Environment

Marty believes we are stewards of our environment. She is a co-sponsor of An Act to Improve Recycling Rates in the Commonwealth, also known as the Bottle Bill, which would expand the types of beverage containers for which a deposit is required to include nearly all containers of carbonated and non-carbonated drinks.

Marty also co-sponsored the Safer Alternatives Bill, which would establish a pragmatic approach to reducing health and environmental impacts from many of the toxic chemicals we are exposed to in everyday life. The bill mandates a careful process to identify the chemicals for which there are reasonable alternatives and creates a program of transition from the dangerous to the safer chemicals.

Marty voted for laws to ban the sale of mercury containing products and to regulate the distribution and sale of cleaning products containing phosphorous. She is also the sponsor of An Act Prohibiting the Sale, Installation, and Disposal of Mercury Thermostats, a bill that would codify an existing mercury thermostat recycling program.

Marty’s strong record supporting bills that curb global warming and harness green energy to improve both our economy and the environment have earned her the endorsement of the Massachusetts Sierra Club and the Massachusetts League of Environmental Voters.

She is especially proud to have supported the Global Warming Solutions law, which caped harmful greenhouse gas emissions and put in place a long-term plan to curb emissions; the Ocean Management law which created a first-in-the-nation ocean planning process; the Green Communities Act of 2007, legislation encouraging green jobs; legislation to promote the use of advanced biofuels through a first-in-the-nation state gas tax exemption on cellulosic biofuels; and a law encouraging municipalities to use clean energy.

To preserve more of Massachusetts’ natural beauty, Marty and her colleagues established a state income tax credit for landowners who voluntarily donate qualifying conservation land to a municipality, the state, or a non-profit conservation organization. Qualifying lands include those that protect drinking water supplies, wildlife habitat, scenic vistas, and those that boost the tourism, agricultural and forest industries.

Recognizing the importance of sunlight in our parks, Marty is the lead sponsor of An Act to Protect Certain Public Parks, which limits the amount of new shadows that can be cast on the Esplanade, the Commonwealth Avenue Mall, Copley Square, and Magazine Beach.

The Charles River, from Magazine Beach to the Esplanade, is a precious resource that must be protected and enhanced, so everyone can continue to enjoy the river basin. Marty led the fight to stop the re-routing of Storrow Drive into the Esplanade when the Arlington-Clarendon Street tunnel is rebuilt. And, on an issue near and dear to her district, she led the charge to prevent the transfer of Storrow Drive and Memorial Drive from the Department of Conservation and Recreation to the Highway Department, making sure our parkways are not turned into highways.

A tireless advocate for the Esplanade and all who use it, Marty successfully fought for the inclusion of funding for the reconstruction of Community Boating’s docks in the $1.64 billion Environmental Bond Bill. This bond bill is preserving and improving our green infrastructure through targeted investments in open spaces, parks, beaches, and recreation facilities and making sure that Community Boating will be enjoyed for generations to come.

Marty also serves on the Charles River Water Quality Commission, the purpose of which is to study the feasibility of once again making the Charles River safe for swimming.

Marty is a fierce advocate for pedestrians and cyclists as the majority of the bridges over the Charles River, including the BU Bridge and the Longfellow Bridge, are being restored. She actively participates in the planning processes to ensure that the needs of pedestrians and bicyclists have an equal weight to those of motorists. She is currently a member of the Longfellow Bridge Restoration Task Force, and was awarded an Advocacy Award by the LivableStreets Alliance for her work advocating for all users of the bridge.