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Statement of Lee Ketelsen in response to Governor Patrick's Solid Waste Announcement
December 11,2009
Governor Patrick’s decision to retain the moratorium against new waste incineration is the right decision. He has committed the state to green solutions that protect public health, promote energy and resource conservation, and create green jobs. Recycling creates more jobs and saves more energy by far than waste incineration
Great new way to save energy in western Massachusetts
With the support of our members and local leaders, Clean Water Action has worked for many years to modernize pollution standards at existing power plants in New England. Although we've seen significant pollution reductions during that time from coal-fired power plants like Mt. Tom Station in Holyoke, this is only part of the recipe for cleaner air.
We are pleased to introduce our partnership with WesternMassSaves.com - a new way to help you save money, manage your energy use and help reduce the pollution caused by power plants, the largest stationary sources of air pollution in the region.
We Can't Wait Any Longer on Coal Ash
We can't wait to act on coal ash! Americans deserve clean energy. We shouldn't be poisoned by dirty coal plants and coal ash, and then be asked to foot the bill. Tell the President and the EPA.
Coal ash is a concentrated toxic by-product of burning coal and is a growing problem across the nation. The EPA and the National Academy of Sciences research show that coal ash is toxic, and threatens human health.
Yet Big Coal has been fighting any change to the status quo, lobbying against these proposed regulations and asking the nation’s energy regulators to charge ratepayers for any coal ash cleanup charges.
Ask your State Legislators to help protect our health from toxic chemicals
The Safer Alternatives Bill will create a program in Massachusetts to replace toxic chemicals with Safer Alternatives wherever feasible. The bill is currently before the Massachusetts Legislature's Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture. That committee held a public hearing on the bill on November 2nd, but the Environment Committee has not yet acted to give the bill a favorable report.
A favorable report is needed to move the bill to the next stage in the legislative process. Your legislators can help by urging the Chairs of the Environment Committee to act on the bill soon. Please write to them and ask them to help!
Sign the Declaration of Energy Empowerment
Clean Water Action and coalition partners call on our leaders and on all sectors of society to embark on an Energy Empowerment Revolution that will protect all the inhabitants of this state from the ravages of recession and cold winter winds and to secure the future for our children and our planet. Please take a moment to review the Declaration of Energy Empowerment's (Link to Declaration PDF) goals calling for $1 billion dollars to weatherize every building and home in Massachusetts. This initiative would create over 10,000 jobs, help pull people out of poverty with decent paying jobs, and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.
Protecting Our Health from Toxic Chemicals
In Massachusetts, Clean Water Action is a founding member of the Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow (AHT), a coalition of citizens, scientists, health professionals, workers, and educators seeking preventive action on toxic hazards. Our goal is to correct fundamental flaws in government policies that allow harm to our health and environment.
The Massachusetts Campaign to Protect Drinking Water
Clean Water Action has brought together a statewide alliance of environmental, consumer and public health groups. The focus of the Campaign is to provide safe and affordable drinking water to residents of Massachusetts by advancing policies and practices that protect ecologically important habitat and watershed resources and prevent contamination of drinking water from watershed to water tap.
Electronics Take Back Campaign
Discarded computers, laptops, and TVs are a growing problem all across the country. This Ewaste is toxic and contains hazardous substances like lead, mercury, and selenium, and costs local governments millions of dollars a year to collect and recycle. In Europe, manufacturers of electric and electronics products are required to pay for the collection and recycling their discarded products. Requiring extended producer responsibility (EPR) for products will give producers a financial incentive to make their products more recylable and less toxic.
Clean Water Action was one of the founding members of the national Electronics Take Back Campaign, which has been successful in persuading the major computer manufacturers – Dell, HP, and Apple – to support mandatory EPR and to pay for their discarded products. Electronics EPR legislation has been adopted in 10 states and New York City so far, but still needs to be adopted in Massachusetts.
Electing pro-environment candidates
Clean Water Action endorses candidates for office who we believe will be champions for the environment based on candidate's record and endorsement questionnaires.
Massachusetts Diesel Pollution Solution
The fine particle pollution from diesel emissions shortens the lives of an estimated 21,000 people nationwide every year. The Massachusetts Diesel Pollution Solution Coalition (DPS) is committed to reducing the health risks from diesel pollution and has called on state government to create a plan for reducing emissions from diesel vehicles 75% by 2020. This goal would extend and save thousands of lives, improve the health and well being of Massachusetts residents, help mitigate global warming, and yield large economic benefits.