Environment

As an Eagle Scout, protecting our natural resources and being conservation-minded have always been sincere priorities for me. I am especially passionate about ensuring that our residents have access to clean, safe drinking water and that our rivers, ponds, and other local bodies of water are protected from pollution. Environmental policy should produce tangible improvements in the communities we represent while preserving our natural resources for future generations. I have filed legislation on the following priorities. 

Protect our drinking water and combat PFAS contamination. Our office has fought for millions of dollars in state funding and financing to address PFAS and improve local drinking-water infrastructure. In North Attleboro, Attleboro, and Mansfield; we helped secure millions of dollars in financing for improvements to our Water Treatment Facilities to address PFAS contamination. These investments are helping our communities meet federal drinking-water standards and ensure residents have access to clean and safe water.

Clean up and restore the Ten Mile River. Dredging the Ten Mile River remains one of my major environmental and economic development priorities. The condition of the river has implications for public health, flooding, recreation, and economic development throughout our region. We have built strong partnerships with our federal delegation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to pursue the funding and assistance necessary to move this project forward. We have worked to secure millions of dollars in bond authorizations and are strongly advocating to the administration that the financing should be released. Restoring the Ten Mile River will require a sustained effort, and I will continue advocating for this project in the years ahead.

Animal Welfare. Massachusetts should maintain strong animal-welfare protections while ensuring our laws distinguish appropriately between traditional agricultural activities and the breeding or boarding of household pets. Clear definitions can protect legitimate agricultural operations while ensuring kennels and pet breeders are regulated under standards appropriate to those activities. 

Following the 2024 incident in North Attleborough in which bulls escaped from a rodeo and entered the surrounding community, Massachusetts should establish clear standards governing rodeo events. Requiring compliance with recognized professional safety and animal-welfare standards can better protect animals, participants, spectators, first responders, and nearby residents. 

Massachusetts should prohibit retail pet shops from selling dogs, cats, rabbits, and guinea pigs while continuing to support responsible adoption through shelters and rescue organizations. Reducing the retail market for animals supplied by large-scale commercial breeding operations will strengthen animal-welfare protections and encourage more humane practices across the Commonwealth.

Successes 

Protect our environment and strengthen climate resilience. I supported the MassReady Act which was passed in the House of Representatives, a comprehensive environmental bond bill that makes historic investments in protecting clean drinking water, preparing communities for flooding and extreme weather, preserving open space, and modernizing critical water and environmental infrastructure. The legislation strengthens efforts to address PFAS contamination, supports cities and towns undertaking climate-resilience projects, improves dams and coastal infrastructure, protects forests, wetlands, farmland, and natural habitats, and invests in Massachusetts agriculture, food security, and the commercial fishing industry. It also streamlines environmental permitting for priority housing, infrastructure, and climate-resilience projects while maintaining strong environmental protections. These investments will help communities prepare for the impacts of climate change while protecting the Commonwealth’s natural resources for future generations. The bill also makes further bond authorizations to dredge the Ten Mile River and establishes safeguards and standards for rodeos in Massachusetts. 

Strengthen animal welfare and promote responsible pet ownership. I supported comprehensive legislation that passed in the House of Representatives to modernize Massachusetts’ animal welfare laws, strengthen protections against neglect and abuse, improve veterinary care, and promote responsible pet ownership. The legislation strengthens oversight of kennels, gives law enforcement and animal control officers better tools to intervene when animals are being neglected, expands opportunities for dogs and cats to be adopted after their use in research, and limits animal testing when alternative testing methods are available. It also strengthens consumer protections for pet insurance, creates a statewide licensing framework for veterinary technicians, expands pet ownership opportunities for older adults living in public housing, and strengthens protections for individuals with disabilities who rely on service animals.

Lower energy costs for Massachusetts families and businesses. I supported comprehensive energy affordability legislation that was passed in the House of Representatives projected to save utility ratepayers billions of dollars over the next decade by reducing unnecessary costs, returning certain energy compliance payments directly to customers, and increasing transparency and accountability in our energy system. The legislation expands discounted utility rates for eligible low- and moderate-income households, strengthens protections against predatory competitive electric suppliers, and requires greater oversight of utility spending. It also takes a long-term approach to affordability by diversifying our energy supply, accelerating renewable energy and storage projects, modernizing the electric grid, and removing barriers to additional sources of energy, including nuclear power. These reforms will help lower utility bills while building a more reliable, affordable, and diversified energy system.