I believe that our future quality of life as well as the overall health of our economy depends on the energy and environmental choices we make today. A 21st century economy will not run on the fuels of the 19th century. We know that increased use of clean, renewable energy makes both economic and environmental sense for Massachusetts. I support new offshore wind farm projects and will propose legislation that makes it easier for cities and towns to develop their own sources of wind energy.

Both because of rising global demand for energy and the threat of global warming, our kids and grandkids will increasingly get their energy from different sources than in the past. Our state has passed two important pieces of legislation this year that provide incentives for companies that develop new clean energy technologies -- and jobs -- right here in Massachusetts, and I want to continue this work in the next legislative session. We can improve the Green Jobs bill with more job training to ensure our workforce can access the new opportunities created from the alternative energy sector. The Green Communities Act is a great start in overhauling our state’s energy policies, but we need to go further to empower our cities and towns to move to more efficient and renewable energy sources.

The Massachusetts Community Preservation Act, which allows cities and towns to make decisions to shape their own futures, has proven to be an effective tool for protecting our environment at the local level. I will support changes to this important law that will make it easier for cities and towns to undertake needed local projects without raising taxes.

Providing clean, safe drinking water is one of the basic responsibilities of government. We must work to insure that communities receive state assistance to maintain water treatment systems. I will also insist on strict enforcement of the laws against water pollution.

I am concerned that Massachusetts companies are still using hundreds of millions of pounds of toxic substances every year. Toxic chemicals not only threaten our health and environment, they also are increasingly banned by countries to which we export our products. I want to work to pass the Massachusetts Safer Alternatives Act that will require the use of less toxic materials whenever possible and will work for strict enforcement on bans on toxic toys.

We need to grow our state's economy, but we want to make sure it is smart growth. I am a strong supporter of public transportation, and will work to encourage future development and jobs along existing transit lines. I want to make it easier for residents to use alternatives like the Minuteman Bikeway, a safe and pollution-free means of transportation that we need to make accessible year-round.

I also support smart conservation, and would seek to target state funds for land protection to protect dwindling open space in our cities and towns. I would work to secure Mary Cummings Park in Woburn, to protect critical sites in the Alewife region of Arlington, and to save endangered farmland throughout the district. On Burlington’s “landlock parcel” we need to strike a balance between the need for additional tax revenue and the needs of residents in Lexington and Burlington to be protected from the problems that come with over development in their neighborhoods and the loss of open space.

Our state and metropolitan parks, and the water bodies that run through them are public treasures and over the years they have been neglected due to budget cuts. Massachusetts ranks a shocking 49th out of 50 states in spending on parks. We must begin again to care for them properly so that our parks and beaches are special places for everyone to enjoy. We must continue the cleanup of the Mystic River watershed and take stronger action to control the chronic flooding that results from unwise development. Funding is available to study additional pumping capacity at the Amelia Earhart Dam; I will work with the Governor and DCR to ensure the study is completed and acted upon.

I believe that our future quality of life as well as our economic well being depends on the energy and environmental choices we make today. With the right policies, smart development and a commitment on the part of all us we can ensure a sustainable future.