Margaret was born in Georgia, just outside of Ft. Benning. Her family often struggled to make ends meet, and she dropped out of high school at the end of her junior year to help. While working full-time, she acquired her General Equivalency Diploma at age 17.
We must protect our natural resources: We are nothing without a healthy environment, which includes clean water, clean air, and protected forests and open spaces. Many towns in Massachusetts -- including those in the First Middlesex -- are now facing issues like PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) contamination, which will only continue to compound in complexity. Given its severity, we must confront this issue proactively and aggressively.
We can’t do it alone, however: PFAS remediation is enormously expensive, with filtration system costs for small towns in the millions of dollars.
As your state representative, I will lead on this issue: I will introduce and support legislation to address PFAS remediation and water treatment, as well as disposal issues of products containing PFAS chemicals. To ensure this work can take place, I will also introduce and support full funding for the MA Department of Environmental Protection so that it has the staff it needs to carry out its mission.
Town water supplies also face threats. I will advocate for review of the Interim Policy on Soil Management, which adversely impacts poorer/rural communities and leaves them without protection when violations occur.