Environment Committee Chairs voice support for Safer Alternatives
The case for safer alternatives to toxic chemicals certainly ruled the day at the Massachusetts Legislature's Environment Committee hearing on Tuesday. And what a team effort it was that made that happen.
The team of 19 experts and advocates giving testimony in support of the Safer Alternatives Bill did a phenomenal job and covered a wide range of topics. Starting off the day was Tiffany Skogstrom of the Boston Public Health Commission talking about the Commission's successful program to support auto body shops in the city to replace certain toxic chemicals with safer alternatives. She was followed by Bobby Haynes, President of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO who, in no uncertain terms, debunked the industry-lobbyist-promoted myth that this bill will lose jobs in the state. Tedd Saunders, co-owner of the Saunders Hotel Group which owns and operates hotels up and down the eastern seabord backed that up by talking about his company's successful efforts to bring safer alternatives into their hotels.
In case there was any doubt about the need for safer alternatives from a health standpoint, panels including a scientist, a pediatrician, and panel of nurses (pictured delivering testimony) testified about the health impacts from exposure to toxic chemicals. Numerous advocacy groups representing different constituencies testified and written testimony from over 50 organizations was turned in as well. Download a complete list of who testified in support of the bill here.
Also among the ranks of supporters were a number of legislators: Representatives Jay Kaufman (D-Lexington), Ellen Story (D-Amherst), Denise Provost (D-Somerville), John Mahoney (D-Worcester), Lori Ehrlich (D-Marblehead), and Peter Kocot (D-Northampton) and Senators Steven Tolman (D-Brighton), Katherine Clark (D-Melrose), and Ken Donnelly (D-Arlington). Senator Donnelly's empassioned testimony from the perspective of a retired firefighter who has seen is colleagues sickened by the chemicals that they are exposed to in burning buildings drew applause from the crowd. Many other legislators submitted written testimony.
Opposition to the bill included speakers from the American Chemistry Council, the Associated Industries of Massachusetts, and representatives of the cleaning chemicals, plastics and biotech industries.
Supporters of the bill were pleased to hear from the Committee chairs, Senator Marc Pacheco and Representative Anne Gobi, that they support the bill! They made that clear repeatedly throughout the hearing that they intend to pass it out of their committee and their questions and comments to those testifying reinforced that message over and over again. Numerous other committee members attended the hearing and asked probing questions. They were Representatives Gailann Cariddi (D-North Adams), Matthew Beaton (R-Shrewsbury), Paul Schmid (D-Westport), Paul Mark (D-Hancock), Carolyn Dykema (D-Holliston), Timothy Madden (D-Nantucket), Christopher Markey (D-Dartmouth), Ann-Margaret Ferrante (D-Gloucester), and Senator Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton).
The chairs support was also underscored by a highly unusual thing that happened during the hearing. As two of the industry representatives completed their prepared statements in opposition to the bill, Senator Pacheco asked bill supporter Dr. Ken Geiser--a professor and Co-Director of the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, author of the Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Action, and internationally known expert on toxic chemicals policy--to come join the industry representatives on the panel. Geiser gave his statement of support, and then committee members asked questions of the group of 3, essentially giving Geiser an opportunity to debate the industry representatives and discredit many of their arguments.
Bill supporters who came described the hearing as "uplifting" and a "wonderful demonstration of the power of collaboration across sectors." They described the testimony in support of the bill as "tremendous" and "of the highest caliber." We did our job well.
This hearing was a day for the public to give input, and not a decision day. Committee action on the bill is likely months ahead still so there is a long way to go yet. But this was a great step along the way. From those of us at the Alliance, thanks to all who helped to make it a success.
