Note: How to find your state representative and their email & phone number is HERE
( What is a Conference Committee? That’s when members of the state Senate and the MA House of Representatives get together to hash out differences between the Senate and House versions of a bill. In this case, the climate solutions bill S.2500 passed in the Senate earlier in the year, and H.4933 passed in the house in late July. Now they meet and reconcile differences. )
Sample email
Dear _______________ As your constituent at [your address], I am reaching out to you about the status of climate legislation as a member of Climate Action Now which is part of a broad coalition called Mass Power Forward. We are calling on the Conference Committee reconciling H.4933 and S.2500 to include/exclude the following provisions in the legislature’s final bill that are aligned with our core 2019-2020 priorities: • Eliminate biomass fuel from Municipal Light Plant GHG emissions standard (GGES) in SECTION 15 of H.4933 • Enact Environmental Justice as enumerated in H.4933 • Add specific interim greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals as in both bills • Increase the Renewable Portfolio Standard as in H.4933 • Increase the amount of offshore wind to be harnessed, as in both bills In addition to our top priorities, there are several other provisions that are crucial to strengthen the final legislation: • Require Municipal Light Plants (MLP) to reduce their GHG emissions as in H.4933 • Improve building standards and energy efficiency and add members to the BBRS as in both bills • Add a Net-Zero Stretch Code as in S.2500 • Include the deadline for issuing regulations to meet the 2030 goals to be not later than 1/1/22 as in S.2500 • Update the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) Mission Statement as in S.2500 • Eliminate Net Metering Caps for some arrays as in H.4933, and expand opportunities for solar, especially to low-income communities, as in S.2500 • Eliminate H.4933’s language that would make solar arrays taxable • Establish a land use commission to develop recommendations on land use restrictions within the SMART Program as in H.4933 I am asking you to exert whatever influence you can on House leadership and the Conference Committee members in support of these priorities. If you have hesitations or questions about these requests, I am happy to respond. Sincerely, [name] |
Sample Call Script After sending the email
| Hi, My name is [first name], and I live in [town/city]. I am with Climate Action Now, a member of a broad coalition of environmental groups called Mass Power Forward. I am reaching out about the status of climate legislation. We are calling on the joint climate Conference Committee to include or exclude certain provisions in the final bill that are contained in the House and Senate bills. I sent an email to your office, and would like confirmation that you received my note, and offer to answer any questions you may have about it. If you are talking to staff: If there is a staff email that I can copy on my message, please let me know what it is so that I can send my note to them. Thank you! |