass energy to protect the air we breathe (Lesser / Livingstone, Ramos)
This bill would prevent biomass electricity generation from receiving clean energy incentives through the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) or the Alternative Portfolio Standard (APS). This legislation has also been endorsed by the Springfield Climate Justice Coalition.
Transportation
S.2139 / H.3255: An Act to promote electric vehicle fleets by 2035 (Boncore / Barber, Meschino)
This bill requires that all publicly-owned and leased vehicle fleets—from public works cars to school buses and garbage and recycling trucks —be electric by 2035. The bill prioritizes deployment of public electric vehicle (EV) fleets to locations serving environmental justice populations. It incentivizes the transition of private fleets, including those used for ride-sharing and ride-hailing, to electric vehicles and creates jobs in Massachusetts by increasing demand for EV charging stations and associated infrastructure.
S.2292 / H.3559: An Act relative to public transit electrification (Crighton / Owens, Barber)
This bill sets interim targets and requires the MBTA to operate a fully electric bus fleet by 2030 and fully electrify the commuter rail system by 2035. It requires RTAs to operate fully electric bus fleets by 2035. The bill mandates air monitoring stations around bus maintenance facilities to protect the health of nearby residents and workers.
S.2151 / H.3347 An Act promoting zero emission vehicles (Crighton / Meschino)
This bill establishes and promotes equitable access to grant programs that provide consumer rebates for zero-emission vehicles, identifies high priority locations for public electric vehicle (EV) charging station installations, assists municipalities to develop curbside EV charging programs, and requires EV charging stations in at least 10% of parking spots. Creates a Transportation Climate Initiative (TCI) Trust Fund, which will fund investments in clean transportation, improved public transit, walking and biking infrastructure, and other projects to support transportation justice and cleaner air. It defines the role and membership of the TCI Equity Advisory Body and requires that at least 70% of TCI proceeds are invested in communities that suffer disproportionately from transportation pollution or lack access to mobility options.
S.2345: An Act to establish fast, frequent, and reliable passenger rail service between Pittsfield and Boston via Springfield (Lesser)
This bill instructs the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) to run passenger rail service between Pittsfield and Boston via Springfield at least five times per day and to conduct an analysis on the benefits of the expanded passenger rail service.
H.3262: An Act relative to Electric Bicycle Rebates (Blais)
This bill establishes rebates of up to $500 for electric bicycle purchase (and up to $750 for low- and moderate - income consumers), not more than 40% of the retail price of the purchase. Rebates will be administered through the existing MOR-EV rebate program.
Toxic Chemicals, Waste, & Plastics
S.1387 / H.2350: An Act restricting toxic PFAS chemicals in consumer products to protect our health (Comerford / Lewis)
This bill bans the use of toxic polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in many common household products, including carpeting, cookware and cosmetics. It also prohibits the sale of those products where PFAS substances are present at a level greater than 1 part per million.
S.1494 / H.2348: An Act to ban the use of PFAS in food packaging (Moore / Lewis)
This bill prohibits the sale of food packaging products, beginning January 1, 2023, where PFAS have been intentionally added in any amount. It also requires that food packaging manufacturers present a certificate of compliance attesting to such.
S.1576 / H.2475: An Act relative to the reduction of certain toxic chemicals in firefighter personal protective equipment (DiZoglio / Hawkins)
This bill requires that firefighting personal protective equipment manufactures notify purchasers if their products contain PFAS. Beginning January 1, 2025, manufacturers will be prohibited from adding PFAS to firefighting protective equipment. This legislation is supported by the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts and Clean Water Action.
The Sierra Club supports getting to zero waste. This can be done through a combination of increasing diversion and recycling. In addition, our landfills are nearing capacity and are failing. Removing needless plastic pollution is a strong step in the right direction.
Top priority plastic pollution bills:
- S.579 / H.869: An Act to reduce single-use plastics from the environment (Lewis & Ciccolo). Note this includes a strong plastic bag regulation.
- S.503 / H.871: An Act To Reduce Packaging Waste (Creem & Connolly)
Environmental Justice
The following bills are also priorities for the Massachusetts EJ Table and the Mass Power Forward coalition.
S.1447 / H.2230: An Act to improve outdoor and indoor air quality for communities burdened by transportation pollution (Jehlen / Barber, Connolly)
This bill would improve indoor and outdoor air quality, especially for environmental justice populations and those communities burdened by air emissions from highways, ports, airports, and congested roadways. The bill also aims to expand outdoor air monitoring in pollution hotspots, set air quality targets by 2030 and 2035, require installation of air filters in existing eligible buildings within 200 meters of congested roadways, update the state sanitary code to improve mold enforcement, and update the building code to improve air quality in newly constructed buildings.
S.2135 / H.3336: An Act Relative to Energy Facilities Siting Reform to Address Environmental Justice, Climate, and Public Health (Boncore / Madaro)
In their February 2021 vote on the East Boston substation project, the Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB) has shown an unwillingness to prioritize historically marginalized and impacted communities. This bill requires the EFSB to consider environmental justice, public health, and climate impacts in decision making. It also requires community engagement prior to filing for environmental or siting board review, a cumulative impact assessment and an environmental justice impact statement, and prohibits the approval of electricity generating facilities or substations if the environmental justice impact statement shows that they will result in public health or other harms to environmental justice populations.
S.996 / H.1792: An Act to create access to justice (DiDomenico / Meschino, Madaro)
This bill would increase access to legal remedies for communities disproportionately impacted by environmental burdens, such as waste incineration, highway expansion, and other polluting infrastructure by allowing affected groups to bring claims in state court, rather than federal court. This bill increases disparate impact protections on the basis of any protected class (e.g. race, religion, immigration status, sexual orientation, etc). The bills would also eliminate the legal burden of proving that programs or activities with a disparate impact are motivated by discriminatory intent.
Lands, Water, and Open Space
S.524 / H.851: An Act preserving open space in the commonwealth (Eldridge / Balser)
This bill, informally referred to as the Public Lands Protection Act (PLPA), would further codify the current state policy that there be no net loss of lands or easements protected under Article 97. It would require that replacement land of comparable acreage and natural resource value be provided for each disposition. A previous version of this bill passed the House in the 191st session, but was not taken up in the Senate. Check out our fact sheet here.
S.530 / H.898: An Act relative to maintaining adequate water supplies through effective drought management (Eldridge / Dykema)
In the face of increasing drought, our patchwork approach to water conservation is insufficient. This bill would make water conservation measures for nonessential outdoor watering uniform across a drought region during times of drought.
S.504 / H.905: An Act establishing the municipal reforestation program (Creem / Ehrlich)
This bill would establish an Urban Forest Advisory Council under the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) and require that each municipality develop a reforestation plan within 3 years of being enacted. To help municipalities develop, execute, and maintain their plans, the council would provide access to funding and technical assistance that prioritizes environmental justice communities including communities and municipalities with the highest particulate pollutant levels, largest heat islands, and least tree canopy cover.
H.912: An Act relative to forest protection (Finn)
This bill would designate all 412,000 acres of park, forest, and watershed lands administered by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation as parks or reserves. It would expand the existing system of parks and reserves where natural processes are allowed to proceed with minimal human management, similar to the stewardship of our National Parks.
H.1002: An Act relative to increased protection of wildlife management areas (Sabadosa)
This bill would expand and make permanent the existing system of reserves on public Wildlife Management Areas administered by the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. It would direct the designation by 2030 of at least 30%, or about 51,000 acres, of the agency’s lands, consistent with the latest biological and climate science, and would give these areas permanent protection.
Other Bills that Align with Our Vision for the Future
Although our chapter is only able to prioritize a small subset of bills, there are many more legislative proposals that align with our vision for a healthy, equitable, pollution-free future. In many cases, these campaigns around these bills are led by our partners and trusted allies. We will continue to add to this list as we read and analyze newly-filed legislation.
Clean Energy & Climate
S.2148 / H.3298: An Act relative to the future of heat in the Commonwealth (Creem / Ehrlich)
S.2179 / H.3354: An Act relative to eliminating gas leaks (Finegold / F. Moran, Minicucci)
S.2014 / H.3243: An Act sparking the modernization of state heating systems (Chandler / Vitolo, Khan)
S.1197 / H.1954: An Act relative to a just transition to clean energy (Feeney / Decker) (learn more)
S.1198 / H.1955: An Act relative to clean energy workforce standards and accountability (Feeney / Decker, Mark) (learn more)
S.2232 / H.3366: An Act relative to better buildings (Rausch / Robinson) (learn more)
S.2158 / H.3302: An Act to promote offshore wind energy and renewables (Cyr / Fernandes)
Democracy & Elections
S.459 / H.805: An Act fostering voting opportunities, trust, equity, and security (Creem / Lawn)
Transportation
S.1899 / H.2978: An Act relative to regional transportation ballot initiatives (Lesser / Lewis)
Toxic Chemicals, Waste, & Plastics
Toxics:
H.910 / S.2551: An Act empowering towns and cities to protect residents and the environment from harmful pesticides (Fernandes / Moran)
S.522 / H.936: An Act relative to banning Chlorpyrifos in the Commonwealth (DiZoglio / Gordon)
S.528: An Act protecting pollinators by eliminating harmful products (neonicotinoids) (Eldridge)
H.926: An Act relative to improving pesticide protections for Massachusetts schoolchildren (Gentile)
S.556 / H.937 An Act providing for the public health by establishing an ecologically based mosquito management program (Comerford / Gouveia)
S.1423: An Act to reduce exposure to Bisphenols (DiZoglio)
H.939: An Act for Massachusetts toxic-free kids (Hawkins)
Plastics & Waste:
H.3118: An Act To Promote Cost Savings Through The Use Of Public Water (Cronin)
S.1370 / H.2263: An Act To Restrict The Use Of Polystyrene (Decker & Barrett)
S.2149 / H.3289: An Act to expand the Bottle Bill (Decker & Creem)
Lands, Water, & Open Space
S.2147 / H.3306: An Act to improve outdoor lighting, conserve energy, and increase dark-sky visibility (Creem / Garballey)
Food & Agriculture
S.495 / H.967: An Act relative to food justice with jobs (Boncore / Madaro)
S.564 / H.973: An Act relative to establishing a food justice frontline (Jehlen / Minicucci)
Revenue
The Fair Share Amendment (fact sheet)
S.1853 / H.2890: An Act providing for climate change adaptation infrastructure and affordable housing investments in the Commonwealth (Eldridge / Elugardo)
S.665 / H.1223: An Act to establish a Massachusetts public bank (Eldridge / Connolly, Elugardo) (learn more)
Wins
S.9: An Act creating a next-generation roadmap for Massachusetts climate policy (Barrett)
Our first priority is to ensure that the climate bill from the 2019-2020 session becomes law. S.9 is a strong piece of legislation that would build upon the 2008 Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA) by establishing 2030 and 2040 emissions targets, specific sector emission sublimits, a net-zero stretch building code, and more. The bill also codifies long overdue environmental justice protections and requires the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) to consider the social value of greenhouse gas emissions reductions in decision making.