Due to above normal temperatures throughout July and early August and more than three months of below normal rainfall, a Level 2 – Significant Drought has been declared in all seven regions of the Commonwealth – the Western, Connecticut River Valley, Central, Northeast, Southeast, Cape Cod, and Islands regions. The declaration will remain in effect until water levels…
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) has announced the first human case of West Nile virus (WNV) in the state this year. The individual is a man in his 50s who was likely exposed to the virus in southwestern Essex County or eastern Middlesex County. The risk of human infection with WNV is considered…
A bill passed by the Massachusetts House of Representatives this spring which authorizes up to $1.8 billion in capital funding for key investments in public safety, food security, and information technology has now become law. The bill, H.4932 An Act financing the general governmental infrastructure of the Commonwealth, includes programs to enhance the safety and security of the…
The Commonwealth’s Division of Marine Fisheries is distrubuting $27.8 million in federal disaster relief funding to mitigate the financial impacts to the fishing and seafood industries from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) worked with fishing industry stakeholders and legislators to develop a plan to distribute the federal fisheries assistance, which has…
Governor Baker has announced a new set of initiatives aimed at stopping the spread of COVID-19 in Massachusetts, especially in higher risk communities that have seen a recent uptick in cases. While Massachusetts has seen a decrease in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations since May, there has been a slight uptick in certain communities in recent days. These…
I am pleased to announce that today the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), in collaboration with the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF), has launched the MassGrown Exchange online platform to link food system channels and help facilitate business-to-business connections within the local food system for products and services. When COVID-19 hit in earnest in March of…
Last week, I proudly joined my colleagues in the Massachusetts House of Representatives to pass legislation building on the House’s continued commitment to address the effects of climate change by requiring the Commonwealth to achieve net-zero statewide greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. An Act Creating a 2050 Roadmap to a Clean and Thriving Commonwealth (H. 4933)…
I am pleased to report that last week, the Economic Development Bill that I originally authored passed the Massachusetts House of Representatives. This omnibus bill contains provisions to equitably address our housing crisis, support vibrant neighborhoods, strengthen Massachusetts competitiveness, and create pipelines to higher paying jobs and careers for Massachusetts residents. The bill also contains a…
Applications for the Commonwealth’s Food Security Infrastructure Grants are now being accepted on a rolling basis through September 15, 2020. The goal of the Food Security Infrastructure Grant Program is to ensure that individuals and families throughout the Commonwealth have access to food, with a special focus on food that is produced locally and provides equitable access to…
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts will be allocating more than $50 million in federal CARES Act funds to benefit education in elementary and secondary schools, as well as colleges and universities. The funding will improve early literacy, expand remote learning opportunities, and cover costs associated with reopening certain schools and colleges, as well as boost financial…
