With gas prices low but the economy strained, a significant public majority still supports state action to raise new revenue for transportation investments and to join a multi-state roadway fuel cap-and-trade program, according to recent poll results.
The Massachusetts Senate next week plans to take up a far-reaching package of climate bills whose major components include carbon-pricing mechanisms for transportation, homes and commercial buildings.
Massachusetts received a double batch of good news this week in the struggle against its transportation problems. But residents shouldn’t let that lull them into complacency.
Energy Secretary Kathleen Theoharides said Tuesday that the Baker administration is exploring more aggressive carbon reduction targets for Massachusetts, including what it would take to go net-zero by 2050, but would not commit to lawmakers to speeding up the state’s emission reduction goals.
No matter how loud political would-be manipulators on both sides of the aisle rant, free markets get things right sooner or later. We are now turning that corner with respect to climate change, and business has an important role to play in breaking through the bombast.
Developer Millennium Partners didn’t anticipate a renewed debate in Congress over carbon taxes as it started designing its $1.35 billion Winthrop Center tower. But the potential to reduce the 691-foot skyscraper’s energy consumption by up to 80 percent is starting to look more prescient.
