Policy Paper: A Sustainable Future for our Environment
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"Choosing between a cleaner, sustainable environment on one hand and economic viability on the other hand, is a false choice. By pursuing clean energy alternatives and environment-friendly technologies we can grow the economy and create jobs while also producing a sustainable future for our children and grandchildren."

         Jen Benson, candidate for State Representative

We face a set of critical environment challenges and choices at the beginning of the 21st Century. Our reliance on fossil fuels for transportation, heating, and electricity has led to serious economic, environmental and political consequences. Our families' budgets are stretched to the limit, and in some cases beyond the limit, with the rising costs of gasoline and heating oil; we are starting to feel the unpredictable consequences of global warming; and access to oil continues to drive our country's foreign policy in an unsafe direction. Massachusetts, with its combination of scientific, educational, technological and entrepreneurial resources, is in an ideal position to realize the next generation of alternative fuels and energy sources, and create thousands of high quality jobs at the same time. I am proposing investment in the clean energy economy and modifications and improvements to our regional cap and trade system that will lower greenhouse gas emissions. I will work to increase access to public transportation, giving commuters reasonable alternatives to high gas prices, and I will work to protect our communities and their water supplies by encouraging safer alternatives to hazardous chemicals used by industries in our Commonwealth.

Invest in the Clean Energy Economy

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has always been at the forefront of innovation and new technology and we have the opportunity to be the leader in clean energy technology and solutions. I am proposing that we use an approach similar to the Massachusetts Life Sciences legislation, giving tax incentives to certified clean energy projects and creating an incubator for innovative new solutions, and a favorable environment for implementation of older technologies that need to be adopted on a larger scale. It is imperative that these technologies be developed in order to protect our environment. We will also see an important economic benefit in terms of high quality job creation. We can look at the new Evergreen Solar facility in Devens as exactly the sort of innovative company to encourage. Evergreen Solar produces solar cells that will help alleviate our reliance on fossil fuels, and its new factory will provide 700 new jobs to our area.

Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Massachusetts is a participant in the Northeast Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative which is a market-based cap-and-trade system that has just been implemented in 10 northeastern states, including 6 New England states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont). The program is the first mandatory cap-and-trade system implemented in the United States and is intended to reduce the overall production of carbon dioxide emissions from power plants by requiring these plants to buy allowances for the amount of carbon dioxide they produce. The proceeds from auctioning carbon dioxide allowances are distributed among the states to be used for developing renewable energy alternatives. This program is a big step in the right direction. We need to expand this program to cover additional greenhouse gas producers, not just the electricity producers covered by the current program and we need to lower the cap on the number of allowances to achieve the level of greenhouse gas reduction that we need to slow global warming. We can also make the program much more effective by working to expand it to cover larger regions and, eventually, the whole country.

Increase Access to Public Transportation

Increasing access to public transportation will provide an enormous benefit to our Commonwealth. Fewer cars on the road will reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, improve traffic conditions, and increase the safety of our citizens. Many Massachusetts residents would like to use public transportation, but cannot because of parking problems, increased commute times, or lack of access. I will work to increase public transportation accessibility by providing better parking and shuttle options for commuters. I will also work to reduce commute times by using consumer use statistics and surveys to optimize transportation schedules. We need to provide better options for people that truly want to use public transportation, but cannot.

Promote Safer Alternatives to Hazardous Substances

Massachusetts has been a leader in reducing the use of hazardous chemical substances with the 1989 Toxics Use Reductions Act that requires companies to report their chemical use and waste, and to look for ways to reduce toxic chemical use. One thing missing from that law is a requirement for companies to substitute safer alternatives for problem chemicals in products sold in the Commonwealth. The Massachusetts State Senate has unanimously passed the Safer Alternatives Bill which adds this requirement, but it has yet to pass in the State House. I will work to pass that bill in the State House in order to reduce the number of dangerous chemicals sold in consumer products.