Press Release: Mass. College Students and Conservation Organizations Back “YES on 6” Ballot Campaign to Protect Water and Nature
For Immediate Release
October 8, 2026, 2026
Contact: Andrew Farnitano, 925-917-1354, andrew@acfstrategies.com
Mass. College Students and Conservation Organizations Back “YES on 6” Ballot Campaign to Protect Water and Nature
More than 125 Conservation Groups, Land Trusts, & Community Organizations Endorse Ballot Question 6 to Create Dedicated Nature for All Fund for Water and Land Conservation in Massachusetts — Without Raising Taxes
Across Massachusetts — Students from campuses across Massachusetts are joining more than 125 conservation groups, land trusts, and community organizations across the state to endorse the “YES on 6” ballot campaign, which aims to create a dedicated source of funding for land and water conservation in Massachusetts. Question 6, the Protect Water and Nature ballot initiative on the November statewide ballot, would create a new Nature for All Fund and dedicate funds from the existing state sales tax on sporting goods to protecting and conserving water and nature — without raising taxes.
“Ballot Question 6 would help protect places like Sutton's Purgatory Chasm and other beloved places around our state,” said Aidan McGrail, a University of Massachusetts Lowell student (Class of 2027) from Sutton. “I grew up going to Purgatory, traversing through the rocky terrain, looking over cliffs, and exploring the trails around the chasm. Not only is it the pride of my town, but it is the location that fostered my love for nature. Question 6 will help protect clean water and nature for future generations.”
“Question 6 will help protect Cheshire Reservoir and other beautiful places around our state,” said Dante E. a Berkshire Community College student (Class of 2028) from North Adams. “Cheshire Reservoir is a place my friends and family have been to many times for kayaking, fishing, and other outdoor activities. Question 6 will help protect clean water and nature for future generations.”
"Question 6 is an important initiative here in Massachusetts as it allows for funds already brought in through the sales tax on sporting goods to fund clean water and wildlife habitats, all without raising taxes!” said Jeremy Viens, a Holyoke Community College student (Class of 2027) from South Hadley. “As a life long resident of the Bay State that is something I can 100 percent get behind!"
“Voting YES on 6 will definitely benefit all of us here in Massachusetts because it will protect our water and nature without raising taxes,” said Paola Perez, a UMass Dartmouth student (Class of 2027) from Woburn. “This is an amazing thing to vote yes for, personally living here in Massachusetts where it's really green due to nature, Vote YES on 6 to help better our state.”
“A YES vote on Question 6 would create a fund to preserve natural resources, with existing state taxes collected on the sale of sporting goods,” said Aditya Bala, a University of Massachusetts Dartmouth student (Class of 2029) from North Dartmouth. “This will improve our cities and towns by protecting clean drinking water, reducing pollution in big and small bodies of water, preventing storm and flooding damage, and conserving our forests and wildlife.”
These students are members of MassPIRG Students, a statewide student-directed organization with chapters on multiple Massachusetts campuses that supports Question 6.
In supporting Question 6, the students join a broad coalition of more than 125 organizations led by the state’s leading nonprofit land and water conservation groups such as Mass Audubon, The Trustees, Appalachian Mountain Club, the Conservation Law Foundation, Massachusetts Rivers Alliance, The Nature Conservancy, and Trust for Public Land. Also supporting Question 6 are sporting and outdoor recreation groups such as Backcountry Hunters & Anglers and the New England Mountain Bike Association, farming and gardening advocates including the Northeast Organic Farmers Association, Grow Native Massachusetts, and Native Plant Trust, and dozens of local and regional groups from every corner of the state.
Individual endorsers include current and former elected officials like Governor Maura Healey and former Governor Deval Patrick, and environmental leaders like former U.S. EPA Administrator and White House National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy and author, environmentalist, and activist Bill McKibben. A full list of Question 6 endorsements can be found at natureforma.org/endorsements.
This month, the YES on 6 campaign began airing an ad titled “Naturally” on television and digital channels across the state. The ad features Mass Audubon wildlife biologist Lyra Brennan and The Trustees park ranger Matt Zieper addressing how Question 6 would protect clean drinking water; conserve forests, family farms, and natural wildlife habitat; and create more parks, trails, and greenspaces for all to enjoy — without raising taxes.
Background
Question 6, the ‘Protect Water and Nature’ initiative, would dedicate funds from the existing state sales tax on sporting goods to protecting and conserving water and nature — without raising taxes. Question 6 would create a dedicated Nature for All Fund with as much as $100 million each year to support the conservation and restoration of water and natural areas in Massachusetts, protect the quality of our drinking water and natural wildlife habitats, and support the creation and improvement of parks, trails, greenspaces, and other outdoor recreation spaces.
The Nature for All Fund would be funded by the state’s existing sales tax on sporting goods like camping gear, golf clubs, and fishing equipment — not by creating a new tax. Question 6 allocates just 0.16% of the state’s $63.4 billion annual budget, but it would make a big difference for land and water. Question 6 would also establish a public oversight board that would approve all expenditures from the fund, with strict annual reporting requirements to track every dollar spent.
Question 6 is supported by a diverse coalition of more than 120 environmental, conservation, and community organizations and businesses throughout Massachusetts, including the state’s leading nonprofit land and water conservation groups such as Mass Audubon, The Trustees, Appalachian Mountain Club, the Conservation Law Foundation, Massachusetts Rivers Alliance, The Nature Conservancy, and Trust for Public Land, as well as dozens of local and regional groups from every corner of the state.
Over the last year, the coalition collected more than 122,000 signatures from Massachusetts voters to put nature on the ballot. Volunteers from dozens of organizations within the coalition contributed to this tremendous showing of support by collecting thousands of signatures from their neighbors at farmers’ markets, festivals, trailheads, and wildlife sanctuaries.
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The YES on 6 campaign is led by Nature for Massachusetts, a large and diverse coalition of environmental, conservation, and community organizations that seek to create a dedicated, annual revenue stream to conserve water, land, urban greenspace, outdoor recreation access, and wildlife in Massachusetts. For more information, visit natureforma.org.