As frequent readers of our blog will know, transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Massachusetts. The cars, trucks, and buses on our roads are also responsible for pollution that causes direct and widespread harm to human health – harm that disproportionately impacts low-income communities and communities of color. Right now, there’s something you can do about it: get your legislator to attend an upcoming briefing on bills that will work on these issues!

June 29th Briefing 

Right now, there is a slate of bills at the State House that will electrify our transportation, reduce our greenhouse emissions, and clean the air we breathe. The Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Coalition, of which Green Energy Consumers is a member, has organized a legislative briefing next week on these priority bills. 

We need your help to get as many legislators to this briefing as possible. 

Legislative Briefing: Zero-Emission Vehicle Priority Bills 
Date: Tuesday, June 29, 2021 
Time: 3:00 – 4:00 PM 

To ask your legislators to join: 

1. Find your legislators and their contact information here.
2. Write them an email explaining why you think cleaning up our transportation system should be a priority and urging them to attend the briefing. You can send this fact sheet along to them for more information. 

The Bills 

Legislators have introduced many bills to do with transportation this session. Most have not yet had hearings scheduled. The ZEV Coalition, a group of advocates working to accelerate the transition to electric transportation, has identified a priority list of bills that span the gamut from electrifying bicycles, light-duty vehicles, trucks, school buses, transit buses, and trains to building out the infrastructure that will be needed to support all this electrification.  Here is a fact-sheet listing all the bills. The full list of bills that will be covered is: 

• Promoting Zero Emission Vehicles through Incentives and Infrastructure (H.3347/ S.2151) |Rep Meschino, Sen. Crighton 
• Setting Targets for Electric Fleets: School and Transit Buses, Trucks, and Cars (H.3255 / S.2139) | Reps Barber, Meschino, Sen. Boncore  
• Public Transit Electrification: Buses and Trains (H.3559 / S.2292) | Reps Owens, Barber, Sen. Crighton 
• Phasing Out Internal Combustion Engine Registration by 2035 (H.3541) | Rep. Meschino 
• Supporting E-Bike Adoption Through Consumer Rebates (H.3262 | Rep. Blais) 
• An Act Relative to MBTA Governance (H.3542 / S.2266) | Rep. Meschino, Sen. Boncore 

These bills will be discussed in detail at Tuesday’s briefing. Attendees will hear from the legislative sponsors as well as workers and members of environmental justice communities. We hope to see your legislators there!