Why: As noted here recently by Roy Harvey, a conference committee is meeting to negotiate a single joint climate bill, after the MA House and Senate each passed separate differing bills. There are some stark differences, the stakes are high, and as usual the secret negotiations are happening through the last minute. Specifically, they must produce a conference bill by Tuesday, in order for both the House and Senate to vote to pass it on Wednesday, the last day of the two-year legislative session.
The high stakes include whether or not the final bill will include provisions to stop the expansion of the piped gas system and redirect our utility companies to providing heating in other ways. That's our biggest source of climate-harming emissions, so this would be a big XXXing deal. How: We will leave around noon, park under Boston Common, and join a bunch of other people in the Statehouse by 1 pm. Then we will have fun singing and chanting loudly for about 45 minutes in "Nurses Hall", where the acoustics are impressive. Wear blue and bring a small umbrella (extreme weather from climate change, get it?) I've done it twice so far this week - it's fun, it's perfectly legal, and we believe it helps to thus reinforce the messages that have also been communicated through more traditional means (emails, phone calls, etc.) Next steps: Contact me directly if you might be interested in going Monday (or today, leaving Lincoln about 11:30; or next Tuesday). - Paul Shorb Cell 339-213-2174.
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