A recap of our work for our members in 2013

Cape Cod National Seashore

“There’s really no limit to what can be accomplished when we come together to protect our environment. “

To our members

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from 2013, it’s that there’s really no limit to what can be accomplished when we come together to protect our environment.

This year, because of action and support from people like you, Environment Massachusetts was able to cross off so many of the goals we had on our 2013 to-do list. And they were big ones. We helped press the owners of the Brayton Point coal-fired power plant to retire the plant by 2017. We reached our goal of seeing 25,000 solar roofs in Massachusetts this year—three years ahead of schedule. And in November, our bill to keep fracking out of our state was approved by a legislative committee. So first off, congratulations and thank you. None of this could have happened if we hadn’t had you at our side.

But as I look to the future, I’m also reminded why it’s critical we stay together in the coming months. If you’ve ever been to the Pioneer Valley in the fall, it’s easy to understand why this is one of the best places in our state. It’s breathtaking. The trees, set ablaze by the changing season, line the banks of the Connecticut River. The sun gleams off the water. It’s true, unspoiled nature, and it’s clear it deserves protection. Yet right now, the Connecticut and other special places across Massachusetts face a growing number of threats from polluters and politicians who press shortsighted policies forward on their behalf. Some of these hazards, like members of Congress attempting to dismantle funding for our parks budget, are familiar—while some, such as fracking, are new.

No doubt, we’ve got work to do. But if 2013 is any indication of what’s to come, I’m confident there will be many more accomplishments to report on in the 2014 annual report.

Thank you for coming together with us and for helping Environment Massachusetts make a huge difference for our environment.

Sincerely,

David MasurRegional Director

Protect the Cape The Cape Cod National Seashore protects 40 miles of the Cape’s most scenic beaches as well as our coastal wildlife. Yet reckless members of Congress have slashed funding for the National Seashore and even shut it down last fall. In 2013, we called on our congressional delegation to restore funding for the National Seashore and all our parks. And toward that end, we helped enlist Sens. Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren as the cosponsors of a bill to permanently endow the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

Environment Massachusetts 2Photo credits: (cover) Shutterstock; (page 1) *Vvaldazen (page 2) Staff; NPS.gov

We stood up to threatening budget cutsFrom the high dunes at Marconi Beach in Wellfleet to the sunsets at Race Point in Provincetown, the Cape Cod National Seashore has some of our state’s most beautiful scenery. Since it was made part of the National Park System during John F. Kennedy’s presidency, the nearly 40 miles of beach making up the National Seashore have enjoyed special protection.

But in recent years, Congress has slashed funding for our national parks and attacked the most successful federal program that protects parks and open spaces across Massachusetts—the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). In 2013, Environment Massachusetts drew a line in the sand and fought to restore funding for this program and ensure all our parks and waterways are protected.

• Throughout the summer of 2013, Environment Massachusetts collected more than 18,000 petition signatures in defense of our parks and the places that define our natural heritage.

• This past year, Sens. Edward Markey and Elizabeth Warren cosponsored S. 338, legislation to fully and permanently fund the LWCF.

Marconi Beach

Top: Environment Massachusetts’ Ben Hellerstein with Sen. Ed Markey, who stood up for our parks when he signed onto a bill to protect the LWCF; Bottom: A baby box turtle, one of the 32 species of rare or endangered wildlife that call the Cape home

Don’t Frack MassachusettsWe’ve seen fracking affect the health and environment of communities in other states. That’s why we want to keep it from threatening Massachusetts—especially the Connecticut River watershed and the family farms and small towns of the Pioneer Valley, where there could be shale gas deposits. In 2013, a key legislative committee approved a bill that would declare a 10-year moratorium on fracking, after we delivered petitions signed by more than 11,000 Bay Staters.

Pioneer Valley

Environment Massachusetts delivered 11,700 petitions in support of a ban on fracking. Fracking near homes in Bedford County, Pa.

Environment Massachusetts 4Photo credits: (page 3, clockwise from top) *Traveling Lunas; Mark Schmerling; Staff; (page 4, from top) Megan de Brito

11,700 Bay Staters called for fracking ban Across the nation, growing public concern about fracking is compelling government officials to think twice before allowing drilling companies to run rampant. Here at home, Environment Massachusetts has led the charge to educate the public about the dangers of fracking—and then mobilized strong citizen support for a ban on this dirty drilling process in Massachusetts.

•Togetherwithourallies,EnvironmentMassachusettshelpedcollect11,700petitionsignaturesinsupportofabanon fracking and presented them at a news event at the State House last June.

•Wealsoreleasedareport,“FrackingbytheNumbers,”whichquantifiesthedamagefrackinghasdonetocommunities, resources and landscapes nationwide. This report was released at a news conference in Springfield last October, and covered by more than a dozen news outlets statewide, including the Republican and WAMC.

10-year moratorium approved by legislative committeeInitsquesttoexpanddirtydrilling,theoilandgasindustryhasspentmillionsnationwideonlobbyingandpublicrelations campaigns rife with misinformation. But in 2013, we ensured our legislators on Beacon Hill had the real facts about fracking and took action to keep it away from our state.

Our staff worked with Reps. Denise Provost and Peter Kocot, along with 12 other legislators to introduce a bill to keep fracking out of Massachusetts. Then we testified at a fracking hearing at the Legislature, sharing the devastating impacts this destructive drilling is having on communities across the country. A month later, in November, this legislation passed its first hurdle when it was approved by the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture.

Drilling in Massachusetts? Not on our watchFrom Pennsylvania to Colorado, fracking has polluted drinking water, made families sick, and turned rural landscapes into industrial zones. Given all this, it’s shocking to think fracking could come to Western Massachusetts’ Pioneer Valley—aregionthat’shometofamilyfarms,theConnecticutRiver,picturesquesmalltowns,andcleandrinkingwater.

We’ve seen in state after state that each new drilling rig enriches the oil and gas companies, while sacrificing the environment and public health. Thankfully, we have a chance to ban fracking before it can begin in Massachusetts. In 2013, our staff worked to shut the door on the possibility of drilling here.

How mucH more fracking could Happen if we don’t stop it?

141 million acres of land bigger tHan tHe combined areas of:

+

70 of tHe nation’s largest extraction companies own leases to

our national federation is working to stop fracking in

massacHusettsand 17 otHer states

1000 wells permitted or drilled =

more tHan 82,000 wells Have been drilled or permitted since 2005.

Go Solar, MassachusettsFor several years, Massachusetts has led the nation toward a solar future. And 2013 was certainly no exception. Our goal of seeing 25,000 solar roofs was realized more than three years early, and Gov. Deval Patrick committed to keep solar growing by increasing installations six-fold by 2017.

Johanna Neumann, development coordinator, with one of the solar reports released by Environment Massachusetts.

Gov. Deval Patrick, along with Chief of Environment and Energy for the city of Boston Brian Swett, announced Massachusetts has reached its 25,000 solar roofs goal.

Berkshire County

Environment Massachusetts 6Photo credits: (page 5, counterclockwise from top) *Seven Seas Energy; Staff; Staff; (page 6) Megan de Brito.

25,000 solar roofs goal met three years earlyBetween2007and2013,solarinstallationsinourstatehaveincreased70-fold. We’re happy to report that in 2013, Massachusetts met its goal of seeing 25,000 solar roofs three years ahead of schedule, thanks in large part to policies Environment Massachusetts helped pass.

Inparticular,wesuccessfullyadvocatedfortheexpansionofaprogramthatallows local governments, businesses and homeowners to sell the electricity they generate from solar panels back to utility companies to offset their electric bills. Because solar panels reduce the demand for energy from existingdirtycoalandgaspowerplants,utilitycompanieshaveactivelyfoughtagainsttheexpansionofsolarpower.Inordertoovercomethisopposition, Environment Massachusetts has rallied strong support for solar energy across the state.

We organized a coalition of more than 50 cities, towns and small businesses to speak out in support of solar energy. We also collected and delivered more than 18,000 public comments and generated positive media attention in news outlets throughout Massachusetts.

Bay State profiled as one of top solar states in nationIn July, Environment Massachusetts released its latest study on solar energy, “LightingtheWay,”tohelpotherstateslearnfromMassachusetts’successingrowing solar energy. The report showed that Massachusetts proudly ranks 10th in the nation for solar installed per capita.

Our report found that all the top solar states in the nation have implemented strong state policies to promote solar development, enabling a growing numberofhomeowners,businesses,communitiesandutilitiesto“gosolar.”

Among the most important policies are those that help consumers andbusinessessellbacktheexcesssolarenergythattheyproduceatacompetitive price. Of the 12 policies deemed most important for solar energy development, Massachusetts has enacted 11 thus far. The progress we made in 2013 will contribute significantly to our overall goal of getting 10 percent of our energy from the sun by 2030.

Governor pledged to increase solar six-foldIt’s never been more critical for Massachusetts to get off the dirty fossil fuels that pollute our air and water, and make our families and communities sick. We also know that right now, we have the ability and opportunity to transition to clean, renewable sources, like the sun. That’s why Environment Massachusetts has been working hard to help the Bay State realize its true solar potential. And 2013 was a year to remember when it came to solar progress.

This spring, Massachusetts hit its largest solar milestone to date when Gov. Deval Patrick announced the state would keep solargrowingandexpandinstallationssix-foldby2020—theequivalentofputtingsolaron130,000morerooftops.

10th

4th in the nation for solar jobs

in the nation for solar installed per capita

massachusetts has been consistently ranked among the top solar states in the nation.

ligHting tHe waYligHting tHe waY

7th in the nation for total solar capacity

Global Warming Solutions

Brayton Point Power Station

Environment Massachusetts staff participated in a climate rally outside the White House last February. Clean Energy Associate Danielle Falzon

Massachusetts is already paying the price as global warming fuels more damaging storms like Superstorm Sandy and Hurricane Irene. Protecting our kids from even more devastating consequences demands bold action. That’s why in 2013, we fought for and won state policies that are slashing our global warming pollution while making Massachusetts the most energy-efficient state in the nation.

Ben Hellerstein released our report “America’s Dirtiest Power Plants” in East Boston with Mike Ross, Boston city councilor.

Environment Massachusetts 8Photo credits: (page 7, counterclockwise from top) *From Sand To Glass; Staff; Staff; (page 8) Staff.

Historic climate action plan releasedAs Bay Staters, we can’t afford to ignore the effects of global warming. Rising sea levels threaten to flood coastal communities from Cape Cod to the North Shore. And our cities and towns across the state are grappling with more frequentandseverestorms.Foroveradecade,EnvironmentMassachusettshashelpedmakethestateapioneerinthe fight against global warming.

During the summer of 2013, President Obama announced a historic Climate Action Plan that will advance energy efficiency, increase the nation’s commitment to renewable energy and most importantly, cut global warming pollution from one of the largest sources—dirty power plants.

In October, we celebrated a major victory with the announcement of the pending closure of the Brayton Point coal-fired power plant. Brayton Point was the final operating coal plant in Massachusetts that had not been slated for retirement, and once closed, Massachusetts will become a coal-free state. It’s no secret that dirty power plants are a major contributor to global warming, responsible for more than 40 percent of our nation’s carbon emissions, so the announcement of this power plant closing was a huge victory for Environment Massachusetts and our state at large.

Strongest step taken to tackle global warmingThe president’s plan is arguably the strongest step the nation has ever taken to tackle global warming. Since it was released, Environment Massachusetts has been working around the clock to make sure this proposal is as strong as possible, to reflect the full urgency of the fight to protect our state and communities from the worst impacts of climate change.

• Wewroteandreleased,“America’sDirtiestPowerPlants,”areportcalling attention to the role that power plants play in driving global warming. The study received news coverage in media outlets across the state, from the Boston Globe to WAMC Public Radio.

• According to the report, America’s power plants are its single largest source of carbon pollution, responsible for 40 percent of emissions nationwide. In Massachusetts, the top five dirtiest power plants for carbon are Mystic Generating Station, Brayton Point, Fore River Generating Station and Millennium Power.

• Environment Massachusetts mobilized more than 50 local and state elected officials, including Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone and Easthampton Mayor Michael Tautznik, to speak out in support of President Obama’s climate plan.

Local officials sign on to strengthen RGGIOne of the models for the president’s climate plan is the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). This program is a groundbreaking compact between Massachusetts and eight other northeastern states that was created in 2005 to limit global warming emissions in the region. The program has been a huge success, directing more than $140 million to clean energy and energy conservation projects in Massachusetts.

Last year, Environment Massachusetts worked with state and regional officials to further strengthen the RGGI program. As a result, global warming pollution from the state’s power plants will be reduced by more than 14 percent by 2020.

• Largest of six coal-fired power plants in New england.1

• Brayton Point was the 150th coal-fired power plant to retire in the u.s. 2

• Brayton Point ranked 14th-worst of 378 dirty coal plants nationwide.3

[1] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/08/brayton-point-power-station-closing_n_4064727.html

[2] http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/green/greenblog/2013/12/closures_of_coal_power_plants.html

[3] http://coalfreemass.org/Brayton-Point-is-Still-Still-Burning-Dirty-PR

Coal-Free Massachusetts

Victory: Brayton Point Power Station Set to Close

Facts about Brayton Point

Environment Massachusetts44 Winter St., Ste. 401 Boston, MA 02108 (617)747-4400

Address Service Requested

NON PROFIT ORGU.S. Postage

PAIDBrockton, MA

Permit No. 430

Environment Massachusetts staff (Partial List)

Ben HellersteinField Associate

Madeline PaigeNew England Federal Field Associate

Johanna NeumannDevelopment Coordinator

David MasurRegional Director

Margie AltExecutiveDirector

Anna AurilioFederal Legislative Director

Rob SargentEnergy Program Director

John RumplerStaff Attorney