Fig City News: Gov. Healey joins conservation advocates at Hammond Pond rally for Question 6

Gov. Maura Healey joined environmental advocates and local officials at Hammond Pond in Newton the morning of August 30 to rally in support of Question 6, a statewide ballot initiative that would dedicate existing sales-tax revenue from sporting goods for use in water and land conservation.

The rally was organized by Nature for Massachusetts, a coalition of more than 90 environmental, conservation, and community organizations supporting the measure. Organizers said the initiative could generate up to $100 million annually for conservation efforts without creating a new tax. (It would dedicate sporting-goods sales tax revenue, currently being collected for general purposes, to the conservation efforts.)

Speaking at the Hammond Pond Reservation, Emily Norton, executive director of the Charles River Watershed Association and a former Newton city councilor, emphasized the local significance of the measure.

“You cannot protect the Charles River without protecting the watershed lands around it,” Norton said.

Norton said the Hammond Pond Reservation, along with nearby conservation land including Webster Woods and Houghton Garden, forms a roughly 230-acre area that is the largest conservation area in Newton. The area includes wetlands, ponds, vernal pools, and wildlife habitat, she said.

“As we develop more, and build even more housing, which is much-needed and coming, it’s even more important that spaces like this are available for those who live in our urban and semi-urban environments,” Norton said.

Question 6 would establish a Nature for All Fund using revenue from the state’s existing sales tax on sporting goods. Supporters say the money could be used to conserve forests, farms, wetlands, and wildlife habitat, as well as improve parks, trails, and other outdoor spaces.

Healey said the initiative would allow Massachusetts to make additional investments in clean water, local farms, forests, and climate resilience at a time when federal environmental protections and funding are being reduced.

“We can make sure that we are using taxpayer dollars wisely in a way that makes sense by taking the revenue from existing sales tax,” Healey said.

Healey also highlighted the importance of making natural spaces accessible to residents across the state, saying access to clean air, clean water, and outdoor recreation contributes to residents’ quality of life.

David O’Neill, president and CEO of Mass Audubon, said the campaign has brought together 95 organizations, including conservation groups, environmental justice advocates, hunters and anglers, land trusts, and community organizations.

“This is one of the broadest coalitions assembled around conservation in Massachusetts history,” O’Neill said.

Rishi Reddi, vice president of the Massachusetts Conservation Law Foundation, focused on the potential impact of the measure on environmental justice communities. She said investments in trees, green space, and flood mitigation could help neighborhoods facing greater exposure to extreme heat, flooding, and air pollution.

“This is allowing environmental justice communities to have the tools they need to combat climate change,” Reddi said.

Katie Theoharides, president and CEO of The Trustees, similarly emphasized access to nature, arguing that every Massachusetts child should have access to a nearby natural space.

The rally comes as Question 6 heads to voters on the November 3 statewide ballot. Organizers said the campaign has collected more than 122,000 signatures to qualify the initiative for the ballot.

Supporters distributed “YES on 6” lawn signs and other campaign materials following the rally.