Press Releases

On Thursday evening, Congressman Richard E. Neal joined Environmental League of Massachusetts (ELM) President Elizabeth Turnbull Henry, as well as fellow awardees Attorney General Andrea Campbell and Doug Foy, at ELM’s 12^th Annual Earth Night hosted at Fenway Park to receive the 2024 Commonwealth Environmental Leadership Award.

Founded in 1898, ELM’s mission is to advocate for policy that meets the scale and urgency of global environmental challenges. This annual award recognizes individuals, organizations, and corporations who are leading and implementing solutions on crucial and timely issues of climate and the environment.

“I would like to thank the Environmental League of Massachusetts for what is truly a humbling honor. For more than a century, ELM has been a voice of reason and influence, driving policies that promote the health and well-being of the general public and our environment. Their steadfast commitment to protecting our environment here in Massachusetts and around the world is truly commendable, which is why I am so pleased to accept this award,” said Congressman Neal. “I would also like to congratulate my fellow award winners, Attorney General Andrea Campbell and Doug Foy. Massachusetts has always been at the forefront of innovation, including our efforts to combat climate change. Their efforts have made a significant contribution to the progress we have made, and it is a privilege to stand alongside them in acceptance of this award.”

House Minority Whip Katherine Clark presented Congressman Neal with the award, recognizing his leadership in drafting the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) – legislation that marks the United States’ largest investment to combat the climate crisis. The IRA supports President Biden’s goal of achieving a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035 and a net zero emissions economy by no later than 2050.

“The Inflation Reduction Act, almost all of which was drafted in the Ways and Means Committee under my chairmanship, marks our nation’s largest investment to address the climate crisis,” continued Congressman Neal. “In just one year after President Biden signed the IRA into law, the private sector announced more than $110 billion in new clean energy manufacturing investments. The investments driven by the IRA, as well as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 1 billion tons in 2030. Not to mention, the IRA has already created over 271,000 clean energy jobs across the country and is projected to generate more than 1.5 million additional good-paying jobs over the next decade.

“The impact of this legislation is being felt across the nation, including right here in Massachusetts. By 2030, the Commonwealth will see an estimated $11.4 billion invested in large-scale clean power generation and storage. In my district, we recently celebrated the award of an $87 million grant from the Department of Energy to Sublime Systems, a low-carbon cement manufacturer in Holyoke. This funding was awarded under the Department of Energy’s Industrial Demonstrations Program, a $6.3 billion initiative funded by the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The project at Sublime Systems will create hundreds of jobs during the construction phase and nearly 100 jobs once the plant becomes operational, all while reducing emissions in the production of cement.

“Serving the people of this great Commonwealth and this great nation has been the privilege of a lifetime. Members of Congress serve because they want to promote change that will make their constituents better off today than they were yesterday. This award is a testament to the change we have been able to effect through our historic legislative achievements, and I know I speak for all my democratic colleagues in Congress when I say we will continue advocating for change that will make this world a better place for future generations.”

More information about ELM and Earth Night 2024 can be found here.

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