Lobby for MA State Forests by 26 July 2022
Time-sensitive lobby request for state forest protection from logging is below — no calls after the 26th of July please:
[From Save Mass Forests] The Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture (ENRA) wrote a forest protection bill based on our bills and a few others, and we need to contact lawmakers to ensure the passage of the new bill. The bill is now in House Ways and Means: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/H4784
What do you need to know about this new bill? How can you help support its passage?
1. H.4784 makes the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Landscape Designation review process permanent.
2. H.4784 would effectively mandate a moratorium on DCR forest management activity [state parks], potentially until June 30, 2023 — the deadline for the completion of the first review.
3. The deadline for bills and votes is 31 July. Please contact key Representatives now.
Call or e-mail the House Ways and Means Committee Leadership and Representatives who co-sponsored one or both of our bills (H.912 and H.1002) and ask them to ensure the passage of H.4784.
1- Email
Subject: Ensure the passage of H.4784
send to:
Aaron.M.Michlewitz@mahouse.gov
Ann-Margaret.Ferrante@mahouse.gov
Paul.Donato@mahouse.gov
nika.elugardo@mahouse.gov
Erika.Uyterhoeven@mahouse.gov
patrick.kearney@mahouse.gov
Paul.Tucker@mahouse.gov
Dylan.Fernandes@mahouse.gov,
Natalie.Higgins@mahouse.gov
Dear House Ways and Means Committee Chair Michlewitz, Vice Chair Ferrante, Assistant Vice Chair Donato, and members of the Committee,
Please support the passage of H.4784, submitted by RNRA, which is now in the House Ways and Means Committee. This bill will help protect Massachusetts public lands by ensuring that the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) reviews management policies on land under their care every five years.
This review will include consideration of making forest reserves permanent, expanding the reserves, and establishing committees to provide direction on forest management programs. Importantly, the review would require transparency and public participation.
[Other thoughts of yours of course.]
Your Name
Your Town
OR 2 – Call
House Ways and Means Leadership phone: (617) 722-2990
Message: Please support the passage of H.4784, submitted by ENRA, which is now in House Ways and Means This bill will help protect Massachusetts public lands by ensuring that the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) reviews management policies on land under their care every five years.
House Ways and Means members who cosponsored one or both H. 912 or H.1002, thank them and ask them to contact House Ways and Means Leadership to ensure the passage of this bill.
Message: Thank you for being a co-sponsor for which bill(s).Please support the passage of the new bill that was submitted by ENRA, H.4784, which is now in House Ways and Means. Please let the committee leadership know that you support this bill. This bill will help protect Massachusetts public lands by ensuring that the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) reviews management policies on land under their care every five years.
Cosponsored H.912 and H.1002:
Nika Elugardo 617-722-2263
Erika Uyterhoeven 857-264-1096
Patrick Kearney 617-722-2014
Paul Tucker 617-722-2230
Co-sponsored H.912
Dylan Fernandes 617-722-2013
Co-sponsored H.1002
Natalie Higgins 617-722-2014
And 3- If you are in the districts of Senator Adam Hinds, Representative Natalie Blais, and/or Representative Lindsay Sabadosa, please call or write to them. Ask them to assist in getting this bill passed, noting that bills they sponsored have been incorporated into H.4784.
Contact information below:
Adam Hinds
(617) 722-1625 adam.hinds@masenate.gov
Natalie Blais (413) 362-9453 Natalie.Blais@mahouse.gov
Lindsay Sabadosa (617) 722-2304 lindsay.sabadosa@mahouse.gov
message:
e-mail subject line: Ensure the passage of H.4784
Dear ( Senator Hinds, Representative Natalie Blais, Represent Lindsay Sabadosa)
Please support the passage of H.4784, submitted by ENRA, which is now in the House Ways and Means Committee. Bills that you submitted this session are incorporated into the bill. H.4784 will help protect Massachusetts public land by ensuring that the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) reviews management policies on land under their care every five years.
This review will include consideration of making forest reserves permanent, expanding the reserves, and establishing committees to provide direction on forest management programs. Importantly, the review would require transparency and public participation.
[Other thoughts of yours of course.]
Your Name
Your Town
Thank you,
Janet Sinclair
Save Massachusetts Forests
Michael Kellett
RESTORE: The North Woods
more info here:
https://www.savemassforests.com/