Annual Report: July 2014 - June 2015

The Environmental League of

Massachusetts

This Annual Report for fiscal year 2015 tells the story of a remarkable year for the Environmental

League of Massachusetts, and we have supporters like YOU to thank for it. Reading about ELM's

hard work and major accomplishments on the following pages, one might assume we have a much

larger budget and staff than we actually do. As one major supporter of ours put it, ELM "punches

above its weight."

In FY15 we continued to lead a powerful coalition working to ensure our Commonwealth reduces

carbon pollution 25% by 2020 and 80% by 2050. These targets are attainable but only if government

makes the right choices, like choosing wind and solar power instead of fracked natural gas.

In 2014, ELM released its first Legislative Scorecard, scoring legislators not only on their votes, but

also their acts of leadership. We held a series of Gubernatorial forums that clarified the environ-

mental positions of all four candidates for voters. We helped defeat a flawed energy bill, which

would have flooded the electricity market with Canadian hydro-power and crowded out wind and

solar generated locally. We also helped lead a coalition of 75 environmental, public health and other

groups to monitor Executive Order 562 - an order that called for all state regulations to be reviewed

and potentially weakened by sunsetting any MA regulations more protective than federal stan-

dards.We don't shy away from tough fights when the stakes are high, but as a result, we don't always

win. We will keep fighting on these and other important issues.

Earth Night 2015 was one of the best ever, with over 300 friends joining us at the Boston College

Club for an event that was extremely uplifting.

Finally, we made major progress in writing a three-year Strategic Plan to guide ELM's work through

2018. In this plan, ELM committed to a major focus on combating climate change and promoting

renewable energy, while still maintaining our long-term work protecting forests, parks, rivers and

wildlife. Completion of our Strategic Plan has brought new energy to our staff and board. We have

very important work do to over the next three years, and we hope you'll continue to partner with us.

On behalf of the staff,

Ken Pruitt, Executive Director

Executive Letter

“We don't shy away from tough fights when the stakes are high.”

Legislative Scorecard

In April of 2015, ELM published its first legislative scorecard. "Legislative scorecards are pretty common but this is unique, measuring leadership, not just votes," said ELM President George Bachrach. "This is our best effort to give voters a sense of who is really on their side in the critically important work that goes on out of public view." ELM's scorecard relies first on roll call votes on legislation that deals with environmental and energy issues. Observers of the state Legislature know that there are few roll call votes each session and that controversial votes are often taken as voice votes that are not recorded. As a result, ELM added leadership efforts such as bill sponsorship along with votes to better distinguish environmental champions and opponents. ELM intends to issue the scorecard each session and hopes lawmakers rise to the opportunity, pushing for reform that results in more roll call votes on key matters. "We need lawmakers who will lead, not just vote, on envi-ronmental priorities," said Bachrach. "We hope and trust all supporters of environmental protection and stewardship will rise to the challenge."

Achievements

ELM is focused on environmental advocacy and strengthening the voice and effectiveness of the environmental community. We are pleased to report a number of significant accomplishments over this past fiscal year.

Strategic Plan

At the beginning of the year, we embarked on a journey to put together a strong Strategic Plan to guide ELM’s work through 2018. By working with consultants and a board-staff

committee, and holding a day-long retreat for board and staff members, ELM made great strides towards a comprehensive plan of action. This Strategic Plan announces our commitment to climate change while we continue to protect land, air, and water in the Commonwealth. We also intend to expand over the next few

years, adding staff members and increasing our funding. This is an exciting time for ELM as we increase the capacity to do our work.

The cover of our first legislative scorecard!

The ELM Staff ready to take on initiatives of the new Strategic Plan.

Four gubernatorial candidates and over 200 people attended our Gubernatorial Forum on Energy, the Environment, and the Innovation Economy in October of 2014. With only weeks to go before the election, we hosted all four major candidates (Jeff McCormick (I), Martha Coakley (D), Charlie Baker (R), and Evan Falchuk (I)). The candidates were questioned on

energy, climate change, land protection, transportation, toxics, water, and recycling. The forum helped educate voters about each candidate’s position on energy and environmental policy.

ELM is committed to ensuring that environmental considerations are part of the electoral discussion here in Massachusetts so voters can make informed decisions. After meeting with ELM, Charlie Baker made a commitment to increase spending on the environment to 1% of the annual budget by the end of his first term, should he be elected. This is a commitment we intend to hold him to!

Achievements

Diversifying our Energy Portfolio

Building and procuring clean, renewable energy in the Commonwealth is one of ELM’s highest priorities. Still, when the Patrick and Baker administrations proposed bills that would support massive investments in hydro power alone, we were concerned. We’re even more concerned about state government interest in more gas pipelines.

While we support hydro power as part of a clean energy mix, we believe our state should also invest in solar, wind and energy efficiency. We partnered with other advocacy organizations and our Corporate Council last year to defeat this utility driven bill, and we won. Now we’re working with legislators and other allies to promote a balanced energy bill.

2014 Gubernatorial Forum

A map showing in process and possible transmission lines for hydro

from the North.

Charlie Baker addresses questions on energy and the environment at our

Gunernatorial forum only weeks before the election.

EO 562: Regulatory Review

Achievements

Other notable ELM achievements in coalition with allies: Defense of the Massachusetts Endangered Species

Program. Priority legislation aimed at fixing gas leaks from ag-

ing pipelines. Authorization of a $2.2 billion Environmental Bond. Expanded ELM’s corporate and labor alliances.

Expanded ELM staff with three new staff members

that strengthened our ability to achieve ELM’s mission. Re-energized Earth Night where friends of the environment had the opportunity to network and have fun.

Governor Baker’s Executive Order #562 in 2014 calls for the sunsetting of every state regulation within one year, unless recertified. The Governor's action threatens a wide range of hard won and critical regulations that make Massachusetts a national leader in a range of environmental issues. ELM brought together colleagues and allies from a broad range of sectors, including business, labor, environmental, energy, public health, public safety, social services and consumers—more than 75 in total—to form the "562" Coalition. The Coalition urged

Governor Baker to make the review process open and transparent. Although we still have grave concerns and the review is ongoing, our efforts resulted in a more open process with all comments publicly shared and several stakeholder meetings held with the environmental agencies. We continue to be committed to this effort and will work to ensure that Massachusetts remains a leader in Environmental standards that protect our environment and health. View of the Massachusetts State House,

where much of our policy work bears fruit

Senator Ben Downing speaking at the

2015 Earth Night

Major Meetings and Events

1) Corporate Council Breakfast Leonard Sarapas of Boston Scientific,

Attorney General Maura Healy, and

ELM Board Chair Seth Jaffe

2) Legislative Breakfast L to R: Erica Mattison, Haskell Werlin, Rep. Hecht,

Emily Rochon

3) Green Budget Launch L to R: Ken Pruitt, Sen. Eldridge, Erica Mattison, Rep.

Walsh, Rep. Schmid, and Bob Libin

4) Fall Reception 2014 Josh Craft with NWF Colleagues Amber Hewitt, Don

Hooper & his wife Allison

5) Corporate Council Breakfast Senator Elizabeth Warren and George Bachrach

6) Spring Collaborative Meeting 2015 With EOEEA Secretary Matthew Beaton

7) Gubernatorial Forum With Governor Charlie Baker

8) Earth Night 2015 Rick Mattila, Johanna Jobin, Rep. Frank Smizik

9) Bottle Bill Endorsement Governor Patrick joins ELM’s Ken Pruitt

10) ELM Young Environmentalist Launch

11) Fall Collaborative Meeting 2014 With Senator Stan Rosenberg

12) Spring Collaborative Meeting 2015

1

2

3

4 5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

By the Numbers

Fiscal year 2015 was an

investment year for ELM - we made strategic hires, which

resulted in a short-term deficit but which we believe will greatly strengthen the

organization in the long-term, especially in the area of

development.

8,000+

Supporters

20+ Corporate

Partners

40+ MA Collaborative

Organizations

Finances

A Growing Team

ELM’s budget has almost doubled since 2008. The

number of staff has more than doubled. We are an

increasingly powerful

organization that is achieving more each year

than the last. All of this has been made possible by supporters like YOU. Thank

you!

Donor Roll

$25,000+

$10,000-$24,999

$2,500-$9,999

$1,000-$2,499

With Gratitude to Our Supporters in FY 2015 ELM gratefully acknowledges the individuals, corporations and foundations whose generous financial contributions

made it possible for us to undertake our programs and advocacy efforts between July 1, 2014 and June 30, 2015.

Although space considerations preclude us from listing every contributor here, we are pleased to be able to publically

recognize those who gave $100 or more, and express our sincere appreciation to everyone who contributed during our

Fiscal Year 2015. Thank you!

$250-$999

Anderson & Kreiger LLP

Anonymous (2)

Ellen Berkman & David Bryant

Bowditch & Dewey, LLP

Brown Rudnick LLP

Lalor Burdick

Canaccord Genuity

Conservation Services Group

William and Nancy Constable

Robert Cox

Dr. Russell & Edith de Burlo

Distrigas/GDF Suez

Emera

Epsilon Associates

Thomas Feeley

Fields Pond Foundation, Inc.

Richard Friedman

GEI Consultants

Laurie Gould

Green Line Infrastructure

Alliance

Haley & Aldrich

Serena Hatch

Highland Street Foundation

Amalie Kass

Susan Morser Klem &

Christopher Klem

Bethany & Rob LeBlanc

Noel Mann

Maritime Trades Council of

Greater Boston and New

England

Massachusetts Organization of

State Engineers and Scientists

Rick Mattila & Sharon Prehn

ML Strategies

Sandra Mullen

Northwind Strategies

NRG

PerkinElmer Foundation

The Plymouth Rock Foundation

Tom Powers & Pat King

Travaglini Eisenberg Kiley LLC

Robert and Naomi Tuchmann

John & Cynthia Quealy

Rasky Baerlein

Donna Richoux & Franklin Ross

Ann & Jim Roosevelt

Gwen Ruta

Saunders Hotel Group*

Staples

Emily Wade

Frederick Wang

The Winslow Foundation

Woodard & Curran

Burt Adelman & Lydia Rogers

Anonymous

Gordon Burnes & Suzie Tapson

Carpenter and Company, Inc.

Clean Water Action

Theresa & Mark Cohen

Energy Management Inc.*

Robert & Glenda Fishman

J.M. Cashman Company*

Virginia Lawrence

Local 103 I.B.E.W.

Massport

National Wildlife Federation

Matthew Patsky

Norman & Sarah Pedersen

Trillium Asset Management *

Massport

Ann Fowler Wallace & Brad

Wallace

WasteZero

Aggregate Industries*

Anonymous

Bank of America*

Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA*

Boston Scientific*

Conservation Law Foundation

Eastern Bank*

EMD Millipore Corporation*

Eversource*

Genzyme Corporation*

Seth Jaffe & Genia Long

Pam Kohlberg & Curt Greer

Grossman Marketing*

Ted & Beedee Ladd

Legal Sea Foods, Inc.*

Massachusetts General Hospital*

John McQuillan

State Street Corporation*

Stop & Shop Supermarket *

Company

Triumvirate Environmental, Inc.*

TUFTS Health Plan*

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

Barr Foundation

The Grantham Foundation for the

Protection of the Environment

Harold Grinspoon Foundation

Frederick & Edith Allen

American Planning Association

MA Chapter^

Association to Preserve Cape

Cod^

Whitney Beals & Pamela Esty

Beals and Thomas, Inc.

Beard Family Charitable Trust

James Becker & Aber Lynch

Reiner & Nancy Beeuwkes

BlueWave Capital

Alex Bok

The Boston Foundation

Boston Harbor Island Alliance^

Kathleen Brill

Susan & Carl Brownsberger

Danielle Burns

Laurie Burt

Charles Campion

Charles River Conservancy^

Ralph Child and Eliza Blanchard

Brian & Alison Clew

Stephen Conant

Barry Cornwall

Anthony Cortese

Stephen Crosby & Helen Strieder

John DeVillars & Gunnel Clarke

John & Mary Deyst

Griswold Draz

Mary Eliot

William Elsbree

Nick Elton & Barbara

Steen-Elton

Alan Emmet

Essex County Greenbelt

Association^

Henry & Kate Faulkner

Carolyn Fine & Jeremiah

Friedman

Foley Hoag LLP

Pamela Fox

Douglas Foy

Kathleen & Eric Freeman

Myron Gildesgame

Robert Glovsky

Lisa Goodheart

Dorothy & Harry Goodman

Paul & Priscilla Gray

Dan Greenbaum & Deborah

Cramer

Nicholas & Marjorie Greville

Mary Griffin

Peter & Sue Gruber

Hamilton Hackney

Margery Hamlen

Whitney & Tizzy Hatch

Representative Jonathan Hecht

Donor Roll

$100-$249

Aetna Foundation, Inc.

John Alcock

Penny Altman

Jenny Amory

Anonymous (2)

Reed & Barbara Anthony

Arborway Coalition^

Betty & Art Bardige

Sharon Barrett

Daniel Bauman

Mark Bowers & Susan Chapnick

Carl & Jean Bowin

Valerie Bradley & Lewis

Sargentich

Elizabeth Brown & Mark Smith

Bill Brumback

Sasha & Marni Chanoff

Charles Chester

Lois Cheston

Albert Collings

Anne Comber

Bruce Connelly

Nathaniel & Catherine Coolidge

Marcia Cooper & Jeffrey

Rosenberg

Joanne D'Alcomo & Stephen

Elman

Matthew Danish

John Dempsey & Mary Scott

Michael & Katharine Dukakis

Veronica Eady

Benjamin Ericson & Rashmi

Dyal-Chand

Esplanade Association^

Andrew Falender

Catherine Farrell & Steven Wofsy

Kate & Hermann Field Legacy

Fund

Stephen & Frances Fink

Gertrude Fondren

Robert Forrester

Susan Foster

Stephen Fowler & Ceilyn Boyd

Franklin Land Trust^

Robert & Rochelle Friedman

Alan Frohman & Sandra Peters

Frohman

Donald Glazer & Tyng Tyne

Hong

Andrea Golden & John McManus

Green Decade/Newton^

Thomas Green & Jeannie

Vineyard

David Griesinger

Katherine Gross & Peter Thorne

Rita Grossman

Ellen Gugel & Steve Munden

B.J. & Linda Herbison

Donna Hess

Gail Magenau Hire

Joseph Holmes

Arch Horst & Kate Kirby

James Hoyte & Norma Dinnall

Philip Jackson

Diab Jerius & Sherry Winkelman

Elizabeth & Doug Johnson

Ileana Jones

Rep. Louis Kafka

Shulamit Kahn & Kevin Lang

Harriet Karkut

Jamie Katz & Cynthia Piltch

Bambi Kenney

Larry Koff

Louise & David Kress

Jeanne Krieger

Anne-Marie Lambert & Arvydas

Mackevicius

William & Chouteau Levine

Alan Levine

Lincoln Land Conservation Trust^

Penn Loh & Jackie Cefola

David Loring

Mindy Lubber & Norman Stein

Thomas Luck & Elizabeth Kidder

Jeremy Marin & Rachel Perla

Theresa Mason

Massachusetts Congress of Lake

& Pond Associations^

Massachusetts Land Trust

Coalition^

Massachusetts Rivers Alliance^

Sara Mattes

Hugh & Arlene Mattison

Arthur Mattuck

Christopher & Carolyn Miller

Marvin & Dolores Mitchell

David Moon

Joel Mooney

North & South Rivers Watershed

Association^

Christopher Ott

John Page & Cindy Friedman

Fred & Anne Paulsen

Malcolm Pittman

Dave and Anna-Lisa Pruitt

Andrew Rainer

Joel Reck

John Reinhardt

Stephen Rosenfeld

Steven & Susan Rothstein

Daniel Ruben

Susan Ruderman

Charles Rudnick

Renata & Edward Selig

Barbara & Nathan Sidley

Richard & Marsha Sirull

Richard & Nancy Smith

Cynthia Sommer & Andrew

Balder

Judith Sze

Dan Taylor & Karen Cord Taylor

Julie Taylor

David Terry

Margaret Van Deusen & James

Doyle

Lisa Vernegaard

WalkBoston, Inc.^

Wesley Ward

T. Walley Williams III

Frederic Winthrop

Howard & Candice Wolk

Gilbert Woolley & Carole Simon

Dr. Donald Hindley

Dr. Ron Hirschberg & Sandra

Tanen

Christina Hobbs

Douglas Husid

ICF International

Aladdine Joroff

Adam Kahn & Kimberly Smith

Namrita Kapur

Kearney, Donovan & McGee PC

Robert Lawrence

Thomas Lehrer

Bruce & Debbie Lenahan

George Lewis

Elizabeth & Peter Loring

Victoria & Pete Lowell

Pamela Lowry & Allen Rozelle

William & Judith Mack

Thomas Mackie

Sharon & Brad Malt

Judith Markland

Massachusetts AFL-CIO

Massachusetts Association of

Conservation Commissions^

Massachusetts Climate Action

Network^

Douglas McGarrah

Greg and Sharon McGregor

Merrimack River Watershed

Council^

Barbara Meyer

Peter Meyer & Eileen Lynch

Pamela Milligan & Richard

Henige

Tracy Miner

William Moomaw

Jeffrey Munger

Mystic River Watershed

Association^

Harold Nahigian

Nashua River Watershed

Association^

New England Carpenters Labor

Management Program

OARS^

Robert & Elizabeth Owens

Robert & Veronica Petersen

Thomas Phillips

Dick & Susanne Phippen

Plumbers Local 12

John Regier

Jeffrey Roelofs

Johanna Hansen Ross

Mary Ryan

Dylan Sanders

Frank & Edith Sandy

Ellen Sarkisian & John Maher

Philip & Lucy Saunders

Save the Harbor/Save the Bay^

Michael & Sara Schnitzer

Sheffield Land Trust^

Thomas Sobol

Nancy Soulette

Harry Spence

Anne St. Goar & Shippen Page

Nathaniel Stevens

Sudbury Valley Trustees^

Dr. David Tapscott & Gail Epstein

Elizabeth Taylor

The Trust for Public Land^

The Trustees of Reservations^

Michael Thornton

US Green Building Council of

MA^

Eric Van Loon

Anne Van Nostrand

Tamar Rosenblum Warburg &

Philip Warburg

Weber Shandwick

Chuck & Louise Weed

Mary Allen Wilkes

$250-$999 Continued...

ELM Corporate Council Member*

Massachusetts Collaborative Member^

The Future

Given the nature of our work, some efforts extend beyond one year. In fact, many of our biggest achievements came after multi-year campaigns. Below we feature some ongoing efforts.

ELM is a member of Transportation for Mass. (T4MA), a diverse coalition working to create safe, convenient, climate-friendly and affordable transportation for everyone. As a member, ELM advocates for a transportation system that has sufficient resources to meet tomorrow’s needs all throughout the Commonwealth.

Our aging transportation infrastructure and lack of resources is strangling the system at a time when demand, particularly for MA transit, is growing. This past year, ELM and T4MA worked on Project Selection Criteria that now include greenhouse gas reduction when transportation projects are considered. We also worked on the ballot campaign seeking to maintain the indexing of the gas tax to inflation, which passed the legislature in 2013. Unfortunately, that effort failed at the polls costing the Commonwealth $1 billion over the next ten years in revenue. We will continue to make the case for good management and reforms, efficient use of resources, and additional resources needed not only to keep our system in good repair but also to expand strategically to serve demand.

The MBTA Red Line and passengers waiting.

Global Warming Solutions Project (GWSP)

This initiative, funded in part by the Barr Foundation, allows ELM to coordinate a diverse set of stakeholders to ensure that Massachusetts reduces greenhouse gas emissions 25% by 2020 and 80% by 2050. We are advocating for large increases in renewable energy and energy efficiency instead of more fracked natural gas. During last fiscal year we advocated for adoption of a solar net-metering bill that would maintain current incentives for solar power. Advocacy on this measure will continue through fiscal year 2016. We also continue to advocate for measures that would increase residential and commercial energy efficiency, improve mass transit so that many more people use it, and promote the construction of offshore wind farms to produce large amounts of carbon-free electricity.

This is one of several images we created to show iconic Bos-

ton locations and what they might look like if extreme flood-

ing from climate change were to happen.

Our Transportation System: Reducing Carbon Pollution and Increasing Funding

Other Ongoing Initiatives: We believe that revising our outdated

zoning laws will help to reduce urban sprawl, improve water quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and help maintain needed habitat for wildlife. We continue to advocate for an update to our state’s antiquated land use laws to achieve these goals.

ELM is committed to ensuring no net loss of public conservation and park lands (lands protected under Article 97 of the MA Constitution). Working with our allies, we aim to reduce the amount of public land that is lost, and ensure that any loss is replaced nearby.

The Future

For further information visit our website: www.environmentalleague.org

President George Bachrach and Board member Rick Mattila

testify on legislation at the state house.

Building Alliances with Business and Labor

ELM believes a healthy economy and a healthy environment are inextricably linked. ELM continues to build relationships with major corporations and labor unions. We intend to bring business and labor into the conversation every step of the way and invite them to join us as we testify on bills and write op-eds. In fiscal year 2015, many of our

business and labor partners joined with us on a six-part ad series in the Boston Globe highlighting critical issues from energy to transportation. Boston Scientific, Next Step Living, and IBEW 103 were vital to our campaign to raise the solar net-metering cap, still a work

in progress. In addition, members of our corporate council met with Senator Angus King and Attorney General Maura Healy. It was a busy year for our partnerships and we are determined to keep these relationships strong.

Joe Dorant of MOSES and ELM Executive Director

Ken Pruitt at Earth Night.

Join Us!

“There are risks and costs to action. But they are far less than the long range risks of comfortable inaction.”

— John F. Kennedy

Get Updates

Over this past fiscal year we saw a number of additions to the staff team. A big ELM welcome to Randi Soltysiak (accountant), Ellen Tomlinson (office manager), and Susan Thompson (development director). The ELM team also includes our hard working Board of Directors led by our able board chair Seth Jaffe. ELM’s success is due in no small part to the time, dedication, financial support and expertise of our board members. Our team extends beyond staff and board to include MA Environmental Collaborative members and partners in the ELM Corporate and Labor councils who seek to ensure environmental concerns are well represented within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. We’d also like to thank Peter Julian for taking many of the beautiful event photos shown throughout this report— and for providing the large cover photo! Finally, none of our work would be possible without the partnership and support of our many donors—thank you!

Our Team

Ellen George Randi Ken Erica Nancy Josh Susan Anne

Donate

Thanks to your support, our last fiscal year was very successful. We published our

first legislative scorecard holding legislators accountable for their votes. We

adopted a strategic plan for the coming 3 years. We fought for more renewable

energy and protection of key environmental regulations. We hosted forums,

briefings, and cocktail events among many other achievements.

Stay involved and help get us off to a great start in 2016.

www.environmentalleague.org