Take Action to Support Drought & Invasive Species Management

We need your help to advance two critical bills in the legislature that would protect the Charles River and our watershed communities. With climate change bringing more severe, prolonged drought and the proliferation of invasive species, rivers across the state are in dire need of coordinated management to address these issues.    Two of Charles River Watershed Association’s priority bills are sitting before the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture (ENRA): the drought bill (H.999/S.530) and invasive species bill (H.999/S.563). Passage of these bills would improve the health of the Charles and build resilience to the effects of climate change. But we need your help to move these bills forward. The Joint Committee only has until next Wednesday, February 2, 2022, to move these bills out of committee–otherwise, we will have to start over next year. We need you to contact your legislators today to tell them why protecting our communities from drought and combatting invasive species is important to you. Reach out to your legislator and encourage them to talk to their colleagues on the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture (ENRA) about advancing these two bills. If your legislator is on the ENRA, urge them to move this legislation forward.

FIND YOUR LEGISLATOR

The Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture

Senators Chair Rebecca Rausch Vice-Chair James Eldridge Joanne Comerford Michael Moore Michael Rush Ryan Fattman

Representatives Chair Carolyn Dykema  Vice-Chair Mindy Domb Carmine Lawrence Gentile Daniel Carey Michelle Ciccolo David Allen Robertson Paul Mark Peter Capano Jessica Giannino Norman Orrall  James Kelcourse

Here’s a sample of what to say - if you have personal anecdotes about the challenges brought on by drought and/or invasive species, please be sure to include them! Dear Representative/Senator ______, My name is ___________ and I am a resident of ______, within the Charles River watershed. I am writing to request that you urge your colleagues in ENRA to report two bills favorably out of committee: H. 898/S.530, An Act relative to maintaining adequate water supplies through effective drought management (sponsored by Chair Dykema and Vice Chair Eldridge) and H.999/S.563, An Act responding to the threat of invasive species (sponsored by Senator Jehlen and Representative D. Rogers) These bills strengthen protections for water quality and quantity statewide: Climate change is bringing more frequent and severe droughts to Massachusetts, and our current management is falling short. The drought bill would give the State the authority to require water conservation during drought. Scaling up our response to drought will give our waterways and the people and wildlife that depend on them the best chance at a healthy future.  Current assistance and funding for municipalities trying to manage invasive species are seriously lacking. The invasive species management bill centralizes resources, making it easier for municipalities to access the guidance they need, and sets up a grant program to help fund prevention, eradication, and outreach work.  I hope you will encourage your colleagues in ENRA to report these bills out favorably. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, ______________

Thank you for your vital support! Sincerely, Heather Miller General Counsel & Policy Director

Charles River Watershed Association | www.crwa.org

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