Given the climate crisis, the next five to ten years will be critical to our success in creating a sustainable future. In an effort to avoid the worst effects of climate change, Massachusetts has set ambitious goals to drastically cut carbon emissions by 2030, on the way to zero net emissions by 2050. For cities and towns, this undertaking will bring not only challenges but also tremendous opportunities as we transition away from fossil fuels in a just, fair way that benefits all residents.
Our state legislature is, and will continue to be, critical in providing the legislative framework and support for these efforts. Green Needham has asked each candidate running to be our state representative in the General Court a series of questions on the relevant issues.
Each question is followed by the answers as submitted by each candidate.
1) Buildings are responsible for over one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions and are among our longest-lived assets. Addressing the climate crisis requires transitioning to net-zero energy buildings and increasing the resilience of our built and natural environments. What are your priorities to help achieve those transitions?
Bill Dermody
We must continue to review building codes to ensure that we continue to head towards net zero. We need to incentivize cost effective renovations and retrofitting existing structures for energy efficiency and emissions reduction.
Josh Tarsky
To transition to net-zero energy buildings and enhance resilience, my priorities would include:
- Energy Efficiency Improvements: We need to continue to evolve our energy codes. Our buildings are some of our longest-lived assets and we will be living for decades with what we build today. We need to be forward thinking and make sure our energy codes for retrofitting existing buildings take into account the lifecycle cost compared to a new building, and also look at the carbon footprint of a new build.
- Renewable Energy: Promote the use of solar panels, wind energy, and other renewable sources to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. This increase in renewable energy will need to be coupled with energy storage capacity. This energy storage expansion will be crucial in our goal to carbon neutrality and resiliency.
- Sustainable Materials: Our building codes need to incorporate the use of low-carbon and recycled materials in construction which will help minimize the environmental impact.
- Smart Technology: Along with Smart Grid build-out, we need to continue pushing the envelope on smart building technologies to optimize energy usage and reduce waste.
- Community Engagement/Involvement: The only way our community will meet our Massachusetts 2030 and 2050 goals to protect our planet from climate change is if we all buy in, which can happen through education and thoughtful planning.
- Financial Incentives: The phrase “pay now or pay later comes” to mind, though I see it as more “pay now, or pay much more later.” Providing tax credits, grants, and low-interest loans to support green building initiatives and retrofits will have a substantial financial benefit to reduce these costly weather events. When we build for resilience, we will all benefit, including and especially future generations. Building green communities not only leads to a healthier planet but is also a great way to protect our economy.
- Education and Training: The state can play a part in promoting training for architects and builders on sustainable practices.
- Policy Advocacy: My main advocacy would be for our district of Needham, Dover and Medfield and pushing for funding for our communities, but I must also be cognizant of how these policies affect other parts of our state. We ultimately must achieve our 2030 and 2050 Climate Action goals, and we will need to measurably track targets if we are to get there.
Ultimately, we are one community, and when we work together, we can accomplish our goal of a greener planet for ourselves and our future generations.
2) As the State works to cut carbon emissions and help residents adapt to the damaging effects of climate change, what specific actions can the State legislature take to ensure that all communities and individuals participate in and benefit from the transition to a net-zero energy economy?
Bill Dermody
We need to streamline initiatives across Massachusetts to improve the reduction of CO2 emissions and solid waste.
Josh Tarsky
The State legislature can implement several key actions to ensure that all communities and individuals participate in and benefit from the transition to a net-zero energy economy:
1) Equitable Access to Clean Energy: The state has recently created a Low-Interest Rate Loan program for homeowners to increase their home’s energy resiliency, including insulation, heat pumps, electrical upgrades, EV Charges and added solar renewables. While this program does make it easier for home energy improvements for homeowners of a “middle class” income, the program needs to increase the benefit for homeowners with low incomes. Underserved communities are an integral part of the solution for a greener, cleaner planet. Anything the legislature can do to make it easier for lower-income communities to make the renewable transition will be a benefit for the whole state.
2) Workforce Development and Job Training: The state will need a workforce trained and ready for the coming transition. We can help create those jobs by partnering with local community colleges and trade schools, prioritizing apprenticeship programs for
training in renewable energy, electric vehicle maintenance, and energy-efficient construction.
3) Support for Localized, Community-Driven Solutions: There are grants and support for community-led climate initiatives, allowing local groups to identify the unique needs of their communities and propose tailored solutions. These programs need increased support, education, and funding.
4) Public Transportation Investments: Expanding public transit and ensuring it is both energy-efficient and accessible to all communities is crucial. The legislature can prioritize the electrification of buses and trains while expanding routes in underserved areas, reducing emissions, and improving mobility equity. Here in Needham, there has been constant concern about the traffic impacting our streets. If Beacon Hill can provide funding for an electric shuttle within our community, that would greatly reduce the traffic on the roads and provide more of a community village feel to our town.
3) Although climate change is a global issue, it has very real local impacts (e.g. severe weather, poor air quality, and negative health impacts). Where does our climate crisis rank on your list of priorities? Please share your personal and and/or professional experiences working in this area, if any. Would you advocate for Legislation (similar to that which failed to pass in the last session) in the coming session?
Bill Dermody
Climate initiatives are one of the top things I would like to review as a state legislator. I remember when my grandparents lost their house in the blizzard of 1978 in Scituate and storms only continue to get worse. I would fight for the climate bill to get passed.
Josh Tarsky
1) The Climate Crisis is an existential threat: The climate crisis ranks as a top priority and needs to be seen in a similar light as the economy and housing, given its urgent and far-reaching consequences on both a global and local scale. The impacts we see—ranging from severe weather events to poor air quality, to floods as the summer of 2023 in Needham—are already extremely evident in our community. Addressing these challenges through proactive and comprehensive policies is not just a matter of environmental sustainability but of social and economic justice.
2) Professional experience: As a high school principal, I see every day the angst that climate change has caused our children to deal with daily, and it is an issue at the forefront of my mind. Because of this, tackling climate change is one of my top three priorities as a representative.
3) Build an updated grid through a coalition: Our existing grid is generally the same technology from our grandparents. Yes, there are some inherent improvements for monitoring, but this grid we rely on was not built for a renewable future and needs a complete overhaul if we are to meet our 2030 and 2050 Climate Goals. If elected, I would work to build a strong coalition to pass legislation which failed in the past. For future proposals, I’d advocate for a more inclusive approach to gathering input from frontline communities, environmental justice advocates, labor groups, and the private sector. This would help ensure the legislation is both ambitious and capable of gaining the support needed for passage.
The climate crisis demands immediate action, and we need to work as a team to solve the climate crisis which is upon us.
4) Plastics are bad for the environment and human health. A comprehensive plastics bill sponsored by our State Senator, Becca Rausch, passed the Senate overwhelmingly in the last session, but was not taken up by the House of Representatives. What specific action would you take to advocate with House leadership to bring this bill up for consideration and vote in the House?
Bill Dermody
Plastics are bad for the environment and human health. We need to look at statewide solutions and not town by town as is happening now. Plastic bags are banned in some towns and cost money in other towns, which just doesn’t make sense. I would work with the members of the house to come up with a strong commonsense plan to address the plastics problem.
Josh Tarsky
To advocate for Senator Becca Rausch’s comprehensive plastics bill in the House, several targeted actions can help increase the likelihood of it being considered and brought to a vote:
1) Education, Education and Education: All legislation requires coalition building, and in the case of plastics reduction, education related to the immediate effects of plastics on our environment, and our bodies, is perhaps the most underestimated requirement.
2) Public and Media Campaigns: We must continue with public awareness campaigns that highlight the dangers of plastic pollution, showcase local examples of its impacts on ecosystems, public health, and waste management costs, and utilize media outlets, including op-eds and social media, to call attention to the urgency of the issue and the benefits of passing comprehensive plastics legislation.
We should also partner with environmental advocacy organizations, labor groups, health professionals, and business leaders who support plastic reduction. A diverse coalition will demonstrate widespread public and economic support for the legislation.
3) Direct Engagement with House Leadership: I have already begun to build relationships with House leadership, and I would like to use those relationships to highlight the importance of the bill and its broad support in the Senate.
4) Build a Broad Coalition: Engage with fellow House members, particularly those from districts heavily affected by plastic pollution, coastal communities, or areas impacted by environmental justice issues. Encouraging these legislators to advocate for the bill within their caucuses can create momentum and pressure for House leadership to act.
5) Leverage Senate Success: Use the overwhelming passage of the bill in the Senate to demonstrate its viability and popularity. Emphasize that the bill already has strong legislative backing and should be given serious consideration in the House
6) Amendments and Compromises: If necessary, identify key areas where House leadership or members may have concerns and be open to discussing amendments or compromises that do not undermine the core objectives of the bill. Being flexible on certain provisions can facilitate broader support and increase the bill’s chances of being taken up.
5) Please address anything else you’d like to include to let voters know how your service as our State Representative would further sustainable practices in Massachusetts
Bill Dermody
As I state on my website I would like to prioritize investments in renewable energy sources like solar and wind, and enhance energy efficiency in homes and businesses
In addition, I support public transportation and promote electric vehicle adoption through incentives and infrastructure development.
Josh Tarsky
Natural Resources Education: The one thing we have not touched on enough is our natural resources. Ultimately, all the successes we strive for come down to what we are doing to protect our natural resources, our air, water, and soil. The health of our trees and tree canopy is connected to our climate future. The health of our farm-to-table sustainability is directly associated with the health of our environment, which is directly linked to our trees. Needham is at the beginning of the formulation of a Tree Bylaw. Though there are state laws protecting public shade trees, any state legislation for additional tree protection will likely reside at the local level. It is important that, as Needham’s State Representative, I voice my support in our community to protect our Tree Canopy.
Fighting climate change requires all of us to work together. I will work to promote a culture of sustainability, a walkable community, and a community with options for transportation within our town. I will work with our town leadership to promote greener municipal buildings and using my legislative voice, lobby for funding to our town goals.
