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Health & Fitness

Sen. Pacheco leads Climate Adaption Bill

State Senator Marc R. Pacheco filed legislation today for a comprehensive climate change adaptation management plan in the Commonwealth.

The Climate Adaption bill is an important next  step towards arming the Commonwealth against the economic, health, and safety risks presented by climate change. This legislation will address Massachusetts’ vulnerability in the face of climate variability and its potential impact on human health, coastal cities, wildlife, and water quality.

Though there is legislation currently in place to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the bill is among the first in Massachusetts to prepare for the impacts that climate change will necessitate.

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 “Senator Pacheco’s legislation would enable us to organize crucially important collaborative approaches to managing climate change impacts and that will bring the best return on the Commonwealth’s investment,” said Wayne Klockner, executive director of The Nature Conservancy in Massachusetts.

CAMP aims to establish and implement sound management practices for areas and populations most sensitive to climate change, access the preparedness of emergency response systems, collect data on current and projected sea level rise, and introduce a coastal buyback program to recover areas that have potential to create a buffer against wind and storm surge for inland areas. A grant program would be enacted to provide financial assistance to regional areas for planning and implementing these programs.

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The bill will help Massachusetts to identify the most effective and state-specific measures to combat climate change and dynamically react to the safety, health, and economic threats that arise.

“We commend Senator Pacheco, Representative Smizik, and other lawmakers for legislation that is forward-thinking and far-reaching,” said Henry Tepper, president of Mass Audubon.


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