RE: Requested language for updating the Massport 1956 Enabling Act in Conference Committee
Dear [your state senator & state rep],
As the Conference Committee is deliberating on the Senate and House Climate bills, I urgently ask that you please forward this email to the Committee members right away with a note of support from you.
I, along with many others, am requesting the Climate Conference Committee to consider including the language below for updating the Massport 1956 Enabling Act to reflect our Commonwealth’s current climate policies and goals.
For your convenience, here are the Conference Committee members' emails:
Mike.Barrett@masenate.gov; Jeffrey.Roy@mahouse.gov; Cynthia.Creem@masenate.gov; Bruce.Tarr@masenate.gov; richard.haggerty@mahouse.gov; Bradley.Jones@mahouse.gov
Thank you for your support and all you do on behalf of your constituents,
[Your name, street, city/town]
To Climate Conference Committee Members:
As you are working to reconcile the Senate and House versions of the climate bill, please consider the suggested reconciliation language below for updating the Massport 1956 Enabling Act:
The following unbolded text is from H4884; bolded phrases reflect our requests:
“SECTION 65A. The first paragraph of section 2 of chapter 465 of the acts of 1956 is hereby amended by inserting after the first sentence, the following sentence:- In discharging its responsibilities and exercising its powers under this chapter, the Authority shall, with respect to itself and the entities with which it contracts or does business, and in a manner consistent with any act of congress relating to aeronautics or any regulations promulgated or standards established pursuant thereto, promote commerce, economic prosperity, safety and security, as well as while prioritizing (1) environmental resiliency and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions consistent with chapter 21N of the General Laws (2), and incorporating environmental justice principles, as defined in section 62 of chapter 30 of the General Laws (3).
(1) From Senate climate bill S2838: Please retain "while prioritizing" at the end of Sections 108 (line 2379) and 109 (line 2391) and delete “as well as”.
(2) From the originally filed Amendment 105 in the House bill: Please retain “consistent with chapter 21N of the General Laws".
(3) From House climate bill H4884: Please retain "incorporating environmental justice principles, as defined in section 62 of chapter 30 of the General Laws" in lines 1714-1715 and 1726-1727 (this reflects Amendment 105, as changed):
Please retain the same three phrases in Section 65B, where they apply.
The requested changes above would bring Massport’s 1956 charter in alignment with recent MA climate policies, emission reduction targets, and environmental justice principles. The above requested changes are supported by both Logan-area and Hanscom-area communities.
Thank you for the time and effort you are investing in this important climate legislation.
[Your name, street, city/town]
