By Bob Katzen

“Electric vehicles (EVs) are cheaper to operate and maintain and access to charging shouldn’t be the determining factor in the decision to go electric. By supporting innovative charging solutions, we’re tackling some of the most persistent barriers to EV adoption head-on. These efforts will catalyze real-world, community-driven projects that reduce pollution, drive economic growth and move Massachusetts closer to a clean transportation future.”

— Massachusetts Clean Energy Center CEO Dr. Emily Reichert announcing that 36 Bay State cities and towns will receive funding to expand EV charging stations.

“It is critical that the state steps in to ensure that schools are protecting all students — without exception. Every day without intervention allows these districts to stand idly by while students of color are bullied. The damage inflicted by racial harassment doesn’t end when the school day does — it can reverberate across a child’s lifetime.”
— Erika Richmond Walton, a Lawyers for Civil Rights attorney, on representing two Black students who say they have been racially bullied at their schools. The two formally withdrew their federal civil rights complaints, citing a lack of confidence in the federal government’s ability to protect them and refiled their complaints with Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell’s office.

“The state is well-positioned to achieve these ambitious nature protection and restoration goals, but … needs to invest much more to make that happen. No other investment of public dollars will return as many benefits to Massachusetts residents. This will boost an outdoor recreation industry already contributing $13 billion and 100,000 jobs to the state’s economy, protect us against impacts of floods and extreme heat and improve our health and well-being at a time of soaring healthcare costs.”
—David O’Neill, President and CEO of Mass Audubon testifying before the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources in favor of legislation that calls for a dedicated sustainable revenue stream to protect and restore land, water, urban greenspace and outdoor recreational access across Massachusetts.

“With this expanded and permanent funding for the Community Investment Tax Credits program, we’re ensuring that every corner of the state has resources to build housing and drive economic development. This is a smart, community-driven approach to building economic security and housing opportunities.”
—Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll announcing the Healey Administration is awarding $13.2 million in grants to nonprofit Community Development Corporations to support programming that includes affordable housing development and preservation, community planning and economic development initiatives, homeownership assistance, financial education, foreclosure prevention, savings programs and job training and job creation programs.