Joel Wool - Clean Water Action

(Photo Credit: Resonant Energy)

Clean energy belongs to us all.

We’re talking about the wind and the sun, sources of power that have graced us since the dawn of time.

We’re talking about power that cleans our air, improves our health, builds our local economy and makes our world safer.

On Valentine's Day, many of us celebrate the people and places we hold most dear. This year, Mass Power Forward, a statewide coalition of nearly 200 organizations including Clean Water Action, took to the statehouse in Boston to fight for clean energy and push back against fracked gas pipelines. 

Why, you might ask? It's simple: We love clean energy. We love healthy communities. We love our neighbors, our family members and our friends. And we'll never stop fighting to protect what we love.

Solar energy is an incredible resource for Massachusetts, with approximately 15,000 jobs and 1600 megawatts of installations powering the Commonwealth's economy and clean energy future. This puts the Bay State in the top 10 for megawatts of solar installed across the nation—yes, dear Florida, we’re beaming right past you.

Graphic courtesy of the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office.

There's lots of energy at work in Massachusetts. I have to admit, I'm a little surprised—after a stunningly high-stakes legislative session and two huge Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court decisions (Case 1: kids sue state to win climate regulation; Case 2: unlikely allies team up to tell the Governor he can't tax us for new fracked gas pipelines) I was expecting things to slow down a little. I was wrong. Here’s a quick review of one energy initiative that’s moving—actually, it’s more about energy staying in place.

Energy Storage – 

It has been a busy, busy two years.

Advocates, activists, health professionals, clean energy entrepeneurs, faith leaders, researchers, scientists, and public officials in every corner of the state have been pushing forward clean energy and climate solutions that empower communities, invest in our local economies and deal a blow to the ever-expanding footprint of fossil fuels.

Writing in the Boston Globe just a few days ago, Karenna Gore - Director of the Center for Earth Ethics and daughter of former Vice President Al Gore - stated that "[T]he oil and gas industry is now an empire that makes its own rules." I couldn't agree more. But the tough questions that are being asked not only in print, but in public protest and in the halls of power are exposing the incredible reach of the fossil fuel lobby and fueling the popular movement fighting to shut down polluters' lock on our society.

On Thursday, June 30, the Massachusetts Senate released a bunch of really cool infographics and also voted unanimously to pass S2372, omnibus energy legislation that significantly increases our state’s use of clean power.

UPDATE: Join us at the Massachusetts State House 5/3 for a hearing and rally.* RSVP here.

We are at an incredible moment. Yesterday, Kinder Morgan announced they are suspending work on their massive, multi-billion dollar fracked gas pipeline proposal. This is a huge victory for New England, for Clean Water Action and for our many partners who have fought the project for years.