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人生一定要有的八個朋友: 推手(Builder)、 支柱(Champion)、 同好(Collaborator)、 夥伴(Companion)、 中介(Connector)、 開心果(Energizer)、 開路者(Mind Opener)、 導師(Navigator)。 chutze@bostonorange.com ******************* All rights of articles and photos on this website are reserved.
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預定5月15到17日舉行的這為期三天會議,主題為「從氣候危機到氣候適應能力(From
Climate Crisis to Climate Resilience)」據說是由宗座科學院和宗座社會科學院籌辦,教宗會親自主持會議,而麻州州長奚莉將討論「在氣候變遷年代中治理”,波士頓市長吳弭將討論「治理、健康及能源」。
麻州州長奚莉辦公室列舉了奚莉州長上任以來,與環境有關的成就,包括成立綠銀行
(green bank),聘任麻州有史以來的第一位氣候長Melissa
Hoffer,在預算案中的經濟發展法中建議魏氣候科技斥資10億元。她在擔任麻州總檢察長期間,打贏了對抗Exxon
Mobil石油公司的訴訟案等。
吳弭市長指出,梵諦岡的這一會議,邀請兩種類型的城市與人士參加,一種是在環境議題上領先者,一種是面對環境最嚴峻考驗者,而波士頓兩者兼具,更代表了沿海社區,在處理洪水等方面,有不小進展。
麻州州長奚莉和波士頓市長吳弭都對獲邀前往梵蒂岡參加氣候峰會,感到非常榮幸,也都同意教宗的看法,氣候問題必須由所有人攜手解決。
梵諦岡宗座科學院在該機構官網上指出,在地球氣溫到2030年時,有升高到超過攝氏1.5度的趨勢之際,人們已無法奢侈的期待以減少二氧化碳排放來緩解情況。梵諦岡於2022年推出「氣候韌性 (Climate
Resilience)」這新倡議,致力於把研究者,政策制定者,及信仰領袖聚集一堂,來了解氣候變遷對科學及社會的挑戰,並設法為人們找出解決方案。他們相信,氣候韌性必須建築在三根柱石上,包括減緩氣候變遷危機; 適應管理不可避免的風險; 社會轉型以實現緩和和適應。
Healey-Driscoll Administration Celebrates Winning $156 Million in EPA’s Solar for All Competition
Massachusetts’ Solar for All program could result in a 20% reduction in energy costs to 31,000 low-income and disadvantaged households, support 2,800 clean energy jobs, and decrease annual carbon emissions by 70,000 tons
BOSTON – The Healey-Driscoll Administration today celebrated its selection by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to receive $156 million in funding under the Solar for All competition, a $7 billion program that is part of the Inflation Reduction Act’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. A coalition led by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) and including the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), MassHousing, and Boston Housing Authority, submitted the state’s application to the Solar for All competition. Massachusetts, qualifying as a Medium Program, received one of the largest state awards and the largest award in New England.
"The Inflation Reduction Act is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fund state climate action, and Massachusetts is leading the pack once again,” said Governor Maura Healey. “We’ve adopted a strategy that combines housing affordability and climate policy, supporting our residents in accessing the important cost and health benefits that come with solar energy. We’re grateful to the Biden-Harris Administration and our federal delegation for this investment in Massachusetts’ climate leadership.”
“The Solar for All application is Team Massachusetts in action,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “Instead of dozens of small applications coming from our state competing against each other, we worked with over 80 stakeholders and communities to put forward a single strong application. That’s the power of partnership in a high-stakes federal competition.”
Massachusetts’ Solar for All program expects to deploy 125 megawatts of solar capacity, provide a 20 percent reduction in energy costs to more than 31,000 low-income and
disadvantaged households, support 2,800 clean energy jobs, and decrease annual carbon emissions by 70,500 tons. Massachusetts anticipates this funding will mobilize an estimated $286 million in other private capital. The Solar for All program will be available to all Low-Income and Disadvantaged Communities across Massachusetts to maximize program participation and impact in historically underserved communities.
"Climate change presents us with an opportunity to do things differently – with Solar for All,
the people most deeply impacted by extreme weather and pollution will be at the front of the line for clean, affordable, locally-produced energy,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “Residents will be able to look around their communities and see tangible benefits of the clean energy transition thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act – solar panels on roofs, local workers with good-paying jobs, and cleaner air for us all to breathe.”
"Our comprehensive approach to climate action helped us secure this grant and will help us
implement it,” said Climate Chief Melissa Hoffer. “This application was a strategic collaboration between energy and housing agencies, and now our low-income residents will reap the benefits of affordable solar energy. Our Solar for All program will build on other initiatives like the Massachusetts Community Climate Bank to leverage public and private funds to promote housing affordability and clean energy.”
"Our team is thrilled to receive $156 million to power the future of solar in Massachusetts,” said Energy Resources Commissioner Elizabeth Mahony, who will oversee the program.
“Massachusetts has been a national leader in deploying solar, and this investment will take our programming to the next level. We are ready to put these funds to work, setting up solar on affordable homes and training up the workforce who will make it happen.”
"This Solar for All award is an important part of our whole-of-government effort to bring home
federal funding to Massachusetts that advances our climate goals, while addressing equity and creating good paying jobs for a clean energy future," said Director of Federal Funds and Infrastructure Quentin Palfrey. "Thank you to President Biden, Administrator Regan, and the
Massachusetts congressional delegation for making possible this exciting award. We look forward to continuing partnerships across state agencies and with our local communities to secure these impactful federal dollars for Massachusetts."
“This incredibly exciting win for the Commonwealth will bring solar power to low-income households, lowering energy costs for residents and supporting good-paying jobs across Massachusetts,” said Massachusetts Clean Energy Center CEO Dr. Emily Reichert. “The Biden-Harris Administration’s historic investments through the Inflation Reduction Act are accelerating our goals to expand access to affordable clean energy and build an equitable
workforce to implement that transformation.”
The Massachusetts Solar for All program will make solar PV more accessible for small residential and multifamily homes and expand access to community solar. Planned components of the program include a residential zero-interest loan initiative, a residential
lease initiative, a public affordable housing procurement initiative, a private affordable housing financing initiative, and a low-income community shared solar initiative. Massachusetts’ Solar for All program will also include funding for technical assistance, education, outreach, quality assurance, and workforce training.
Massachusetts’ Solar for All program initiatives are designed to meet the needs of LIDC stakeholders. Each initiative will be supported by existing financial incentives, innovative
financial products, a solar-friendly regulatory environment, technical assistance, workforce development, and community engagement activities.
“Today we’re delivering on President Biden’s promise that no community is left behind by investing $7 billion in solar energy projects for over 900,000 households in low-income and
disadvantaged communities,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan.“The selectees will advance solar energy initiatives across the country, creating hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs, saving $8 billion in energy costs for families, delivering cleaner air, and combating climate change.”
“Solar is the cheapest form of electricity—and one of the best ways to lower energy costs for American families,” said John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the President for International Climate Policy. “Today’s announcement of EPA’s Solar for All awards will mean that low-income communities, and not just well-off communities, will feel the cost-saving benefits of solar thanks to this investment.”
The state’s application was a collaboration between energy and housing agencies, highlighting the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s whole-of-government approach to address climate change. The Solar for All will combine the state’s solar energy and building decarbonization expertise at DOER and MassCEC with the housing finance and development expertise of MassHousing and Boston Housing Authority. In addition, the collaboration leverages the state’s creation of the Massachusetts Community Climate Bank in June 2023.
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(Boston Orange 編譯) 麻州能源及環境事務廳 (EEA) 4月22日報喜訊,獲得聯邦政府500萬元補助,經辦Yarmouth 和Bourne這 2個沿海棲息地的維修,把已休種蔓越莓的沼澤,改造成有韌性的沿海濕地,加強地方社區對氣候變遷的適應力,恢復天然棲息地。
麻州能源及環境事務廳和漁獵署的生態復育組、鱸河之友、雅茅斯鎮 (Yarmouth) 、禿鷹灣聯盟和伯恩鎮 (Bourne)合作,申請到這筆經費。
共有67個項目向國家海洋暨大氣總署 (NOAA)申請補助,麻州能源及環境事務廳海洋區管理辦公室 (CZM) 所遞交項目,是22個獲得獎助的申請者之一。去年CZM也獲得400萬元補助。
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Healey-Driscoll Administration Announces 2024 STEM Summit
Summit at Bridgewater State University to focus on computer science education and careers
WESTBOROUGH – The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced today, during the STEM Advisory Council Meeting at the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, that the annual STEM Summit will be held on May 15 at Bridgewater State University. The theme this year focuses on the evolving computer science education and workforce landscape, with equity at its core – uplifting the diverse needs, interests, and perspectives of students, educators, and employers. As the computer science workforce continues to grow, the administration is promoting opportunities that enable more diverse and inclusive pathways for interested students.
“In Massachusetts, we want to open doors for our young people, especially to STEM pathways. This year’s STEM Summit provides a unique opportunity to educate students about fulfilling careers in STEM in partnership with employers and educators,” said Governor Maura Healey. “We want to encourage all of our students, regardless of their circumstance, zip code, or socioeconomic status, to explore every option available to them. By empowering them to see STEM as a viable, exciting pathway to their future, we will inspire the next generation of innovators in growing sectors like computer science.”
“Careers in computer science stretch across many industries, from manufacturing to health care. When we lift up careers in computer science for all of our students, we strengthen the tech sector workforce pipeline and our state’s economy, driving our competitiveness and building a brighter future for all,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, co-chair of the STEM Advisory Council. “This year’s Summit will build on our progress from last year that set the foundation for addressing barriers to access and improving equity – ensuring that women, people of color, and other underrepresented groups in STEM get a shot at opportunities into these critical fields.”
“We want to empower all Massachusetts students to gain computer science skills and make informed IT career and college choices. That’s why the STEM Summit will promote innovative access points and pathways with new opportunities for student engagement. In collaboration with industry partners, it will also highlight deeper hands-on instruction and provide wider access to work-based learning experiences, inspiring students, particularly those who were historically excluded, to see themselves in these fields,” said Education Secretary Dr. Patrick Tutwiler.
The 2024 Massachusetts STEM Summit will showcase opportunities for all students, regardless of their circumstance, zip code, or socioeconomic status, to study computer science and pursue fulfilling careers in the tech sector. The summit will feature captivating speakers representing innovative Computer Science work occurring across the Commonwealth’s educator and employer partnerships, as well as collaborative panels that engage students, educators, and workforce partners with a common goal of advancing the state’s IT talent pipeline.
“Massachusetts is rich in talent, we have the brightest young minds here that are changing the STEM industry with their innovations,” said Secretary of Economic Development Yvonne Hao. “As our administration delves into the realm of AI, we’re excited that the STEM Summit will open doors for students in computer science, empowering them with essential skills for the future workforce.”
“Massachusetts students today need to be a focal point as we strategically plan and invest for our future workforce,” said Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Lauren Jones. “The administration’s Workforce Skills Cabinet looks forward to engaging with students, educators, industry, and workforce leaders for the annual STEM Summit and throughout the year to increase student learning and exposure for STEM pathways and careers in Massachusetts.”
The STEM Summit aims to inspire the next generation of leaders in computer science here in Massachusetts and highlight ways the state can address inequities in education and career pathways. In the 21-’22 school year, 83 percent of High School students had access to a computer science course, but only 6.6 percent took advantage of them. Less than 30 percent of the students who took a computer science course were female, Black students participated at a lower rate than their population in the state and Hispanic students were 1.5 times less likely to take the courses than their white and Asian peers. Furthermore, these disparities continue in the workforce. According to Lightcast data, women remain severely underrepresented in the tech sector, making up only 26 percent of tech workers and less than 10 percent of workers are Black or Hispanic.
For more information on this year’s STEM Summit visit Mass.gov/StemSummit. The STEM Summit is organized by the Executive Office of Education and the STEM Advisory Council. The STEM Advisory Council was established to expand access to high-quality STEM education for students across Massachusetts, and is currently co-chaired by Lieutenant Governor Driscoll, U.S Congressman Jake Auchincloss and Chairman, President and CEO of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Dr. Jeffery Leiden.
“Innovation Pathways puts young people in the driver’s seat at home and in the classroom so they can succeed in their careers,” said Carolyn Kirk, CEO, Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech). “We are proud to support this effort, build a more robust STEM workforce, and develop the talent of tomorrow.”
(Boston Orange 綜合編譯) 在麻州,欠繳物業稅,房子可能被地方政府徵收拍賣。上星期,一法官判決,禁止春田市府徵收的一宗案例,卻意味著這做法,可能就此終結。
這是多年來的第一次,一個麻州法院判定,某些地方市鎮針對屋主追稅,被批評者稱為”偷竊產權
(equity theft)”的做法,違憲。
去年,美國最高法院無異議裁定,地方市鎮和郡政府只可以收回欠繳稅額,而不是沒收物業的剩餘產值。
麻州在美國是少數幾個還准許地方政府不只收取欠稅,利息及費用,並且收取物業剩餘價值的州。
這些個案,通常都發生在那些繼承了房地產,在沒有貸款下擁有,但又沒錢付稅的人身上。有些情況是價值幾十萬元的房子,只因為欠了很小數額的稅,就被地方政府沒收了。
上星期,Hampden高等法院法官Michael
K. Callan引用最高法院去年的裁決
(明尼蘇達州,Tyler
對抗
Hennepin郡),禁止春田市從當地屋主Ashley
M. Mills那兒,拿走大約12萬3千元的資產。
明尼蘇達州的那個案例是最高法院裁定,郡政府收稅做法違反了美國憲法修正案第5版,禁止政府在沒有正當補償下沒收私人物業。
該裁定儘管扳倒了明尼蘇達州的州法,但說到,其他州的現存法令,如果給物業主提供了收回資產的流程,可能合法。
麻州法令在這資產問題上,大都保持沉默,而且在沒有明文禁止下,有些地方市政保留了沒收全部資產的權利,留給物業主的保障很少。
Callan法官在裁決中說,地方市政引用,以第60章 (Chapter
60) 為名的收稅州法,並未提供收回的過程,因此”在一些情況下應用就違憲,例如這裏,稅債小於物業價值”。
Callan法官在他的19頁裁決書中寫道,第60章”在目前的形式下,是站不住腳的,而且需要修法訂正”。
Ashley M.
Mills的單家庭屋及土地是在2016年陷入拖欠稅款狀況,一年之後,春田市在法律允許下,就他們包括14%利息 (後來漲至16%) 的大約2000元欠稅,開始訴訟。
到了去年底時,欠債已經滾到2萬2千元,主因是高利率。那時候,Mills家的物業估值是14萬5千元,而且公平市價可能更高。
如果收稅做法辦成,春田市將可以在拍賣中自由出售Mills家的物業,為該市帶來等值於Mills家房地產價值的至少12萬3千元收入。
不過,Mills家在訴訟過程的最後階段,獲得反對”偷竊產權”的2個組織,先驅公益法律中心
(Pioneer Public Interest Law Center) 和大波士頓法律服務
(Greater Boston Legal Service)協助,做他們的法律代表。他們還得到波士頓律師樓
Lewis & Bockius的無償協助。
根據先驅公益法律中心的Frank
J. Bailey,在麻州有其他還待決定的”偷竊產權”個案,而且至少有一宗已進了麻州的聯邦法院。
Frank J.
Bailey說,Mills這開創全州先例的案例,對於正在聆聽類似案件的其他法院,並沒有約束力。但是如果有一宗案件在麻州最高法院得到這樣的裁決,就會有約束力。
另一個方案是,麻州議會明文禁止沒收產權。