I just learned that a House committee stripped the expanded Bottle Bill from the Jobs Bill. This is after the Senate approved it and at least according to MASSPIRG ” 77% of the public, 208 cities and towns, Governor Patrick, and a majority of legislators” support an expanded Bottle Bill. I just called Robert […]
Author Archives: Michael Arnott
Updating the Bottle Bill
Will, When the current Massachusetts nickle Bottle Bill was enacted into law in 1982 the smallest bottled water container was probably one gallon. Today our playgrounds, parks, and roadways are littered with pint-size water bottles and 1982’s nickle is probably worth a penny or two. An update of the Bottle Bill is long overdue. […]
State Election Laws
Will, The MassVote organization current campaign for election law reform includes: Online registration. We’re living in the 21st century! It’s time to let citizens register online. Pre-registration. When young people are registered, they vote. So how can we get more young people registered? By letting them register when they’re 16 and 17 so they’re set […]
Biomass Regulations
Is Governor Patrick reversing his progressive position on “trees to energy?” An August 31 Boston Phoenix article (http://thephoenix.com/Boston/news/126080-devals-green-blues) says he is. The independent Manomet Report (www.manomet.org/node/322) was unequivocal in its conclusion that large scale forest biomass energy production is not a “carbon neutral energy source.” The only woody biomass, aka trees that should be burned […]
Massachusetts Freedom to Vote Act
I realize there’s not much time left in the current legislative session and that there are probably more than a few good bills that won’t quite make it through the legislative process in time. I hope that the Massachusetts Freedom to Vote Act (H 651 and S. 348), can be one of those that do […]
Endangered Species Act is Endangered
Endangered species acts in addition to the obvious goal of protecting endangered species, are sensitive “canaries in the coal mines,” that warn us of dangers before it is too late. If today’s endangered species are allowed to die out because we can’t afford to protect their environments we will be much less likely to […]