Policy Participation

Mass Audubon is undertaking a multi-pronged strategy to address climate change. We assist with crafting legislation, advising state and national panels on energy projects, and supporting relevant regulatory reform. Read more in our Sustaining People and Nature in a Rapidly Changing Climate, July 2010.

• Ocean Management
• Mass Audubon played a key role in drafting the Massachusetts Ocean Management Act that led to the first-in-the-nation state plan for ocean waters. The Act provides opportunities for siting offshore renewable energy projects in state waters provided they are of appropriate scale and consistent with the plan.

• Global Warming Solutions Act
• Massachusetts became a leader in the fight against climate change when the Global Warming Solutions Act was signed into law in 2008. Mass Audubon supported passage of this law, which requires a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050, with an interim reduction of 10-15 percent below 1990 levels by 2020.
• Baseline Greenhouse Gas Emissions: In the first step toward achieving these goals, state government agencies have provided baseline numbers for 1990 emission levels and expected 2020 levels based on current trends. These figures will provide the basis for limiting future emissions. Mass Audubon submitted comments that helped persuade the state to include the carbon sequestration value of forests and other natural areas in the Baseline Report. Mass Audubon also commented on state regulations on greenhouse gas emissions including emissions from biomass burning, and provided input in response to stakeholder comments and final regulations for Renewable Portfolio Standards.
• Low Carbon Fuel Standard: Petroleum-based transportation fuels account for one third of total greenhouse gas emissions in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, and the high-carbon intensity of these fuels makes the transportation sector the region's largest and fastest-growing source of climate pollution. Here's what Mass Audubon has to say about it. 
• Climate Change Adaptation Advisory Committee: Mass Audubon also was instrumental in ensuring that the Global Warming Solutions Act included a provision for development of measures to help people and nature adapt and cope with climate change impacts that are inevitable even if greenhouse gas emissions were stopped immediately. Mass Audubon has a seat on this committee and the final report is expected in the fall of 2010.  


• Biomass: The state is evaluating the effects of forest harvesting and burning of woody biomass for energy generation. Mass Audubon commented on the recently released Manomet Study of Woody Biomass Energy as well as Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs solicitation for comments on carbon accounting and potential revisions to the biomass renewable portfolio standard (RPS). Read our comments on proposed changes to the RPS and on the resulting draft revised RPS.  Mass Audubon opposes the permitting, construction, and operation of electric generation woody biomass facilities until 1. state forestry regulations are revised and 2. federal and state renewable energy regulations and tax credit programs are modified so that biomass facilities only receive financial incentives to the extent a facility produces more energy per unit of carbon emitted than the average fossil fuel plant. Mass Audubon also calls for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to establish a no net loss of forests policy. View the full position statement (PDF 74K) for more information. See all of Mass Audubon’s comments on biomass.



• US Offshore Wind Collaborative
• Mass Audubon Advocacy is a founding board member of the non-profit US Offshore Wind Collaborative to advance a sustainable offshore wind industry in the US as mitigation against the effects of global warming.
• Wind Energy Siting Standards The Federal Wind Turbine Guidelines Advisory Committee was chartered by the Secretary of the US Department of the Interior to provide advice and recommendations to the Secretary of on developing effective measures to avoid or minimize impacts to wildlife and their habitats related to the development of land-based wind energy facilities. Mass Audubon is a member of this Advisory Committee, which is chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act. Read more about the Federal Wind Turbine Advisory Committee.
• Mass Audubon science and policy staff participated in the state's 2005 working group that explored potential guidelines for siting land-based wind energy facilities. Of particular interest to Mass Audubon are studies regarding avian and bat collision hazards as well as protections for unfragmented forests.  At this time there are no state siting standards, but this work continues through administrative and legislative channels.
• The National Wind Coordinating Collaborative (NWCC) provides a forum to pursue the shared objective of developing environmentally, economically, and politically sustainable commercial markets for wind power in the United States.
• Siting: http://www.nationalwind.org/search/default.aspx?F_keywords=siting
• Wildlife: http://www.nationalwind.org/search/default.aspx?F_keywords=wildlife
• Birds and Bats http://www.nationalwind.org//news/article.aspx?ArticleId=27


• Massachusetts Wind Working Group
• Mass Audubon helped formulate the mission of this group, and is a member of the Policy Subcommittee.


• Wind Energy Project Comments
• To learn about Mass Audubon's positions on wind energy projects or read Mass Audubon's project comments and advice regarding siting considerations, visit Mass Audubon's wind page.

Climate Change and Adaptation

Mass Audubon has partnered with The Nature Conservancy in their efforts to address the impacts of climate change on our environment, including coastal wetlands, rare species, etc. This falls under the umbrella of adaptation.

For more information, see fact sheets on climate change from The Nature Conservancy and Union of Concerned Scientists.

• Climate Change Impacts in Massachusetts
• Confronting Climate Change in the U.S. Northeast

Find out more and get involved! Sign up for Mass Audubon’s Advocacy e-newsletter, the Beacon Hill Weekly Roundup.

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