For Immediate Release:
Tuesday, September 10, 2018
CONTACT:
Deb Pasternak, (617) 852-2641, deb.pasternak@sierraclub.org
Kevin O'Brien (617) 869-7205, kevin.obrien@sierraclub.org
MA Sierra Club Applauds California’s Passage and Signing of SB100 - bringing their grid to 100% zero emissions by 2045
BOSTON, MA -- Massachusetts climate activists applauded as California Governor Jerry Brown signed SB100 earlier today, mandating that California achieve 100% carbon free electricity by 2045.
This law mandates that California hit 50% renewable energy by 2026, 60% renewable by 2030, and 100% carbon free electricity generation by 2045. California has long led on the transition to a zero emissions electricity grid, and has seen a booming economy and significant emissions reductions as a result.
In response, Massachusetts Sierra Club Interim Chapter Director Deb Pasternak issued the following statements:
“California has been leading an ambitious transition to renewable technologies for years. This is a culminating step in their work to decarbonize the electric grid. Unfortunately, here in Massachusetts, our leaders have been stepping away from this transition over the past decade. The last time that we passed truly ambitious climate mitigating legislation was in 2008. California’s ambitious renewable policies have resulted in over $1 billion invested in renewable technologies in their state alone. We applaud California’s leaders and climate and labor activists who worked together to create this policy.
“It saddens me that the Massachusetts House of Representatives can’t see the light on this issue. Just six weeks ago, they put the brakes on an energy bill that was similar to this California legislation.” noted Pasternak. “That Massachusetts bill, which had passed unanimously in a bipartisan State Senate vote, was inexplicably weakened by House Leadership at the end of the session. I mean “inexplicable” in that it was clear that they were not getting calls from the public to weaken the Senate bill. One can only conclude that they were getting calls from fossil fuel lobbyists and listened to them over the will of the people.”
###