Sanford Lewis and Jody Shapiro: ‘Quabbin: The next generation’?

The Quabbin Reservoir was built from decisions in Boston that led to the literal destruction of four western Massachusetts towns. The benefit to thirsty eastern Massachusetts was at the expense of those western Mass. communities.

Today Massachusetts is thirsty for renewable energy to wean us from fossil fuels. That’s an excellent, statewide goal. Unfortunately, the same pattern is emerging: force it on western Massachusetts, this time destroying forests — themselves critical environmental “infrastructure.” Certain solar developers are seeking to clear-cut forests to build industrial-scale solar. One developer has even filed a lawsuit against our town to block local regulation. With legislation pending to preempt local controls, we might characterize this move in Boston as ”Quabbin: The next generation.”

We agree on the need for rapid solar build-out, but intelligently sited on the already-built environment: commercial/industrial rooftops, landfills, along highways, and as multi-benefit “solar canopies” on parking lots. Carbon-sequestering forests are a crucial part of the climate solution. Clear-cutting them for big solar is counterproductive.

The current form of the governor’s supplemental budget contains provisions eliminating local control of solar siting. These provisions should be stripped from the bill. Sen. Jo Comerford proposes legislation prioritizing solar on the already-built environment. That’s a better place to start than bulldozing woodlands for industrial solar.

Sanford Lewis and Jody Shapiro

Shutesbury