Environmental Justice – Breathe Clean North Shore

Peabody Open Space & Rec Plan 2023-2030

Susan Smoller — Sat, 08 Apr 2023 15:15:41 +0000

A synopsis of BCNS involvement at the April 4 public meeting on the City’s Open Space and Recreation plan for 2023 to 2030. Following a presentation on the City’s Plan, attendees were asked to respond to these questions:

What surprised you about the 2023 plan?

S. Smoller, BCNS – I was surprised to find a voice emphasizing climate resiliency. I jumped up and cheered when I read about plans for a Sustainability Committee and hiring a Sustainability Coordinator! And, how do we get PMLP involved with the Sustainability effort?

What is missing from the 2023 plan?

S. Smoller, BCNS – I live in West Peabody but over the past two years I have fallen in love with the East End. There’s nothing in the plan about the Waters River. It’s too bad there are two gas-and-oil burning peaker plants there now. But, they won’t be there on City-owned land forever. One of the plants is slated to close in 2026. The second plant will be closed eventually as burning fossil fuels becomes more regulated. What is the plan for that space? – especially in a neighorhood with two proposed housing developments, a proposed charter middle school and development of a former Superfund site. There’s no public access to the Waters River now. The Danvers Open Space plan also highlighted increasing the access and use of the Waters River.

Let’s focus on the Waters River the way we have given attention to the North River. Lastly, the river is surrounded on both sides by Environmental Justice areas. As we move forward, how are we going to insure that these neighborhoods are not burdened further? We need a climate resiliency voice that reaches out to all the different city departments and helps us work together. Mayor, please hire a Sustainability Director.Draft Open Space Plan:

As Healey ramps up environmenetal focus, some advocates demand more

Susan Smoller — Thu, 02 Feb 2023 16:11:27 +0000

from WGBH –

Activists want the Governor to revisit projects (like the Peabody Peaker) that developed under her predecessor

https://www.wgbh.org/…/as-healey-ramps-up-environmental…

Pollution Inequality Must Stop

Susan Smoller — Tue, 24 Jan 2023 20:57:38 +0000

“Dr. Brita Lundberg – “Deliberately locating industry in environmental justice (EJ) communities, low income and minority communities that already disproportionately suffer from legacy pollutants due to the many industries located historically in their midst, is a glaring example of structural racism. Three energy infrastructure projects approved by the Baker administration in EJ communities around Boston in the last several years perpetuated this racist precedent: 1. the electric substation in East Boston; 2. the peaker plant in Peabody; and 3. the natural gas compressor in Weymouth.”
https://commonwealthmagazine.org/environment/pollution-inequality-must-stop-enforce-roadmap-law/?fbclid=IwAR0DauXG3KPr6i2SAOdUNIC9iHAhTYLBCiEeQhiXopx0Ag_qVVH-XusziBY

EEA EJ Task Force taking comments on draft strategy through Jan. 27

Susan Smoller — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 20:07:19 +0000

Thank you No Coal No Gas

The Office of Energy and Environmental Affair’s Environmental Justice Policy and Executive Order 552 require that EEA agencies develop their own strategies to “proactively promote environmental justice in all neighborhoods in ways that are tailored to their agencies’ mission.”

EEA’s EJ Office convened and led the EJ Task Force to develop this draft EJ Strategy. EEA is taking public comments on the draft EJ Strategy until January 27, 2023.

View documents and instructions for comments at:
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/eeas-draft-environmental-justice-ej-strategy

Environmental Justice Public Listening Session

Susan Smoller — Tue, 03 Jan 2023 20:19:10 +0000

TUESDAY — JANUARY 10, 2023 — ONLINE
Register here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_h3pSqAeRQh–b50JnMccfA
EAA’s Environmental Justice Strategy (3 of 4)
The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (“EEA”) invites all Commonwealth residents to attend and participate in its public listening sessions focusing on the secretariat-wide draft Environmental Justice Strategy. These public listening sessions are meant to gather information relevant to the development of the draft Environmental Justice Strategy. EEA seeks the public review to elaborate on approaches that are likely to be successful, identify strategies that were missed, and highlight practices that may fall short of our mutual goals to establish a more just and equitable commonwealth.

Support the Commonwealth in Advancing Environmental Justice
Your voice is important as we collectively work to advance environmental justice throughout the Commonwealth and will serve as the guiding force to the implementation of EEA’s Environmental Justice Strategy.

How Can You Engage
Register for the online sessions or join us at one of the two in-person sessions. Click on Public Notice, which is available in multiple languages, for more detailed information.

Public comments are accepted at this portal or can be emailed to ej.inquiries@mass.gov. Comments can also be mailed to the address below (postmarked by January 27, 2023):
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
100 Cambridge Street, Suite 900
Boston, MA 02114
Attn: Carline Lemoine, Deputy Director of EJ for External Stakeholder Coordination

Free public event. Hosted by The Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA).

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm EST
Online

https://mass-eoeea.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=1d6f63e7762a48e5930de84ed4849212