Barrett, local organizers rally against Hanscom jet hangars 

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A coalition of community groups, legislators, and concerned citizens rallied at the State House on Tuesday against building multiple private jet hangars at Hanscom Field. They urged Massport to reject a proposal “to house private jets that would let a handful of super-rich people super-pollute,” in the words of State Senator Mike Barrett.

“No way can you put in a bunch of garages for private jets and still claim ever again to be concerned about climate. This is it. This is the inflection point for Massport,” said Barrett, who represents the four towns adjacent to Hanscom. “In seriously entertaining this proposal, Massport is on the verge of a terrible two-fer: aiding and abetting the warming of the planet and pandering to the concentration of private wealth.”

Thanks to the efforts of a statewide coalition, Stop Private Jet Expansion at Hanscom or Anywhere (SPJE), the State House rally drew residents from across Massachusetts. In addition to Barrett, speakers included State Rep. Carmine Gentile, Chuck Collins of the Institute for Policy Studies, Claire Karl Müller of Mass Power Forward, and Alex Chatfield and Lara Sullivan of SPJE.

Photo credit: Marilyn Humphries

Chair Van Nostrand put the “public” back into the Department of Public Utilities

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As Chair, Jamie Van Nostrand put the “public” back into the Department of Public Utilities. He put ratepayers and household budgets first and positioned Massachusetts to continue the transition off fossil fuels. He’s on to his next adventure but his shadow is long and his achievements, indelible. A number of us gathered recently to honor him and express our profound thanks.

From left to right: Garrett Casey, Elizabeth Van Nostrand, Jamie Van Nostrand, marvelous host Marilyn Ray Smith, Ania Camargo, and Nathan Phillips. I think I see Mark Dyen’s leg.

State Senate tackles electronic privacy

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

In a unanimous vote, the State Senate passed legislation that, according to local State Senator Mike Barrett, marks a key step in curbing the ability of private companies to gather and sell people’s personal information.

The bill establishes the right for Massachusetts residents to know what information of theirs is being collected.  And it enables them to opt out of having their data sold to other companies or used for targeted advertising.

“I’m besieged, as others are, with constant requests to let an online vendor know my exact location,” Barrett said.  “It’s unclear to me why they need this information or what other data they’re collecting.  The bill adds important checks on the information these businesses can gather.”

Also included in the legislation: guardrails to prevent companies from collecting certain sensitive data unless strictly necessary and a ban on the sale of any sensitive data that is collected.  Protected data includes health care information; face scans and fingerprints; precise geolocation; information about a person’s religion or ethnicity; information related to a person’s immigration status; and personal information of children.  The Senate included additional protections for minors, including a full ban on the sale of young people’s data.

During debate on the floor, Senators also adopted an amendment that extends the ban on sales of geolocation data to cover anyone who visits Massachusetts for any reason, including travel to the state for health and abortion-related care.

“We closed a loophole that would have left visitors to Massachusetts vulnerable,” Barrett said.  “This is about protecting people who live in states where health care is under siege.”

Having passed the Senate, the legislation now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.

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New exhibit honors Black Patriots of Lexington

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Just unveiled in Lexington: a new exhibit featuring three Black Patriots who fought in the American Revolution. The animated videos tell the stories of Prince Estabrook and Eli Burdoo, who each fought in the Battle of Lexington, and Pompey Fiske, who witnessed the battle and later enlisted in the Continental Army. Shoutout to Sean Osborne and the Lexington Visitors Center for bringing their stories to life.

Credit to the Town of Lexington for the photos.

Another big win for the Lexington High School Envirothon team

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For the third time in four years, Lexington High School has taken gold at the National Conservation Foundation’s annual Envirothon. This year’s competition focused on ways to manage forest ecosystems impacted by climate change. Over the course of a week, students completed a series of exams and delivered presentations to a panel of professionals. Impressive stuff. Congratulations to the Lexington team: Jocelyn Chen, Caroline Ehmann, Tomer Elkayam, Eileen Ho, and Erin Suh.

“Open up records from state mental institutions”

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The Boston Globe

Given a big job, the Special Commission on State Institutions has re-opened a long-neglected inquiry into Massachusetts facilities for people with mental health issues or intellectual or developmental disabilities. Its report examines the barriers that persist today for members of the public — including relatives and researchers — who have tried and failed to access the records of people who lived and died there.

Good piece from the Globe Editorial Board, who advocate for legislation like the bill I’ve filed that would open these records to the public.

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