Action Item -- Keep Calling Gov. Baker!

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Thank you for flooding Gov. Baker's phone lines with calls last week. We're now on Week 2 of our Call Gov. Baker campaign, and this week, we're asking you to CALL and EMAIL.

Call: 617-725-4005
Email: go here --> https://www.mass.gov/forms/email-the-governors-office and copy his Chief of Staff at Kristen.lepore@state.ma.us.

Gov. Baker has stated that he is committed to addressing climate change. Last week, upon awarding $2.4 billion to environmental protection, climate change adaptation, and community investments, Gov. Baker said, "'Massachusetts is a national leader in addressing the threat of climate change and proactively preparing for its impacts.”' Yet, at the same time, he's turning a blind eye to the expansion of fossil fuel projects. Fossil fuels are a major contributor to climate change. We simply cannot afford to exacerbate the issue any further. Please contact Gov. Baker and remind him of his commitment to addressing climate change and ask that he take action on the Weymouth compressor station proposal. He says he "doesn't have a choice" but he does. He can choose to protect the residents of Massachusetts instead of polluters. Also ask him why it is that he chooses not to meet with constituents? Has he forgotten who is is in office to serve? Maybe he needs a reminder.

Talking points are below (both for phone calls and email):

  • With the expansion of fracked-gas infrastructure, he should be considering the fact that his Administration will not make the 2020 Global Warming Solutions Act mandates. How does he plan to explain this to the Supreme Judicial Court, which stated that the GWSA was the law?

  • A valid HIA is quantitative in nature and the HIA that he mandated states that it is not quantitative. Why did he accept the false conclusions of this HIA?

  • He did not follow through on the other two part of his mandate--to investigate safety and security and to address coastal resiliency as it applies to the siting of this compressor in a FEMA flood zone. What does he plan to do about these deficiencies?

  • This air quality permit was issued against the objection of every legislator on the South Shore--from Quincy to Duxbury and parts of Plymouth and Bristol County and the Mayors of Weymouth, Quincy, and Braintree. How does he explain ignoring the objections of legislators and mayors--some of whom are in his own political party and who endorsed his re-election?

  • Approval of Enbridge's air quality permit was in spite of scientific data from his mandated HIA showing elevated air pollution and health problems already in the area, which includes two designated Environmental Justice neighborhoods. Does he not care about the health of the citizens of the Basin? Does he not understand the economic strain that a sick populace puts on the State?

  • Why has he refused--for 87 days and counting--to meet with a constituent who has concerns about this compressor station?