Coalition for the Environmental Bond

MA Environmental Bond Bill Moves Forward

220 Organizations Call for Quick Action

February 14, 2008

(Boston) Today the Joint Committee on the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture released its marked-up version of Governor Deval Patrick’s Environmental Bond Bill, a positive step in the legislative approval process.

The Environmental Bond, according to the Coalition for the Environmental Bond is an investment that will fund critically important local and statewide programs.

The Coalition for the Environmental Bond (www.envirobond.org) includes over 220 organizations from across the state representing state and national environmental organizations, hunting, fishing and recreation groups, municipal entities, water quality and watershed groups, land trusts, farmers, and businesses.

The Coalition urges the Legislature to pass a comprehensive Environmental Bond Bill before the end of the legislative session in July.

“The cost of inaction is too high,” said Jack Clarke, Director of Public Policy and Government Relations for Mass. Audubon and a Coalition spokesperson.

“The legislature needs to act now in order to protect our working landscapes of forests and farms. We need action to protect the Commonwealth’s drinking water supplies, urban parks and natural areas, while meeting the economic and recreational needs of our residents and visitors,” he said.

Funds from the 2002 Environmental Bond have been largely expended. New funding is essential to capital investments and programs that protect our environment, health and safety. The Legislature must enact an Environmental Bond authorization in 2008, or many state environmental programs will face drastic cuts.

Projects funded through the Environmental Bond directly affect communities across the state by protecting natural areas, safeguarding water quality, restoring rivers and streams, providing for dam removal, supporting working farms, building our economy, sustaining the tourism industry, and improving our quality of life.

The Coalition is focusing on providing the legislature with information on the Environmental Bond’s fiscal benefits such as: economic development and job creation and retention; leveraging high ratios to state investment of both federal funding and private investment; and, saving money by fixing problems now, rather than deferring maintenance.

More information, including background information on the Environmental Bond Bill, the Coalition for the Environmental Bond and the full list of Coalition members can be seen at www.envirobondorg.