Over the last four years, Senator Cynthia Stone Creem's Committee on Climate Change and Global Warming has convened at least 11 well-attended policy hearings, bringing dozens of experts to share valuable information. These hearings contributed to the passage of a number of laws.
The editorial fails to cite this impact and instead points out the committee's oversight overlaps with the subjects being considered by the Joint Committees on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy and on Environment and Natural Resources. Yet how could we address climate change if we don't also consider how we use energy and our environment? These entangled and critical issues affect industries worth billions of dollars as well as our wallets, our health, and our future. The issues need to be examined from multiple viewpoints to find the wisest way forward.
Let's not denigrate the committees performing critically important work.
Regarding the Globe's recent editorial on legislative committees: When it comes to tackling Massachusetts' biggest challenges, real leadership isn't about titles. It's about results. And the impact of my committee's work speaks for itself.
The Senate Committee on Climate Change and Global Warming plays a distinct and vital role, separate from House and joint committees. We focus on big-picture issues, convening experts and elevating policy solutions that might otherwise go unaddressed. The 11 public hearings I've held as chair brought together advocates, researchers, and legislators to tackle the state's most pressing climate challenges, shaping the policies that drive Massachusetts forward.
The results speak for themselves. Our hearings have led to laws now in effect, including mandates for emissions reductions in rideshare fleets, stronger grid resilience requirements for utilities, a prohibition on fossil fuel incentives in the current Mass Save plan, and a nation-leading law on reducing emissions from building materials.
Most recently, the committee helped shape the 2024 Act promoting a clean energy grid, advancing equity, and protecting ratepayers, which removes roadblocks to clean energy expansion, bolsters energy storage, strengthens the state's electric vehicle charging network, and includes critical gas system reforms, ensuring Massachusetts stays at the forefront of climate action.
And we're not stopping. Our April 1 public hearing will focus on federal climate funding and new developments in federal offshore wind and EV policy. Because leadership isn't just about passing laws -- it's about staying ahead of the curve.
Those who dismiss the work of the Senate climate committee fail to see what's actually happening: collaborative, strategic leadership driving real change. My focus remains where it belongs: delivering results for the people of Massachusetts.