Friedman shows strong support for bold climate legislation in 2019

BOSTON – Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington) recently joined over 80 of her legislative colleagues in uniting to support bold climate solutions in 2019. Friedman signed onto a statement circulated by Senator Marc R. Pacheco (D-Taunton) and Representative Ruth B. Balser (D-Newton) – A New Year’s Resolution: Committing to the Enactment and Implementation of Bold Climate Solutions in 2019 – which signals considerable commitment to climate action in the 2019-2020 legislative session.

“We must take real action to address the threat of climate change with a sense of urgency so that we can build a sustainable future for generations to come,” said Senator Friedman. “The federal government may fail to address, or even acknowledge, this threat to society, but Massachusetts will not.”

The New Year’s Resolution statement highlights the need to update statewide emissions requirements established in 2008 by the Global Warming Solutions Act. At a December 18th oversight hearing held by the standing Senate Committee on Global Warming & Climate Change and the standing House Committee on Global Warming & Climate Change, climate scientists testified that the state is not on pace to reach its emissions reduction mandates.  Expert testimony also stressed that the state’s current requirements, adopted a decade ago, are no longer enough to mitigate the imminent effects of climate change.

Senator Friedman represents the 4th Middlesex district, which includes Arlington, Billerica, Burlington, Woburn, and precincts 1-2 and 4-7 in Lexington.