Gov. Maura Healey started working shortly on her first full day in workplace, signing an government order that established an Office of Climate Innovation and Resilience overseen by a newly appointed local weather chief, Melissa Hoffer.
Healey introduced her “first order of business” Friday afternoon throughout her first official press convention, which was held instantly after she met along with her Cabinet secretaries on the State House, for the primary time as governor.
“It was important to the lieutenant governor and me that we take this action immediately because we have no time to delay,” Healey mentioned, as Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll and members of her Cabinet stood behind her.
“The climate crisis threatens every aspect of Massachusetts, like our environment, economy, businesses, health, transportation, housing, infrastructure. It is our greatest challenge, but it is also our greatest opportunity. Massachusetts can and will be a global leader in the fight against climate change.”
Healey mentioned the brand new local weather workplace can be charged with “harnessing all of the resources and authority” accessible to her and the manager division to advance the state’s local weather targets.
Hoffer is the “first-ever” local weather chief in Massachusetts, which is the primary state within the nation to ascertain such a place on the cupboard degree.
Per the manager order, Hoffer is tasked with starting a complete assessment of present staffing, policy-making and assets of all cupboard secretaries “to support a whole of government approach to addressing climate change.” She should current her preliminary findings to Healey and Driscoll inside 180 days.
Each cupboard secretary is required, per the order, to nominate a local weather officer, who shall be “responsible for implementing climate-related efforts” inside their related government division, in session with Hoffer.
Hoffer beforehand labored as performing basic counsel on the EPA throughout the early days of the Biden administration, and was chief of Healey’s Environmental Protection Division and Energy and Environmental Bureau whereas the governor was lawyer basic.
Healey additionally introduced she had reappointed former Gov. Charlie Baker’s October 2021 choose for secretary of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, Terrence Reidy, saying that he has a “proven track record of keeping our communities safe.”
Healey appointed Mike Doheny, who most lately labored as basic counsel and undersecretary of labor, as performing labor and workforce secretary; and Jennifer Maddox, undersecretary on the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development, as performing housing and financial improvement secretary.
Healey tapped Mary Beckman, who beforehand labored as chief of the state Attorney General’s Health Care and Fair Competition Bureau, for performing well being and human providers secretary.
The seek for labor and workforce and well being and human providers secretaries is energetic and ongoing, Healey’s workplace mentioned. Press secretary Karissa Hand mentioned Maddox will serve till everlasting appointee Yvonne Hao is sworn in.
Hao, who has 25 years of enterprise government expertise, shall be Healey’s housing and financial improvement secretary till the 2 government workplaces are break up, Hand mentioned.
“Once the housing secretary legislation is finalized, her position will become secretary of economic development,” Hand mentioned of Hao. “We will appoint a secretary of housing.”
Healey additionally must appoint a veterans’ providers secretary by March. When requested, Healey mentioned her administration is “working as diligently and expeditiously as possible” to fill all the vacant cupboard secretary positions.
Aside from Hao and two others, Healey’s new Cabinet secretaries have been sworn in previous to their first Cabinet assembly on Friday morning.
In attendance have been Hoffer, Maddox, Doheny, Reidy, Beckman, Secretary of Administration and Finance Matt Gorzkowicz, Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler, Secretary of Transportation Gina Fiandaca, Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Rebecca Tepper, and Secretary of Technology Services and Security Jason Snyder.
“While Gina Fiandaca and Jason Snyder attended today’s cabinet meeting, they will not be sworn in until later in the month so that they can transition out of their current roles,” Hand mentioned. “Secretary Tesler will continue in his role during this interim period and Matthew Moran, who is currently an assistant secretary at EOTSS, will be acting technology services and security secretary.”
Healey and Driscoll have been scarce on particulars about what was mentioned on the cupboard assembly, with Driscoll solely providing that it was “incredibly productive,” and gave these in attendance “a chance to get to know each other.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com”