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Public Policy Tipoffs Involving Massachusetts Newsletter for 2025-08-16 ( 24 items )  
ABB Installation Products Inc. Raises Concerns Over EPA's Cleanup Plan for Lower Neponset River (10)
WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 -- ABB Installation Products Inc. (formerly Thomas & Betts) has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regarding its Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis (EE/CA) for the Lower Neponset River Superfund Site in Boston, Massachusetts. The company supports the effective remediation of the site but expresses serious concerns about the proposals outlined in the EE/CA. In the comment letter, ABB Installation Products Inc. asserts that the curr more ST

Central West Justice Center Opposes HHS Reinterpretation of 'Federal Public Benefit' (10)
WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 -- The Central West Justice Center, Springfield, Massachusetts, has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) expressing strong opposition to the agency's proposed reinterpretation of "Federal public benefit" under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996. CWJC argues that this change will adversely impact the availability of essential services for countless low-income residents, par more ST

Children's HealthWatch Urges Reversal of New Health Benefits Interpretation (10)
WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 -- Children's HealthWatch, Boston, Massachusetts, has issued a public comment letter opposing a recent interpretation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services regarding the definition of "Federal public benefit" in the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA). This reinterpretation threatens to remove access to critical health programs funded by HHS for qualified, lawfully present immigrants and their families, including prog more ST

Community Action Agency of Somerville Argues New Interpretation of PRWORA Could Adversely Affect Head Start Programs (10)
WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 -- The Community Action Agency of Somerville, Massachusetts, has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) expressing significant concerns about a recent reinterpretation of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA). The agency argues that the new interpretation introduces eligibility barriers that could adversely affect the integrity and accessibility of Head Start programs, which se more ST

Community Catalyst Raises Concerns Over Health Equity After HHS Notice (10)
WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 -- Community Catalyst, Boston, Massachusetts, has issued a public comment letter addressing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) expressing strong opposition to a recent reinterpretation of the term "Federal public benefit," as defined under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA). Community Catalyst emphasizes that the changes could significantly impact access to essential health and social services for millions  more ST

Community Teamwork Argues Changes to PRWORA Pose Significant Challenges to Head Start Program (10)
WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 -- Community Teamwork, Lowell, Massachusetts, has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) addressing concerns over a recent reinterpretation of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA). The organization emphasizes that this change could pose significant challenges to the Head Start program, particularly for low-income families and children in early education. The letter argues th more ST

Coral Spawning is a Summer Spectacle in Woods Hole - and a Window Into Basic Biology (10)
WOODS HOLE, Massachusetts, Aug. 16 -- The Marine Biological Laboratory, an affiliate of the University of Chicago, issued the following news: * * * Coral Spawning is a Summer Spectacle in Woods Hole - and a Window into Basic Biology Each summer across the tropics, approximately eight days after the August full moon, spawning coral colonies release millions of clear, glittering gametes into coastal waters. This annual, synchronized reproduction cycle is a spectacle: Eggs shoot off like confett more PR

EDF, UCS Ask Court to Enjoin Trump Administration's Brazenly Unlawful Use of Corrupt "Science" Report (10)
CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, Aug. 15 [Category: Environment] -- The Union of Concerned Scientists posted the following news release: * * * EDF, UCS Ask Court to Enjoin Trump Administration's Brazenly Unlawful Use of Corrupt "Science" Report * BOSTON--Two leading science and environment groups are asking a federal district court to swiftly block the use of an inaccurate "science" report, developed in violation of federal law, at the center of the Trump administration's attempt to undo EPA's Enda more PR

GAO Sides With GE Over Arizona-Based Competitor (10)
WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 -- The Government Accountability Office has dismissed a protest filed by Skyladder Corp., a small business in Scottsdale, Arizona, challenging a contract awarded to General Electric (GE) of Lynn, Massachusetts. The dispute involved a contract for critical wiring harnesses used in military helicopters. The protest, filed by Skyladder, challenged a delivery order issued by the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation for wiring harnesses for T700 engines, which power Apache, Blackhaw more ST

Goodwin's Acquisition Finance Practice Gains Recognition in Latest JUVE Rankings (10)
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Aug. 15 [Category: BizLaw/Legal] -- Goodwin, a law firm, issued the following news release: * * * Goodwin's Acquisition Finance Practice Gains Recognition in Latest JUVE Rankings * Goodwin's German Acquisition Finance practice has once again been recognized in the latest JUVE Rankings for,,Lending and Acquisition Finance". The JUVE editorial team highlighted Goodwin's market leading position in the German mid-cap leveraged buy-out market and praised the team for havi more PR

How AI could speed the development of RNA vaccines and other RNA therapies (10)
CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, Aug. 15 -- The Massachusetts Institute of Technology issued the following news: * * * How AI could speed the development of RNA vaccines and other RNA therapies * Using artificial intelligence, MIT researchers have come up with a new way to design nanoparticles that can more efficiently deliver RNA vaccines and other types of RNA therapies. After training a machine-learning model to analyze thousands of existing delivery particles, the researchers used it to predi more PR

Lowell Community Health Center Advocates Urge HHS to Exclude Program from Federal Public Benefit Designation (10)
WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 -- The Lowell Community Health Center, Massachusetts, has raised strong concerns in a public comment letter submitted to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services advocating for the exclusion of the Health Center Program from the definition of "Federal Public Benefit" under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA). This concern follows a proposed reinterpretation published in the Federal Register on July 14, 2025. The Lowell more ST

Massachusetts Agency Opposes Special Exemption for Propane Delivery Drivers (10)
WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 -- The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation opposing a petition from the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) that seeks a special exemption from hours-of-service regulations for commercial vehicle drivers. The comment period for this petition, which was originally set to end on August 1, has been extended to August 15, allowing for additional feedback on the NPGA's request. The NPGA's  more ST

Massachusetts Food Insecurity Surges: GBFB's 2025 Report Details Scale, Costs, and What Works (10)
WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 (TNSLrpt) -- The Greater Boston Food Bank's 2025 Statewide Food Access Report finds that more than 1 in 3 Massachusetts households--about 2 million adults--experienced food insecurity in 2024, with very low food security rising to 24% (roughly 650,000 households regularly skipping meals or going whole days without eating). Disparities remain stark: Hispanic and Black households reported food insecurity rates of 62% and 46%, respectively; LGBTQ+ individuals, seniors, veterans, more ST

Massachusetts Head Start Association Raises Concerns Over HHS Interpretation of PRWORA (10)
WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 -- The Massachusetts Head Start Association (MHSA), Lynn, has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) expressing strong opposition to the agency's reinterpretation of the term "federal public benefit" under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA). This reinterpretation could potentially threaten the inclusion of certain children in Head Start programs, which serve low-income famil more ST

Neal Marks 90 Years of Social Security (10)
WASHINGTON, Aug. 13 -- Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Massachusetts, ranking member of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued the following news release: * * * Neal Marks 90 Years of Social Security SPRINGFIELD, MA-- Ahead of the 90th anniversary of President Franklin D. Roosevelt signing the Social Security Act into law on August 14, 1935, Ways and Means Ranking Member Richard E. Neal (D-MA) released the following statement on the sacred promise of Social Security: "90 years ago, America made  more PR

Northeastern Researcher Says Teachers Improve Instruction With More Feedback From Peers (10)
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Aug. 16 -- Northeastern University issued the following news: * * * Northeastern researcher says teachers improve instruction with more feedback from peers By Kate Rix Professor Jaci Urbani found that educators benefit from meeting regularly to ask probing and sometimes difficult questions about their teaching techniques. OAKLAND, Calif. -- Teachers who work with English language learning students benefit from honest feedback from peers on their instruction, a Northea more PR

Northeastern University: Scientists Make Major Breakthrough That Rewrites the Understanding of Plant Evolution (10)
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Aug. 16 -- Northeastern University issued the following news: * * * Scientists make major breakthrough that rewrites the understanding of plant evolution By Cody Mello-Klein Northeastern researchers trace the evolutionary history of moonseed, capable of a chemical reaction previously thought to be impossible for plants. What they found could have implications for designing new drugs. A new discovery from researchers at Northeastern University has uncovered previously  more PR

Oxfam America: Israel Threatens to Ban Major Aid Organizations as Starvation Deepens (10)
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Aug. 16 -- Oxfam America issued the following news release: * * * Israel threatens to ban major aid organizations as starvation deepens Oxfam and over 100 other organizations call for an end to Israel's weaponization of aid * Despite claims by Israeli authorities that there is no limit on humanitarian aid entering Gaza, most major international NGOs have been unable to deliver a single truck of lifesaving supplies since 2 March. Instead of clearing the growing backl more PR

Siemens Industry, Archer Well Raise Concerns Over EPA Superfund Cleanup Plan (10)
WASHINGTON, Aug. 16 -- Beveridge & Diamond PC, on behalf of Siemens Industry Inc., Munich, Germany, and Archer Well Co. have submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency contesting the agency's recommendation for a Non-Time Critical Removal Action at the Lower Neponset River Superfund Site in Boston, Massachusetts. The companies assert that the proposed cleanup plan, detailed in the agency's June 2025 Final Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis Report, is excessiv more ST

Statement by Senator Warren on CFPB Appeals Court Decision (10)
WASHINGTON, Aug. 16 -- Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, ranking member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, issued the following news release on Aug. 15, 2025: * * * Statement by Senator Warren on CFPB Appeals Court Decision U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, released the following statement on the decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on the Trump Administratio more PR

Support Expressed for Comprehensive Cleanup of Neponset River Superfund Site (10)
WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 -- The Town of Milton, Massachusetts, has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency advocating for Alternative RAA-4 in the ongoing cleanup of the Lower Neponset River Superfund Site. The town emphasizes the critical need for comprehensive removal of contaminated materials and soils, including the disassembly of the T & H Dam. The Select Board notes overwhelming agreement from the Lower Neponset Community Advisory Committee, which aligns w more ST

Trump administration threatens higher electricity prices by derailing solar, wind tax credits (10)
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Aug. 15 [Category: ThinkTank] -- Ceres, a non-profit organization that is mobilizing companies and investors to take stronger action on climate change, water scarcity and global sustainability challenges, posted the following news release: * * * Trump administration threatens higher electricity prices by derailing solar, wind tax credits * Ceres issued the following statement after the U.S. Treasury released new guidance that will severely restrict tax credit qualifica more PR

Wentworth Grad, Video Game Designer Redefines What It Means to Be an Artist (10)
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Aug. 16 -- Wentworth Institute of Technology issued the following news: * * * Wentworth Grad, Video Game Designer Redefines What It Means to Be an Artist By Emily Marrs One of his earliest memories includes playing video games with his two older brothers. Now, Wentworth Institute of Technology graduate Michael Berthaud works as a game designer and programmer for Warner Bros. "When I'm designing a project, the concept I tend to start with is, 'What is the feeling or more PR