**SPECIAL ISSUE ON THE ENVIRONMENT**
OFFICE HOURS
I will be scheduling office hours at different locations in
Somerville. Please stop by and join me for a cup of coffee. I look
forward to hearing your ideas, questions, and concerns.
Friday, March 31 9-10:30am Diesel Café 257 Elm Street
Saturday, April 8 10-11:30am O'Naturals 187 Elm Street
Saturday, April 22 10-11:30am Café Rossini 278B Highland Ave
Contents
SOMERVILLE/STATE SIDE
SOMERVILLE AT LARGE
1) CLIMATE CHANGE FORUM AT THE STATE HOUSE
I welcome you to join me and other legislators at the State House for a free forum discussing
the impacts of Climate Change, and possible solutions. I have been delighted to discover how
much awareness there is in the state legislature about Climate Change and its impacts on
environmental and human health. I hope that at least some readers will be able to take part in
this illuminating event, and the ensuing dialogue.
When? Monday, April 3, 1-4pm
Where? State House, room A-1
Panelists include:
Dr. Frank Keimig, Climate System Research Center/Dept. of Geosciences University of
Massachusetts Amherst
Dr. Paul Epstein, Associate Director of the Center for Health and Global Environment,
Harvard Medical School
Dr. Erin Baker, Assistant Professor in Dept. of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering,
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Ruth Curry, Research Specialist, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Dr. Barry Rock, Professor, Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans and Space, University
of New Hampshire
Dr. Warren Leon, Director, Massachusetts Technology Collaborative's Renewable
Energy Trust
2) ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH: MAKING HEALTH CONNECTIONS
Thursday, April 6, 9:30am-12:30pm
At the State house in the Great Hall and open to the public.
This event is about making health connections in our own lives and in our homes to promote
wellness and prevent disease. Speakers will discuss current research about chemicals in common
household products that contribute to human illness. They will also talk about proposed
legislation to promote safer alternatives.
3) LNG SUPPLIES - THE NEED; THE LEGISLATIVE RESPONSE
A) LNG PROPOSALS AND THE NEW SITING COMMISSION
Natural gas is the cleanest-burning fossil fuel available. Much of our natural gas supply is
transported to the US in liquid form, as LNG, and reconstituted into its gaseous state for
distribution in our network of gas pipelines. As we move toward cleaner generation of
electricity, LNG demand is projected to increase - as is demand for electricity generally.
There are presently over a dozen different proposals that have been put forward for the
development of new LNG facilities in our region. My best information is that one, or at most
two, new LNG facilities in the New England region will satisfy the projected increase in
demand. The question is not so much whether there will be one or more new facilities, but
where they will be sited.
One thing that seems clear is that LNG facilities should not be sited close to populated
areas. LNG once ignited, burns with an intense heat - though I have heard conflicting claims as
to the size of the "burn radius" of an LNG site. There has been much public discussion of the
safety of the existing Distrigas LNG facility in Everett; the City of Fall River is presently
opposing a proposal to locate an LNG facility on its border.
Yet opposing the siting of any facility whatever is no solution. There are proposals, for instance,
to locate facilities offshore, away from population centers. That is why I was pleased to vote on
concurring with Senate Bill 2379, which establishes the LNG Siting and Use Commission, to
consider the merits of various proposals and locations.
B) GREATER BREWSTER: THE PROPOSAL, ITS OUTCOME
Virginia-based AES Corporation is one of the energy companies that has proposed an LNG
facility for Massachusetts. AES, however, proposed to locate its facility on Greater Brewster
Island, one of the easternmost of the Boston Harbor Islands. I was surprised to learn, in my first
days here at the State House, that a bill in committee (H. 4500) would authorize the bidding out
of Greater Brewster and its environs for a 99 year lease, which would "only allow for the
construction, operation, and maintenance of a liquified natural gas import facility...."
The AES plan would involve blasting out the elevated middle of the rocky island for the
placement of holding tanks, and using the resulting rubble to "regularize" the island's coastline.
The redefined coastline would then be built up with docking terminals for LNG supertankers.
At the packed March 8, 2006, public hearing on the lease proposal, energy company executives,
lobster fishermen, and representatives of environmental organizations were among those who
crowded the hearing room to offer testimony, over the course of seven hours. Ultimately, the
Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures, and State Assets sent the bill into study.
The committee vote keeps this proposal from moving forward at this time. It does not preclude
it from coming back again, in this form, or in some other form.
C) READ MY TESTIMONY
To get a copy of my testimony on H. 4500, please email or call my legislative aide,
Elizabeth Monnin or 617-722-2810.
4) THE REGIONAL GREENHOUSE GAS INITIATIVE (RGGI)
A) WHAT IT IS, AND WHY IT MATTERS
Our federal government denies and ignores the reality of global climate change, resulting from
the atmospheric build-up of heat-trapping “greenhouse gases.” This leadership void has led state
governments to consider what their options might be. In April, 2003, Gov. Pataki of New York
invited the governors of all the New England and Mid-Atlantic States to participate in a
discussion about what state governments might do to avert worsening global climate change.
Over the next two years, a “stakeholders process” took place in earnest. The resulting RGGI
Memorandum of Agreement(MOA) outlines how participating states would first cap, then begin
to reduce, emissions from power plants of the “greenhouse gas,” carbon dioxide(CO2). While
Massachusetts played a major role in negotiating the MOA, Gov. Romney unexpectedly backed
away from RGGI (”Reggie”, to its friends) in December, 2005; leaving seven states agreeing
to the compact.
The RGGI MOU creates a “cap and trade” program for CO2 emissions, based on earlier,
successful programs to control emissions of acid rain precursor sulpher dioxide (SO2), and the
tailpipe gas nitrous oxide (NOX). The RGGI program is fairly modest in scope _ it addresses
only CO2 emissions from power plants, representing less than half the CO2 emissions in the
region, the rest coming from transportation sources. It would, however, start a process of
capping, then rolling back, CO2 levels which, left unchecked, will only increase.
To view the three-part slide show on the RGGI program presented at the March 1, 2006
legislative forum, please email or call my legislative aide,
Elizabeth Monnin or 617-722-2810.
B) A LEGISLATIVE SOLUTION?
I am proud to be a co-sponsor of a recently filed bill that would bypass Governor Romney's
craven retreat from the RGGI agreement. States signing on to the RGGI MOU are now in the
process of amending their own environmental regulations to effectuate the RGGI plan. The
House bill in question would direct the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
(DEP) to establish the RGGI “cap and trade” program by regulation - a simple and elegant
alternative to the abandonment of RGGI by the executive branch.
5) SOMERVILLE: OCEAN FRONT COMMUNITY OF THE FUTURE?
These maps are scary. You can use the
dynamic map features to manipulate and chart the future
impact of climate change on our coastal areas here in the Commonwealth and around the world.
6) SAVE ENERGY - AND $ - WITH THIS WEB SITE
Get information a wealth of free information on how to save energy - and money. Get an energy
apartment for your home or apartment. Learn about great deals on insulation, energy efficient
lightbulbs and appliances, even small wind turbines for home energy generation. Find out which
hybrid vehicles 'pay for themselves' in gas savings. You'll be amazed what you find when you
go to
www.energysaver.gov
7) URGE SENATOR KERRY TO SIGN ON TO “CLEAN CAR” LETTER
Since 1991, Massachusetts has been following California's clean car regulations. This January,
we signed on to continue following these standards, which will require, starting in 2009, that
new vehicles reduce their emissions of gases that cause global warming by 25%.
I encourage you to call Senator Kerry (617-565-8519 or 202-224-2742) and ask him to sign on
to the Feinstein-Snowe “Dear Colleague” letter to US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Administrator Stephen Johnson. This letter calls on the EPA to support the necessary waiver that
will allow us to maintain these clean air standards for Massachusetts.
8) UPCOMING MYSTIC RIVER CLEAN-UP
Date: Saturday, April 23, 10am-12:30pm
Rain date: Sunday, April 24, 12noon-2:30pm
Location: Blessing of the Bay Boathouse, 32 Shore Drive, Somerville (near Mystic Ave and
Route 28)
Come participate in this local Rite of Spring! Gain an appreciation for what the Mystic River
has to offer Somerville - and what a cleaner river could offer. Wear old clothes. Gloves, tools,
and refreshments will be provided.
For more information: janet@mysticriver.org or 781-316-3438
9) SOMERVILLE SPRING CLEAN UP DAY
Join other Somerville residents to help make our beautiful city even more attractive. Activities
will include raking leaves and planting flowers. For more information:
www.ci.somerville.ma.us
Locations to meet your Ward Captain:
Ward 1: East Somerville Community School (school yard)
Ward 2: Lincoln Park Community School (school yard)
Ward 3: High School Concourse (in front of City Hall)
Ward 4: Healy School (school yard)
Ward 5: Magoun Square (parking lot plaza)
Ward 6: Davis Square (Statue Park)
Ward 7: Teele Square (Fire Station)
10) MYSTIC HERRING RUN: SUNDAY, MAY 1, 9AM-NOON
The 9
th Annual Mystic Herring Run is fun for the whole family with a 5K Road Race, Paddle
Race, awards ceremony, and many booths where you can get information, and engage in
conversation. This event provides a good excuse to spend time in the fresh air, and notice how
different the river bank looks in the spring.
Date: Sunday, May 1, 9am-Noon
Location: Blessing of the Bay Boathouse, 32 Shore Drive, Somerville (near Mystic Avenue and
Route 28)
5K Race: pre-registration starts at 8am and the race begins at 9am. The race course follows the
Mystic River bike path, allowing runners to run alongside herring in a race of their own from
the Mystic River back to the ocean.
Paddle race: start time 10:30am.
Pre-register online
For more information visit www.mysticriver.org or
email herringrun05@yahoo.com
11) SIGN UP FOR MYSTIC RIVER WATERSHED ASSOCIATION EMAIL NEWSLETTER
If you are interested in keeping up with Mystic River Watershed news and don't want to add to
your household paper consumption, sign up for the email newsletter by sending an email to
dara@mysticriver.org with subject line: EMAIL NEWSLETTER
12) SAVE OUR HOMES: ANNUAL WALK TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS IN
SOMERVILLE
April 30, 2006
Registration at 1:30pm and race starts at 2pm
Somerville High School
For more information or to volunteer, contact Alex Pirie: 617-776-5931, ext. 243, or
apirie@somervillecdc.org
13) HOW TO GET AN "EARTH MACHINE" COMPOSTER
Spring into springtime with an "Earth Machine" compost bin for your household! Compost bins
are a great way to minimize household trash and convert household waste into fertilizer for your
yard or garden.
How to get an "Earth Machine" compost bin from the Somerville Dept. of Public Works:
1. call 617-625-6600, ext. 5070 to set up a pick-up time
2. visit the DPW, 1 Franey Road, to purchase ($25 check or money order; no cash or credit
cards) and pick up your compost machine
You can visit the DPW web site
to view the compost machine:
Material from this newsletter may be quoted freely, provided that it is
credited to Denise Provost, www.provost-citywide.org
copyright 2006 Denise Provost
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