Massachusetts Starts 2021 With A Bang On Climate

Over the past four years, while the Trump Administration did everything possible to ignore climate change, optimists continued to find progress at the state level.  Any while President-elect Biden has put together a A-team on climate, Massachusetts, at least, seems determined to show that the states will continue to lead – even if they now have a partner at the federal level.

Two weeks ago, I noted that Massachusetts was one of three New England states committing to implement a cap and invest program to limit GHG emissions from the transportation sector.  Last week, I was tempted to call the Baker administration's 2050 Decarbonization Roadmap a "tour de force."  Not to be outdone, a legislative conference committee reached agreement last night on "An Act creating a next-generation roadmap for Massachusetts climate policy."  Assuming that both houses adopt the conference report, the act will be one of the most important pieces of legislation in a generation.