MA Moms Celebrate a New Energy Future Beyond Natural Gas
New order announced today prioritizes state’s commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050
BOSTON (Dec. 8, 2023) – Mothers Out Front Massachusetts celebrates a visionary new order, announced on Wednesday by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, that will transition the state from natural gas to clean energy. The order – the result of tireless advocacy efforts from moms and others alarmed by the slow response to an increasingly evident climate crisis – prioritizes the Commonwealth’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and sends a resounding message that the transition away from pipeline-delivered gas is inevitable.
As world leaders fail to take robust action at COP28, moms took matters into their own hands, winning a major victory on the local level that can be replicated across the country. “The utility companies are dragging their feet, but our moms and activists from so many other groups across the Commonwealth know that our futures depend on making this happen,” said Becca Glenn, Interim Massachusetts State Manager for Mothers Out Front.
Mothers Out Front was the first group to meet with Governor Maura Healey after her inauguration last year, delivering a Letter to the New Governor signed by more than 3,000 Bay Staters and bouquets of “hands together for climate justice” made by their kids to her Beacon Hill office. In 2021 the group ran a Race Against Time from Pittsfield to Boston, shuttling postcards from customers to the state’s three largest gas utilities via bikes, electric cars, and public transit. (Photos from both events are available here, courtesy of Mothers Out Front.)
“I remember going out with my grandchildren back in 2015, posting signs on trees and posts near gas leaks in town. Natural gas is dangerous to our families in so many ways, and it’s long past time to replace it,” Susan Lees, a Mothers Out Front volunteer from Arlington, added.
This historic order can inspire other states to follow suit and depart from the industry-friendly approach that is status quo. As MA leads the way towards a cleaner, greener, more just future for our children, Mothers Out Front Massachusetts remains committed to supporting initiatives, local, state and beyond, that prioritize creating a livable climate for all.