Mass Audubon

Last night, the legislature failed to pass legislation that would streamline clean energy projects while protecting nature and communities. We’re incredibly disappointed. Last year was the hottest year on record, and 2024 is on track to be even hotter. We don’t have time to wait two more years before accelerating clean energy. Massachusetts has been a global leader in climate and energy policymaking, but this delay puts that leadership at risk. The legislature’s clean energy siting and permitting proposal has the consensus support of Mass Audubon, other stakeholders who served on the Governor’s Commission on Energy Infrastructure Siting and Permitting, the House, and the Senate. We’re calling on legislative leadership to urgently approve this energy siting and permitting proposal in an August informal session. https://bit.ly/3Wmubn6q

The Mass. legislature is on the verge of passing a major climate bill—but time is running out. This bill would streamline clean energy development in Massachusetts while protecting forests, farms, and environmental justice communities. Right now, the House and Senate conference committee is at an impasse, putting this critical climate bill at risk. In less than 48 hours, they must get a final version to Governor Healey’s desk, or we’ll have to wait another session before accelerating clean energy in Massachusetts. Climate change isn’t waiting, so neither can we. Help get this crucial bill across the finish line by sending an email to House and Senate leadership today: https://bit.ly/46nDmZ6 

On Wednesday night, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed their clean energy and climate bill! This bill will accelerate permitting for solar, wind, transmission, and energy storage infrastructure, all while protecting environmental justice communities, farms, forests, and wetlands from excessive development. The bill aligns with our Growing Solar, Protecting Nature report—we don’t have to sacrifice land and wildlife to produce the solar energy we need. A huge thank you to Reps. Aaron Michlewitz, Ron Mariano, and especially Jeffrey Roy for getting this done! Now, the House and Senate must settle their differences in conference committee before July 31 so the bill can go the governor’s desk to become law. Paired with the administration’s proposal to reform solar incentives, this will put Massachusetts on the right track for years to come. Let’s hope the final version pushes us further away from fossil fuel infrastructure while protecting nature and environmental justice communities. https://wbur.fm/3xUgRyq  

The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources just released its ideas for changes to the state’s solar energy incentive program (known as SMART).  They’ve heard our voices—we’re excited to see many recommendations from our Growing Solar, Protecting Nature report in the proposal, including:      *Unlimited support for residential and small commercial rooftop solar     *Higher incentives for solar located on parking lots, landfills, and brownfields, and for projects serving communities and low-income customers     *Better protections for residential solar customers      Before the SMART regulations are finalized, we’ll work to make sure that state funds are used for projects that benefit ratepayers the most and protect our highest-quality natural resources.     https://bit.ly/3y1kWkh  

Amazing coverage of Massachusetts’ Bald Eagles and the threats they face from rat poison in today’s Boston Globe Media. Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Stan Grossfield captures the majesty of KZ, the male Bald Eagle ruling over the Mystic Lakes, and explains how the long recovery of eagles from DDT is threatened by the overuse of second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides. We’re fighting for regulation of these dangerous poisons every day, and we’ll need the support of advocates in communities all over the Commonwealth to succeed. https://lnkd.in/enZabxJU   

Last week, the Massachusetts Senate passed an important climate and energy bill. S.2829 sets the stage for us to accelerate clean energy while creating strong protections for environmental justice communities and our most valuable farms, forests, and wetlands. We’ve worked hard this year to push the administration and the legislature to prioritize natural and workings lands as a solution to climate change, and we’re thrilled that this proposal has passed the Senate.  But it still must pass the House of Reps. before heading to Gov. Healey’s desk. Help us accelerate clean energy and protect nature by sending your Rep. an email today: https://bit.ly/4c9E12y 

WCVB's Chronicle highlighted Mass Audubon in their coverage of hats and local history. Jennifer S. Tafe, PhD, Director of Mass Audubon's Museum of American Bird Art, weighed in on how the backlash against fashionable feathered hats was instrumental in the formation of Mass Audubon in the late 19th century.    Thank you WCVB Channel 5 for featuring Mass Audubon's story! The influential advocacy of our founders, Harriet Hemenway and Minna B. Hall, informs our mission to this day. https://lnkd.in/eHbr44NE

The Supreme Court recently made two decisions that are nothing short of disastrous for nature and the climate. A majority of the court stripped the ability of experts in government agencies to implement our national environmental policies, and opened up agencies to challenges to regulations that have been in place for decades. The combined impact of the Loper Bright and Corner Post decisions will be a flood of lawsuits against crucial regulations governing everything from clean air and water, road safety, climate change, biodiversity, and more. It’s now more important than ever for state legislatures and regulators to fight back with policies that protect our natural resources and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Our team is ready to join the fight. 

It’s one small crawl for a turtle, but one great leap for sea turtle conservation.    Yesterday, eight Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles—the most critically endangered species of sea turtle in the world—were released back into the ocean by the New England Aquarium. These turtles were rescued by Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay volunteers last fall, who combed the beaches of the Cape to locate and transport the cold-stunned sea turtles to places like the New England Aquarium for rehabilitation.    We appreciate and applaud the unflagging work of our volunteers. Their hard work makes these conservation efforts possible.     A big thank you to New England Aquarium for rehabilitating and releasing these incredible animals!  

A huge congratulations to our North Shore and Ecological Restoration colleagues for winning a merit award for leadership by a non-profit from the Environmental Business Council of New England, Inc., in recognition of their work to restore the North Shore’s Great Marsh. Our team is part of a coalition of groups led by The Trustees of Reservations and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to restore 215 acres of saltmarsh and pave the way for the restoration of 8,000 acres more.    This project aims to make vulnerable saltmarshes more resilient to sea level rise, allowing them to continue protecting communities against flooding, absorbing and storing climate pollution, and providing critical habitat for vulnerable species like the Saltmarsh Sparrow. Great work, team!