In the Aug. 21 Gazette, you reported that the Gazette was joining Covering Climate Now, a joint effort by media to upgrade their reporting on climate change, particularly in the light of the upcoming U.N. Climate Action Summit.
You asked for suggestions for climate-related stories that readers would like to see covered. I wrote back suggesting coverage of House bill H.2810, Jen Benson’s, D-Lunenburg, carbon pricing bill. This bill levees a fee on carbon-based fuels imported into Massachusetts, and then uses income raised to invest in green infrastructure help low-income populations and return most of the proceeds to all Massachusetts citizens and businesses.
By raising the price of carbon it employs ordinary economics, rather than regulation, appropriation, legislation and administration, to encourage behavioral changes and investment to reduce carbon emissions throughout the economy.
Benson was in the area last week addressing a gathering in Williamsburg about this bill. A huge crowd was in attendance, including state Reps. Natalie Blais, Mindy Domb and Dan Carey, but no Gazette reporters were present. I hope this was inadvertent, that you do in reality wish to upgrade your coverage of climate-related stories, and that this coverage will include H.2810.
Chris Riddle
Amherst
Editor’s Note: Coverage of this proposed legislation and others will be part of the Gazette’s climate coverage over the next week.