On Tuesday, Governor Healey filed the latest environmental bond bill titled the “Mass Ready Act.” The core of the bill is a $3 billion bond authorization to “strengthen infrastructure and protect Massachusetts communities against increasing extreme weather events.” Massachusetts has lacked a comprehensive plan for funding climate resilience and adaptation, as reported by Climate Chief Hoffer’s 2023 Recommendations. We applaud the governor’s decision to issue a $3 billion bond authorization for climate adaptation and resilience. 

While this measure will provide some immediate relief for MA communities experiencing climate disasters today, we must push for more. Bond authorizations do not mean that the entire sum is available to help communities. Additionally, the federal government has almost completely withdrawn from providing adaptation and resilience resources by gutting FEMA and the EPA. As we are hit with more extreme heat, floods, and intense storms, we will need longer term funding on a larger order of magnitude. The climate superfund bill is still the answer.

The climate superfund will make the biggest oil and gas companies pay billions - potentially as much as $75 billion - for climate damages over 25 years. Our plan offers 25 years of funding at the same level as the governor’s one time bond plan, with none of the debt.

Massachusetts taxpayers are already on the hook for the health impacts, property damages, and tax burden of climate disasters. We cannot bond our way out of this crisis through more public debt. We must make polluters pay.

Sign the petition and join our movement to make big oil and gas companies pay their fair share.