I am writing about the state House of Representatives campaign between Republican Chip Harrington and Democrat Aaron Saunders in the 7th Hampden District that now includes the towns of Belchertown, Pelham, Shutesbury, Ludlow, New Salem, Petersham and Wendell.
I recently received a mailing from Chip Harrington in which he proclaimed that he “is the only true environmental candidate!”
The Environmental League of Massachusetts and Clean Water Action looked at both candidates in this race, their stances on the issues and their actions on environmental priorities and chose to endorse Aaron Saunders.
Responsible energy siting is a clear example where Aaron is in sync with many western Massachusetts residents and municipal officials. Here are two excerpts from Aaron’s Solar Energy Incentive Vision: “Clear cutting of forests and wooded areas for large scale solar installations must not be incentivized by state funding, programs, tariffs, grants, credits, or any other means. Trees, through carbon sequestration and storage, are recognized as an essential element of our carbon reduction goals. Municipalities must be protected from incurring the technical and legal costs of defending appropriate bylaws and local decisions. Small and rural communities often do not have the resources for protracted legal fights brought by deep pocketed developers. Our communities should not be strong armed into allowing irresponsible solar development on account of a lack of funding”.
Aaron is also committed to ensuring that we have “robust investment in land conservation” from the swtate to help support our efforts to conserve the region’s farms, forests and wetlands. Aaron is motivated to find solutions to the inequitable and underfunded Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) paid by the state to small rural towns who have large state land ownerships within their boundaries. Having spent my entire career in land conservation, I support Aaron Saunders for state representative.
Dan Leahy
Wendell