 Clean Water
What will you do to ensure that all of Massachusetts' beaches are safe from contamination? Massachusetts thrives on coastal tourism as a large part of its economy, and so it is dependent on its oceans being clean and contaminant free. Unfortunately, about 1.1 billion gallons of untreated or partially treated sewage is washed into the waters surrounding Massachusetts each year. Massachusetts needs to establish and maintain a way of monitoring its beaches and notifying the public about unsafe waters. The public has a right to know where and when it is safe to swim. The beaches and water surrounding Massachusetts need to be protected from polluters to make it safe for everyone to enjoy the pleasures of the coast. For more information contact www.environmentalleague.org. Clean Air What will you do to ensure that toxic chemical pollution does not destroy Massachusetts' environment? More than 70,000 synthetic chemicals are currently being used throughout the United States. Many of these chemicals have never been tested for their effects on humans and the environment. In Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Act (MTURA) requires public disclosure of listed chemicals by large industrial companies. Between 1990 and 1994, over 2.1 billion pounds of these chemicals were released within Massachusetts. Right-to-know laws, such as MTURA, need to be expanded to include other industries and additional chemicals in order for the public to make its own decisions about their risks. For more information contact www.pirg.org/masspirg/index.htm.Transportation What will you do to promote the approval of the Boston rail link between North and South Stations? Without the rail link between Boston's major North and South stations the past decade of "Big Dig" work will have been squandered. The rail link would eliminate vehicular traffic between the two stations and cut down on the harmful emissions from those vehicles, especially buses. The rail link would also encourage more suburban commuters to take mass transit into the city, knowing that the transit system has been invested in and well planned. The Boston Rail link would help ease traffic in the city, therefore helping the air quality of the city. For more information contact www.sierraclubmass.org. Back to Massachusetts state page Back to Top
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