SOMERSET —

With Brayton Point Power Station as a backdrop, members of local and statewide environmental groups gathered on a small, rocky beach to announce the launch of an initiative to end Massachusetts’ reliance on coal-fired energy.

“Coal is a risky source of revenue for Somerset and we’re calling on town leadership to plan ahead and diversify Somerset’s economy,” said Connie Brodeur of the local Clean Air Coalition.

Coal Free Massachusetts comprises nearly 50 organizations and citizens groups, and the speakers at Wednesday’s rally gave their arguments to get rid of coal-burning facilities.

A new coalition aiming to facilitate the closure of the Bay State's last remaining coal-fired power plants announced its presence on Wednesday morning.

Coal Free Massachusetts - an alliance of about 50 environmental groups statewide - held kick-off events at the locations of the state's last three functioning coal plants in Salem, Holyoke and Somerset.

At the Blaney Street Pier in Salem - with the Salem Harbor Power Station looming just blocks away, representatives from a handful of major environmental advocacy groups based on the North Shore outlined their cause. The coalition's top objective is to entirely end the use of coal to harvest power in Massachusetts by 2020.

SALEM — With the aging smokestacks of Salem Harbor Station as a backdrop, local and state environmental leaders announced the formation of a new statewide coalition yesterday, with the aim of shutting down the last coal power plants in the state.

The Salem plant is already slated to close by 2014. The new group, called Coal Free Massachusetts, wants to close similar plants in Somerset and Holyoke by 2020.

Somerset, Salem, Holyoke, MA – It’s time to end reliance on coal-fired power plants in Massachusetts according to a new state-wide coalition of environmental, public health, faith and community groups, and elected officials.

UPDATE: H-4305 may be brought to a vote Thursday, July 26th. Representative Frank Smizik has filed an amendment to the bill that would give Massachusetts the tools it needs to improve the recycling rates of toxic mercury thermostats if manufacturers' programs do not accomplish that goal on their own. Clean Water Action supports this amendment. Download a factsheet about the amendment.

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Mercury is a dangerous toxic chemical that can cause nervous system and brain damage.  Mercury pollution from trash incinerators and power plants has made it so that many types of fish are unsafe for pregnant women and children to eat.  

In 1998, the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers set a goal of “virtual elimination of the discharge of anthropogenic (human-caused) mercury into the environment.”  Strides have been made in this direction, but there is more work to do to reach that goal.

Please write to your Massachusetts State Representative Today!

"Any event that starts with juice boxes has to be a good event," said Senator Katherine Clark, the lead sponsor of the Safer Alternatives Bill, as she addressed the stroller brigaders on the Boston Common.

Clean Water Action, along with our partners from the Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow, and many Massachusetts moms and kids came together on June 28th for a Stroller Brigade to support safer chemicals. Kids wore superhero capes and decorated cards to give to Senate Ways and Means Committee Chairman Stephen Brewer and Senate President Therese Murray, asking them to "be our hero" and bring the Safer Alternatives Bill to the Senate floor for a vote.

The July 31st deadline for the end of the legislative session is rapidly approaching and the Safer Alternatives Bill is still sitting in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means.  We need some heroes in the Massachusetts Senate to get this job done.

Please join Clean Water Action and the Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow at noon on June 28th in Boston for a "Stroller Brigade" for Safe Chemicals to ask Massachusetts Senators to be our heroes and protect our health from toxic chemicals. 

RSVP for the Stroller Brigade

Schedule:

12:00 PM - Meet at Boston Common near corner of Beacon & Park Streets (map). Decorate letters for state senators, hand out superhero capes for kids, lunch provided.

12: 45 PM - Walk to Senate Chambers (go through security) & greet Senators as they enter formal session

1:30 PM - Visit Senators offices (we will help you set up meetings with your Senators)

With chants of "People have a right to know! Toxic chemicals have to go!" and "Chems in kids, that's the worst, time to put the people first!" Approximately 200 moms, nurses, cancer survivors and other passionate citizens from across the United States gathered in Washington DC on May 22nd for a Stroller Brigade for Safe Chemicals organized by Safer Chemicals Healthy Families.  

Community activists gathered in Somerset on May 21 to deliver a failing report card to the town for its lack of action and transparency in reuse planning. At-left: a community generated reuse plan features mixed-use developments. Watch a video here, or continue on for a press release.

Spring is here, summer is just around the corner, and perhaps that means that your attention is turning to your vegetable garden, flower beds, or lawn; or that visions of children running through the sprinklers sqealing with glee are dancing in your head.  As you drag those garden hoses, work gloves and tools out of the garage or basement, fresh air, moist soil and sunshine are probably on your mind, not toxic chemicals--especially if you keep a pesticide free yard.

Unfortunately, in this as in so many other corners of our homes, we might need to think twice about what toxic chemicals are lurking.  Our friends at HealthyStuff.org have released a new study which found lead, cadmium, phthalates and hazardous flame retardants in gardening products, as part of their ongoing research of hazardous substances in common consumer items.