JALSA Submits Testimony in Support of the Zero Carbon Renovation Fund

July 17, 2023

Dear Chair Roy:

The Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action (JALSA) is a membership-based non-profit organization based in Boston, with thousands of members and supporters statewide. Guided by Jewish teachings and values, we are devoted to the defense of civil rights, the preservation of constitutional liberties, and the passionate pursuit of social, economic, environmental, and racial justice for all people.

JALSA wishes to offer its testimony in strong support of H.3232, An Act establishing a zero carbon renovation fund, or ZCRF.

It is appropriate that this hearing has convened amid the hot days of summer, as people in buildings across the Commonwealth crank their air conditioning to find refuge from increasingly extreme weather patterns driven by the climate crisis. As our state has been a leader in so many policy areas over the years, the Commonwealth must once again be a national and global leader when it comes to environmental policy. The Legislature can do this by supporting the Zero Carbon Renovation Fund.

The ZCRF will accelerate the market for zero carbon renovations in our buildings, It will also maximize energy efficiency in our buildings and the usage of on-site renewable energy where possible. The ZCRF will accomplish these efforts in an equitable manner that benefits all corners of the Commonwealth as it prioritizes schools, affordable housing, public housing, and other buildings least able to afford such renovations without the support of the ZCRF. The profound impact of the ZCRF is why the proposal has earned the support of more than 170 organizations across a wide range of geographic and issue areas, including JALSA.

For JALSA, this support for the ZCRF is rooted in deeply fundamental Jewish values regarding environmental protection. As stewards of our environment, we are encouraged l'vadah ul'shamrah, “to till and to tend.” The ZCRF allows us, in our modern day, to tend in a responsible manner. Similarly, the vital Jewish principle Bal tashchit guides us against unnecessary destruction in our creations, which explicitly includes how we construct our buildings. This key value has been interpreted in recent generations as a Jewish faith-based commitment to responsible environmental stewardship, and the ZCRF would be an impactful realization of that value.

JALSA strongly urges the members of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy to report H.3232, An Act establishing a zero carbon renovation fund, favorably out of committee.

Sincerely,

Cindy Rowe
President and CEO
Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action