Dear Friends,

We need YOUR HELP to generate hundreds more powerful comments on the developers' Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) before comments close on May 10th.

Enclosed in this Action Alert you will find:

• An urgent call to submit your comment ASAP
• Three New Reports to Help Strengthen Your Comments
• New - weekly "DEIR Office Hours" - check in with us for comment guidance
• SPJE partner, Sierra Club Mass, needs volunteers to do phone banking focused on generating DEIR comment on April 24th
• Register for the 4/21 Webinar: Why Trees Matter for Green Development

1. Critical:  Submit your DEIR Comment ASAP!

All hands on deck needed!

Please take time to submit a public comment on the developers’ recent DEIR to MEPA (Office of MA Environmental Policy Act) regarding their massive and climate-destructive private jet hangar expansion plans.

It is CRITICAL that we flood MEPA with a tidal wave of public comments to demonstrate to EEA Secretary Tepper and the Governor that they have widespread support to stop these plans.

Many thanks to those of you who have forwarded us the comments you’ve already submitted to MEPA. The fact is, these comments represent less than 20% of our comment goal. 

We urgently need to send hundreds more comments to make the necessary impact to derail this expansion.

Public Comment period closes on May 10^th 

Write a Public Comment TODAY using our Toolkit which is designed to help simplify this essential action.

2. Three New Reports to Strengthen Your Comment

A) New Independent Report refutes Developers’ Claims that Hangar plans will reduce ferry flights and emissions

• See report Overview
• See full Independent Report

Note: This independent report was made possible with your donations to SPJE.  

Thank you! - Let's make good use of it!

B) New analysis of the developers’ Net Zero and Solar claims finds them unrealistic and misleading.

• Analysis of DEIR Net Zero and Solar claims

C) New Potential Lever: National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Guidance on Green House Gas Emissions and Climate Change – Jan 9, 2023

This relatively new guidance from a year ago, 1/9/23, provides a number of meaningful requirements for a federal environmental review, under NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act). For example,

• Developers must consider CO2e and not just CO2 (CO2e includes many climate-change producing chemicals, beyond CO2, like methane.
• Developers must consider the whole GHG consequence (and not just emissions near the airport).
• Developers must analyze the social cost of GHG.
• Developers must consider state and local GHG reduction goals and plans, and determine if the project is consistent with them.

WHY is this relevant to our public comments now?

BECAUSE: A federal environmental review (NEPA) of the proposed expansion plans will follow shortly on the heels of the DEIR. If we insert the NEPA requirements into our public comments now, this will shed light onto the fact that they exist and will raise expectations that the  developers must comply with them.

3. Join us! DEIR Comment "Office Hours"

Feeling stuck? Have questions? Want to just set aside time to write your comment with the support of others around you?

Every Wednesday at 6PM and Thursdays at noon, SPJE staff will be on zoom ready to help you write and submit a stellar comment on the developers' DEIR.

RSVP here for a Wednesday evening session and here for Thursday at lunchtime.

All are welcome!

4. Phone Bank with Sierra Club Massachusetts

Join the Phone Outreach Team with SPJE partner organization, Sierra Club Massachusetts, on Wednesday April 24th at 5PM to call members and supporters to discuss the campaign to Stop Private Jet Expansion at Hanscom or Anywhere and ask them to submit a public comment.

This is a great opportunity to learn how to phone bank, a powerful advocacy tool across causes, and help SPJE reach our comment goal.

RSVP here

5. Why Trees Matter for Green Development - 4/21 Webinar

For a refreshing break from Greenwashing and to learn about genuine green development, register for the 4/21 webinar sponsored by Trees As a Public Good at 7:00 PM.

Two scientists and three community advocates will explain how natural climate solutions can work together with the development Massachusetts needs.

With your help, we can Stop Private Jet Expansion at Hanscom or Anywhere!

If everyone who receives this email made a public comment to MEPA on the developers' DEIR, we would blow any arguments that this development is supported by the public out of the water.

We need you to make a public comment in opposition of this project.

Thank you for your support!

Onward,
Stop Private Jet Expansion at Hanscom or Anywhere

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