3/25 Bottle Bill Meeting Minutes

Present: (some via phone)
Janet Domenitz, Masspirg Phil Sego, Mass Sierra Club Tony Basile, MassRecycle Jonathan Goldberg, Rep. Smizik’s office Kathleen Hornby, Rep. Wolf’s office Sarah Weinstein, DEP Sean Sylver, DEP Ken Pruitt, ELM Stephanie (?), League of Women Voters Lynn Wolbarst, League of Women Voters Claire Sullivan, SSRC, MassRecycle Charles Stark, Westford Recycling Rep. Jonathan Hecht Rep. Frank Smizik Rep. Alice Wolf Launa Zimmaro

1 - UPDATES

H3515/S1480 are the only two bottle bills that have been given extensions. The extension goes up until July 14, but it was noted that the session ends on 7/31, so this bill must be acted on much sooner.
Approx 130 munis have signed on. Masspirg students are also pushing for muni sign ons.
MassRecycle has been holding screenings of the movie Garbage Dreams, followed up by discussion including the Bottle Bill.

2 - PLAN OF ACTION

Two parts; first part = grassroots:

We need to make more noise in state house To some degree, we’ve been taking our core legislative supporters for granted. As a result, they haven’t heard any ‘buzz’ – and therefore cannot honestly tell leadership that this is important to their constituents. Lack of buzz also has a dampening impact on momentum.

Ask: We specifically ask all our supporting legislators to push UBB with leadership.

Field Plan - Ask all supporting organizations to send action alert to members. Phil will send draft.

SH Plan – Thank you letter, confirming legislators’ support (who?) Make more noise in public forums, even though they are dominated by wingnuts Confirm that we avoid using projected income as a benefit

Second part: “Insider Strategy”

Top Ten Targets for Updated Bottle Bill

Senate President Therese Murray – Claire will contact

House Speaker Robert DeLeo – Phil & Janet, with Reps Smizik, Wolf, and other(s)

House Ways and Means Chair Charles Murphy – Rep. Wolf requesting

Senate Ways and Means Chair Steven Panagiotakos – need senators to assist

TUE Committee House Chair Barry Finegold – Andover LWV

TUE Committee Senate Chair Michael Morrissey - Claire

Senate Environment Committee Chair Anthony Petruccelli - Phil & Janet.

Senate Majority Leader Joan Menard - Phil & Janet.

House Majority Leader James Vallee - Phil & Janet.

House 2nd Assistant Majority Leader Patricia Haddad - Ask Tony to speak with her

Others: Paul Donato: seek help from Sciortino

Earth Day – seek watershed associations to take photos and document litter disparity; ask Ken Pruitt to ask the Environmental Collaborative to help with this

Ramp up media, which helps with both grassroots and insider strategy Media Plan – one news release per week.

Subjects:

DEP local financial benefit who was going to work on this
Earth Day watershed cleanups, disparity
130 cities and towns sign on, hopefully we will get some more and can make an announcement
Idea of doing a press event around April 15; “Now that you’ve’ just paid your taxes, raise your hand if you know the difference between a tax and a deposit”