Governor’s Environmental Bill A ‘Holiday Gift’
Monday, December 24, 2007
Boston, MA – A holiday gift for the environment in Massachusetts – that's the way Bay State environmentalists are reacting to Governor Deval Patrick's environmental bond bill.
The $1.4 billion measure, unveiled Friday, is the largest such bond bill in the state's history. If it's approved by the legislature, the money will go to a variety of environmental efforts, including land acquisition and improvement of water and air quality.
Ian Bowles, the Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs, says the funds would also help the state Department of Conservation and Recreation clear its backlog of repair and maintenance on bridges and other public facilities.
"We've inherited a system that's had a decade or more of lack of investment, so Governor Patrick is making a large step to address a big part of the problem."
James McCaffrey, director of the Massachusetts Sierra Club, believes the money would be well spent.
"We applaud the administration and Secretary Bowles for filing such a landmark environmental bond. It's a tremendous opportunity for Massachusetts' forest and park systems to get back on track."
Other parts of the bill would fund air and water monitoring, and cleanup of solid waste facilities. Bowles says he's optimistic the bill will be approved, partly because of widespread support among environmental and business organizations.
get more stories like this via email
United Nations experts are raising concerns about chemical giants DuPont and Chemours, saying they've violated human rights in North Carolina…
Social Issues
The long-delayed Farm Bill could benefit Virginia farmers by renewing funding for climate-smart investments, but it's been held up for months in …
Environment
Conservation groups say the Hawaiian Islands are on the leading edge of the fight to preserve endangered birds, since climate change and habitat loss …
Environment
April has been "Invasive Plant Pest and Disease Awareness Month," but the pests don't know that. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says it's the …
Health and Wellness
The 2024 Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium Public Conference kicks off Saturday, where industry experts and researchers will share the latest scientific …
Environment
Environmental groups say more should be done to protect people's health from what they call toxic, radioactive sludge. A court granted a temporary …