Monday, December 06, 2021

Public discussion of Bill H.3982: Speak Up For Democracy and Transparency on December 7 between 1-4 PM

Boston bureaucrats are crushing more than 30 bills into 3 hours of comment! That gives less than six minutes of comment for each bill maximum. At 3 minutes per speaker, that means only 2 people in 8 million people of Massachusetts can speak on each bill. This is a mockery of democratic process.

Native American cultural rights and property rights are thrown in with rocks and tick control! That's an insult to human rights and Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Everything about this is wrong.

Please help us stop bureaucrats from manufacturing consent, covering up neocolonial seizure of Indigenous rights, and reducing law to virtue signaling.  State and regional tribes objected to the last version of this bill.  Little was changed:

H.3982 is a bill that will allow Boston cronies to seize Native American human rights and cultural legacy in violation of international human rights law, international agreements on Indigenous Rights signed by the USA, and both non discrimination, equal protection ethics and transparency policies of Massachusetts. There is not a single guaranteed seat for Native Americans on our own rights and legacy.

Read our competing bill that gives regional tribes a seat at the table - and complies with human rights and equality law: https://www.ethicarch.org/post/speak-up-for-human-rights-democratic-process-and-transparency-tuesday-december-7th-from-1-4-pm

Critical topics are given the short shrift - like climate crisis resiliency, human rights and biodiversity. Also hidden in this haystack are bills to dredge sensitive aquatic habitats, burn public lands, etc.

Dedicated archaeologists and friends were working to negotiate a bill to review our preservation laws that fulfills equality, social justice and human rights talking points legislators love so much.  See our bill below.

You can speak for 3 minutes for democratic process, justice and equality - but you must register by Sunday December 5th.

The state is pulling a fast one on short notice, again during holiday distractions.

You can also write in, but the window for comment is small.   Thanks to Greg and Rochelle for sharing this.

They may also shift the date of this meeting at the last minute with little notice - so head's up.

BIG THANKS!

Peace Grows from the Seed of Justice,

Nohham (they/them/two-spirit)



PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE 

Date of Hearing: Tuesday, December 7, 2021 
Time: 1:00 PM-4:00 PM 
Location: Virtual Hearing 

 

Forestry, Funding and Administrative Infrastructure 

The Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture will host a virtual hearing on Tuesday December 7, 2021 at 1PM on the legislation listed in the docket below.    

Persons seeking to provide oral testimony must pre-register via this form:    

https://forms.office.com/g/AjGFgHJZeW  

Please pre-register by Sunday, December 5, 2021 at 5PM. Once registered, you will receive an invitation to join the hearing one day prior to the hearing. Please note there is a time limit of 3 minutes per person for oral testimony.    

Written testimony may also be submitted to the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture by email to: JointCommittee.Environment@malegislature.gov. 

Pre-registration through the above form is not required for written testimony.  There is no formal deadline for written testimony, though a timely submission allows the Committee time to thoroughly review testimony.  

Please contact Shannon Emmett, the committee's Research Director, with any questions at: shannon.emmett@mahouse.gov.   

Bill No. 
Sponsor 
Title 
H856 
Blais, Natalie M. (HOU) 
An Act authorizing the establishment of old growth forest reserves 
H874 
Cutler, Josh S. (HOU) 
An Act creating a special commission to scope a state grant or low interest loan program for properties prone to flooding 
H899 
Dykema, Carolyn C. (HOU) 
An Act relative to the control of tick-borne illness 
H905 
Ehrlich, Lori A. (HOU) 
An Act establishing the municipal reforestation program 
H912 
Finn, Michael J. (HOU) 
An Act relative to forest protection 
H922 
Garballey, Sean (HOU) 
An Act to create a special commission to study the effects of rat poison on wildlife 
H945 
Hunt, Daniel J. (HOU) 
An Act relative to DCR retained revenue 
H951 
Kearney, Patrick Joseph (HOU) 
An Act requiring a Massachusetts Fishermen's Partnership Seat on the seaport economic counsel 
H972 
Mark, Paul W. (HOU) 
An Act relative to harvesting of forest products   
H977 
Muradian, Jr., David K. (HOU) 
An Act relative to critical wildlife habitat management 
H983 
Peake, Sarah K. (HOU) 
An Act establishing a Massachusetts flood risk protection program 
H999 
Rogers, David M. (HOU) 
An Act responding to the threat of invasive species 
H1000
Roy, Jeffrey N. (HOU) 
An Act to assist municipal and district ratepayers 
H1002
Sabadosa, Lindsay N. (HOU) 
An Act relative to increased protection of wildlife management areas 
H1003
Sabadosa, Lindsay N. (HOU) 
An Act to Ensure Accountability and Public Rights Regarding Commercial Tree Harvesting on Commonwealth-owned Lands 
H1027
Whipps, Susannah M. (HOU) 
An Act improving access to the natural and recreational resources of Massachusetts 
H3835
Fernandes, Dylan A. (HOU) 
An Act to overcome coastal and environmental acidification and nutrient pollution 
H3955
Kearney, Patrick Joseph (HOU) 
An Act relative to a marine special activity license program 
H3982
Carey, Daniel R. (HOU) 
Resolve relative to protecting the archaeological, geological and fossil resources of Massachusetts 
H4022
Fernandes, Dylan A. (HOU) 
An Act to protect Cape Cod's environment and water supply 
H4102
Fernandes, Dylan A. (HOU) 
An Act establishing the Blue Communities Program 
S504 
Creem, Cynthia Stone (SEN) 
An Act establishing the municipal reforestation program 
S531 
Eldridge, James B. (SEN) 
An Act relative to critical wildlife habitat management 
S557 
Hinds, Adam G. (SEN) 
An Act preserving old growth forests 
S558 
Hinds, Adam G. (SEN) 
An Act to protect public and private woodlands and woodlots in the Commonwealth  
S561 
Hinds, Adam G. (SEN) 
An Act promoting and protecting Massachusetts forests 
S562 
Hinds, Adam G. (SEN) 
An Act reducing unnecessary destruction of forests 
S563 
Jehlen, Patricia D. (SEN) 
An Act responding to the threat of invasive species 
S565 
Kennedy, Edward J. (SEN) 
An Act re-establishing the Clean Environment Fund 
S586 
Moore, Michael O. (SEN) 
An Act to assist municipal and district ratepayers 
S588 
Moore, Michael O. (SEN) 
An Act establishing an environmental police cadet program 
S594 
O'Connor, Patrick M. (SEN) 
An Act establishing a regional dredge grants program 
S598 
O'Connor, Patrick M. (SEN) 
An Act relative to the financing of dredging projects 
S603 
Pacheco, Marc R. (SEN) 
An Act establishing a Massachusetts Flood Risk Protection Program 
S616 
Tarr, Bruce E. (SEN) 
An Act creating a special commission to scope a state grant or low interest loan program for properties prone to flooding<

Please be advised that the schedule and agenda are subject to change at the discretion of the Chairs per committee rules. 

Best, 

Shannon Emmett
Research Director

Chair Carolyn C. Dykema
Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources & Agriculture

State House | Boston, MA 02133
(C): 978-882-5633

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

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