After taking a break last year, Lobby for the Rivers Day is back and in-person on October 8. We hope you can join NSRWA and river advocates from all over the state as we meet with legislators to highlight the issues that matter most to us. By showing up, we are helping to make river protection, climate and environmental issues priorities for state lawmakers. This is such a great way to get involved, connect with others, and take meaningful steps toward a healthier future for our rivers and our communities.
Previous lobbying experience is not required! Mass Rivers Alliance has an online toolkit to help you prepare for these meetings, and both NSRWA and Mass Rivers Alliance will offer online trainings for registrants as the date approaches.
Register here. This will be a full day event at the State House and they will try to schedule meetings at times most convenient for registrants–just be sure to note any time constraints on the online form. We will be covering statewide and local initiatives, including:
Support the North River Commission
In 1978, the North River became the first – and still only – Scenic and Recreational River under the State’s Scenic and Recreational Rivers Act. The North River Commission (NRC) was established to implement the Act, which restricts development within 300 ft of the riverbank, and to enforce the No Wake Zone. The NRC is currently funded by the Department of Conservation and Recreation and has been incredibly successful at protecting habitat, increasing property values and tax base, and improving water quality. When recent legislation attempted to eliminate the NRC, advocates for the North River showed their support through emails, phone calls and testimony to the Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources.
Drought Bill
The Drought Bill (S.586 / H.1003) has been one of NSRWA’s top legislative priorities for the last few years. It would create a consistent, data-driven approach across the state in order to have a real impact on streamflow levels during times of drought. The bill currently has 40 co-sponsors, including South Shore legislators Senator Keenan and Representative Meschino.
Environmental Bond Bill
Governor Healey’s proposal for the Environmental Bond Bill (S.2542) is making its way through the legislative process and we are advocating to include drought management as an outside section, as well as strengthening the existing language around streamlining the permit process for salt marsh restoration and ensuring a balance between much-needed housing and environmental protection. We will be watching this bill closely as it allocates billions of dollars for environmental initiatives through state-issued bonds and this type of bill is only passed every 5 years.
Nature for All Bill
The Nature for All Bill (H.901 / S.2571) would set aside $100 million of annual revenue from the existing sporting goods sales tax for land acquisition and conservation in order to protect water resources, create new parks and trails, and advance climate resiliency and environmental justice goals. This revenue, all sales tax revenue (which is over $6 billion), currently goes into a general fund that legislators allocate each year. The Nature for All Bill would create a citizen oversight board responsible for developing rules around the distribution of $100 million from sporting goods sales.
Massachusetts Biodiversity Goals published
Last month, Governor Healey announced the Massachusetts Biodiversity Goals. This 25-year plan aims to accelerate the pace of restoration and bring over 75% of critical habitats back to health, remove 10% of dams, upgrade 2,500 culverts for fish and wildlife passage, and restore salt marshes and marine habitats. These are ambitious goals and we look forward to working with our partners and the state to achieve as much as we can.