On Monday, July 13, 2020, The following letter was sent to the Chairpersons of the Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy Committee in Support of the 100% Renewables Act. This bill is a priority for UU Mass Action and our Mass Power Forward Coalition Partners. The lead organizer for this bill is our partner, Environment Massachusetts.
Dear Chairperson Barrett and Golden, and members of the TUE Committee,
We write to you as faith leaders who are concerned about the impact of the climate crisis.
We believe that legislative leaders are called in this moment to take bold action and commit to a just transition to 100% clean, renewable energy for all.
We urge you to report favorably on the 100% Renewable Energy Act (H.2836), filed by Representative Marjorie Decker and Representative Sean Garballey. This comprehensive bill is the most effective bill to move us towards our goal of a just transition to a clean renewable energy future for all.
While we represent diverse faith traditions, we share common values that lead us to join together in calling for a just transition to 100% clean and renewable sources of energy. We believe that every person deserves a healthy environment, with clean air to breathe and clean water to drink. We are deeply concerned by the ways that climate change is already harming our communities, and the devastating impacts that are predicted in future decades.
We are also concerned about the economic impact on low-income families who are forced to pay expensive energy bills, particularly in old, inefficient buildings. These inefficient buildings force families to choose between keeping the lights on and meeting other basic needs. We know that all of these impacts are felt the hardest by marginalized communities, including people of color, low-income people, the disabled, many senior citizens, immigrants, and non-English speakers.
We also believe that a commitment to creating a shared, clean energy future will create living wage jobs that benefit workers, their families, the communities in which they live. An increase in well-paying jobs will also benefit the Commonwealth’s economy and create tax revenue at a time when it is sorely needed.
We believe Massachusetts must end the use of fossil fuels and transition to non-polluting forms of energy as quickly as possible, while protecting and including the communities that have been hurt the most by our dependence on dirty energy. That is why we support the Decker/Garballey 100% Renewable Energy Act. This bill will transition Massachusetts to 100% renewable electricity by 2035 and 100% renewable energy for heating and transportation by 2045, while ensuring that environmental justice communities have a seat at the table in determining how these goals are met.
At a time when the health and safety of our communities is threatened, we are counting on you to show moral leadership. Please advance the Decker/Garballey 100% Renewable Energy Act out of your committee with a favorable report, and please do everything you can to ensure this bill is passed into law before the end of the 2019-2020 legislative session.
Sincerely,
Rabbi Leora Abelson Nehar Shalom Community Synagogue, Jewish
Rev. Debra Adams Trinitarian Congregational Church, UCC, Protestant
Rabbi Katy Allen Jewish Climate Action Network - MA; Ma'yan Tikvah, Jewish
Ms. Susan Almono Merrimack Valley Interfaith Team, Iglesia Episcopal de Gracia, Lawrence, Episcopal
Reverend Lorraine Anderson, retired pastor of International Community Church, American Baptist
Pastor Carlos Barranco Home Restoration Ministries Protestant, Christian
Rev. Pamela Barz First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church of Scituate, Unitarian Universalist
Rev. Wendy L. Bell First Parish of Watertown, Unitarian Universalist
Rev. Lee Bluemel North Parish of No. Andover, Unitarian Universalist
Sara Blumenthal, Jewish
Rabbi Joshua Breindel, Congregation Beth El of the Sudbury River Valley, Judaism
Rabbi Gary Bretton-Granatoor Congregation Shirat HaYam of Nantucket, Jewish
Rabbinical Student Michaela Brown Hebrew College Rabbinical School, Judaism
Rev. Barbara Callaghan Hancock United Church of Christ, United Church of Christ
Rev Eva Cameron First Universalist Church of Essex, Unitarian Universalist
Sister Betty Cawley Office of Justice & Peace, Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston Boston, Catholic
Rev Jessica Clay First Parish Brewster Unitarian Universalist
Rev. Heather Concannon Unitarian Universalist Area Church at First Parish in Sherborn
Rev. Nathan Detering First Parish in Sherborn, Unitarian Universalist
Rev. Joy Fallon King’s Chapel Unitarian
Ms. Clare Fortune-Lad UU Church of Haverhill, Unitarian Universalist
Rabbi Lev Friedman Azamra Minyan, Clergy team Mishkan Tefila, Brookline, Judaism
Rabbi Shoshana Friedman, Jewish
Rev. Kali Fyre UU Congregation in Andover MA, Unitarian Universalist
Rev. Dr. Sara Garrard Old West Church, United Methodist
Rabbi Robert Goldstein, Jewish
Rev. Dr. Kristen Harper The Unitarian Church of Barnstable, Unitarian Universalist
The Rev. Lise Hildebrandt Creation Care Justice Network, Diocese of MA Episcopal (Christian)
Rabbinical Student Neil Hirsch Hebrew College Rabbinical School, Jewish
The Rev. Canon Martha Hubbard Episcopal Dioceses of Massachusetts, Episcopalian
Rev. Adam Isbitsky Church of the Covenant, Boston, United Church of Christ
Rev. Monica Jacobson-Tennessen, First Parish Church of Kingston, MA, Unitarian Universalist
Rabbi David Jaffe Kirva-Inside Out Wisdom and Action, Jewish
Rabbi Daniel Klein Hebrew College, Jewish
Rabbi Kohenet Margie Klein Ronkin , Jewish
Rabbi Van Lanckton, Jewish
Mr. Larry Decker Unitarian Universalist
Rabbinical Student Talia Laster, Jewish
Rev. Arthur Lavoie First Parish in Plymouth, Unitarian Universalist
Dr. Julie Leavitt, Jewish
Rachel Leiken, Jewish
BethLevin, Temple Shir Tikvah, Jewish
Rabbi Elias Lieberman Falmouth Jewish Congregation, Judaism (Reform)
Rev. Joanna Lubkin All Souls Church, Braintree MA, Unitarian Universalist
Fran Ludwig, Catholic
Mrs Carolyn Lynes First Parish UU Needham, Unitarian Universalist
Rev. Rob Mark Church of the Covenant, Boston, Presbyterian Church (USA)
Amalia Mark, Jewish
Dr. GaryMartin North Parish of North Andover, Unitarian Universalist
The Rev. Dr. Kelly Murphy Mason UU Wellesley Hills, Wellesley, MA. Unitarian Universalist
Donna Massey, Unitarian Universalist
Rabbi Emily Mathis, Jewish
Cantor Michael McCloskey, Temple Emeth, Jewish
The Very Rev. Amy McCreath Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston (Episcopal) Episcopal
Rabbi David Meyer, Jewish
Rev. Christopher Morck Grace Episcopal Church, New Bedford, Episcopal
Donna Morris, First Parish Unitarian Universalist Northborough, Unitarian Universalist
Rev. Jordinn Nelson Long, UU Society of Fairhaven, Unitarian Universalist
Rev. Aaron Payson,Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester, Unitarian Universalist
Rev. Hank Peirce Unitarian Universalist Church Of Reading, Unitarian Universalist
Rev. Lisa Perry-Wood First Parish in Brookline, MA, Unitarian Universalist
Rabbi Louis Polisson JALSA, Conservative Judaism
Rabbi Elaine Pollack, Reconstructing Judaism
Rev. Catriona Portillo Presbyterian Church in Burlington, Protestant Christian
Rabbi Michael Ragozin Congregation Shirat Hayam, Jewish
Rev. Ken Read-Brown First Parish in Hingham (Old Ship Church, Unitarian Universalist
Rabbi Victor Reinstein, Jewish
Cantor Ken Richmond Temple Israel of Natick, Jewish
Rev. Tracey Robinson-Harris First Parish in Framingham, Unitarian Universalist
Miriam Rubin, Judaism
Rabbi Daniel Schaefer, Temple Ohabei Shalom, Jewish
Mr. Graham Schwass, UU Haverhill, Unitarian Universalist
Minister Emeritus Stephen Shick Unitarian Church of Marlborough & Hudson, Unitarian Universalist
Rev. Julie-Ann Silberman-Bunn, Unitarian Universalist
Rabbi Becky Silverstein Beyn Kodesh l'Chol, Jewish
Rev. Fred Small Massachusetts Interfaith Power & Light, Unitarian Universalist
Rev. Ellen Spero First Parish of Chelmsford, Unitarian Universalist
Rev. Paul Sprecher, First Parish Unitarian Universalist in Bridgewater, MA Unitarian Universalist
Rabbi Talia Stein Temple Sinai, Jewish
Rabbi Keith Stern Temple Beth Avodah, Jewish Reform
Rabbi-in-Training Jamie Stolper Hebrew College Rabbinical School, Judaism
Rev. Lynda Sutherland First Parish UU Church of Northborough MA, Unitarian Universalist
Rev. Rachel Tedesco, Unitarian Universalist
Rabbi Matisyahu Tonti, Jewish
Cantor Louise Treitman, Jewish
Rev. Jennifer Vath, Christ Church Episcopal
Laura Wagner, MSW, Director of Unitarian Universalist Mass Action
Rev. Dr. Michelle Walsh United First Parish Church UU, Quincy, Unitarian Universalist
Rev. Beverly, Waring First Parish Unitarian Universalist, Canton, MA, Unitarian Universalist
David Waters King's Chapel, Unitarian Universalist
Rev. Liz Weber First Parish in Concord, Unitarian Universalist
Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein Unitarian Universalist Church of Greater Lynn , Unitarian Universalist
Rabbi Ora Weiss, Jewish
Rabbi Alex Weissman, Jewish
Reverend Dr. Jay Weldon Good Shepherd, Waban, Episcopal
The Rev. Pamela Werntz Emmanuel Church in the City of Boston, Episcopal
Rabbi David Winship Temple Beth David of the South Shore, Judaism