Updating Massport’s 1956 Charter to include Climate priorities

Did you know that Massport operates under the same charter as it was established in 1956? In the age of climate change, transportation authorities, like Massport, should operate in line with our state’s climate goals. An amendment to address this contradiction was brought forward through the Massachusetts State Legislature’s Climate Omnibus Bill. While the Massport Charter amendment gained significant traction, with 41 co-sponsors representing 94 cities and towns across Massachusetts, the climate bill failed to reach the Governor’s desk by the July 31st deadline.

We’ll keep you posted on next steps as legislative opportunities arise to approve an updated Massport charter.   

The Latest:

State House climate negotiators resume talks Amid protests, House, Senate lawmakers now sound optimistic ∙ Commonwealth Beacon ∙ Bruce Mohl ∙ 9/24/24

Healey spending bill bypasses climate talks in Legislature ∙ Commonwealth Times ∙ Bruce Mohl ∙ 9/11/24
Governor Healey undercut the Senate’s, and our allies’, efforts to achieve a comprehensive climate bill when she filed a spending bill on 9/11/24 that included the “skinny” version of the climate bill preferred by industry groups.
It is as yet unclear if the Massport Charter Update was included in the skinny bill. Stay tuned…

On climate, why the Senate goes bigger ∙ The Barrett Report ∙ State Senator Mike Barrett ∙ 9/9/24
Senate Majority Leader Mike Barrett’s most recent newsletter has a call to reconvene this fall to pass a compromise bill that includes essential changes to Massport.

Mass. prides itself on being a leader on climate issues. So what happened to the climate bill? ∙ The Boston Globe ∙ Sabrina Shankman ∙ 8/5/24

Climate Bill Includes Rep. Gordon’s Amendment to Enable Massport to Consider Environment – Bedford Citizen 7/22/24,  submitted by
Rep Ken Gordon

Legislation Takes Aim at Hanscom Hangar Expansion Project∙ The Concord Bridge ∙ Erin Tiernan ∙ 7/22/2024