Sen. Mike Barrett Shares FY22 Senate Budget with Funding for Bedford High School & Support for Environmental Initiative Staff

senmikeb
The Bedford Citizen

Of local interest, Mike Barrett, Bedford’s State Senator, secured funding to mitigate the costs Bedford incurs for educating children of families living on Hanscom Air Force Base.  More than one hundred Hanscom Air Force Base students attend high school at local expense.  The town has opened its doors to these children for more than fifty years through an agreement with the Department of Defense.

“Town officials have stressed the importance of the funding,” said Barrett.  “I’m pleased we were able to come through.”

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Should Massachusetts Keep The Film Tax Credit?

senmikeb
WGBH

Massachusetts has had a generous film tax credit in place since 2006 to lure film and television productions — and the jobs they generate — to the state, but some elected leaders have long questioned the wisdom of the policy, which also provides generous benefits to wealthy people tied to such projects who don’t always live in Massachusetts. State Senator Michael Barrett and Chris O’Donnell, a business manager from the union representing New England film and TV workers joined Jim Braude to debate the tax credit, which is also being debate on Beacon Hill.

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State Sen. Mike Barrett adds funds for Waltham groups, climate staff

senmikeb
Waltham Tribune

The Massachusetts Senate has voted to approve its version of the state budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1 and state Sen. Mike Barrett authored successful amendments for initiatives aimed at supporting young people and low-income residents of Waltham.

The Senate plan preserves and expands access to essential funding, including public health initiatives, at a time when the state continues to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

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The Climate Act Directs Several Agencies to Act Much More Decisively

senmikeb

The Massachusetts Senate approved my amendment to add additional staff to the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. The funds will allow for the hiring of two full-time employees at EEA to work on the implementation of the NextGen climate statute.

In total the Senate added funds for eight additional staffers: two each at EEA, as well as the Dept. of Public Utilities, the Dept. of Energy Resources, and the Dept. of Environmental Protection. Appreciative tip of the hat to Senator Michael Rodrigues, the mensch and marvelous W&M Chair who made this happen.

Quote: The Climate Act Directs Several Agencies to Act Much More Decisively

OPINION: Next steps crucial on Massachusetts’ new climate law

senmikeb
Lexington Minuteman

The administration needs to get with the program quickly. “Next-Gen” sets a number of deadlines:

• On July 1, Gov. Baker will have three new vacancies to fill — green building experts, all — on a reconstituted Board of Building Regulation and Standards, a low-profile entity with enormous sway over energy use in new construction.

• By July 15, 2021, the administration must set a first-ever greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal for Mass Save, the popular home energy efficiency program.

• No later than July 1, 2022, the administration must adopt emissions limits and sublimits for the year 2025, together with a “comprehensive, clear and specific” plan for operating within them.

• By 21 months from now, the administration must develop and promulgate a new “municipal opt-in specialized stretch energy code” that includes “net zero building performance standards” and a definition of “net zero building.”

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OPINION: Next steps on Massachusetts’ new climate law

senmikeb
Concord Journal

It’s no secret the governor vetoed an earlier version of the climate bill on the prodding of builders and developers. Taking note of the increasing urgency of global warming, we responded to the pushback by doubling down on net zero in the version of the bill that became law.

My constituents have been instrumental in seeing to it that Massachusetts passed the most ambitious climate bill in the country, which is cause for celebration. Now we need to make sure it gets implemented well.

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Old data slows climate change efforts

senmikeb
Gloucester Daily Times

Sen. Mike Barrett, D-Lexington, a co-chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy, who co-authored the bill, says up-to-date data is crucial for the plan to succeed.

“We’re taking note of the incredible lag time that has been involved in reporting back to the Legislature on whether we are curbing emissions,” Barrett said during a recent Joint Way and Means Committee hearing. “We need to provide that data in a much more time-relevant way than has been the case.”

Barrett said the new climate law requires the state Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs to provide lawmakers with an update on emissions levels every 18 months “so that we’re not looking at 2017 numbers in 2021.”

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