"Our hands are tied"

Also: The $1.8M effort to preserve a famous White Mountains trail; Project Puffin [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  August 1, 2023 ☀️ Sunny, with a high near 77. Good Morning Boston, Exhale. It was [way too close for comfort]( but the U.S. women's soccer team [advanced to the World Cup knockout round]( after tying Portugal this morning. And it doesn't get any easier from here. The team's next game is this Sunday at 5 a.m — likely against Sweden. Anyway, it's [already August](. Let's get to the news. - Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is chipping away at the city's biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions: buildings. But she's growing a little restless she can't move faster. During her monthly interview yesterday on Radio Boston, Wu said "our hands are tied" on some of the city's biggest climate initiatives. "We have the resources, the willpower, the partnerships that are ready to go," she said. "And yet we're still waiting to hear back if we will get into the state's 10 communities pilot program to be able to fully regulate how we can allow for — or phase out — fossil fuel infrastructure in buildings." - What is she talking about? Under state law, Massachusetts cities and towns [are not currently allowed to ban gas and oil hookups in new buildings]( or mandate all-electric construction. Boston has, however, [moved]( to join [a pilot program]( [created by last year's climate law]( that would let some communities do so (with exceptions for certain buildings like labs and hospitals). - The catch: The pilot program is limited to 10 communities, but more than 10 want to join. According to state regulations, Boston won't find out if it makes the cut until next March at the earliest. For her part, Wu isn't satisfied with the scope — she wants more than 10 communities to be included — or the timeline, given the state's [2050 climate goals]( "We need to get started now." - Baby steps: For now, Wu is focusing on what she can control. On Monday, she signed an executive order banning fossil fuels in all newly constructed or extensively renovated municipal buildings (think: schools, community centers, libraries, etc). WBUR's Walter Wuthmann has [more on the order here](. It's also worth noting Boston has [adopted the state's "stretch" code]( which makes fossil fuel hookups more expensive, but does not ban them. - The numbers: Buildings account for 70% Boston's overall emissions. But municipal buildings are only a tiny fraction of that. Municipal emissions make up just 2.3% of all Boston emissions, and city-owned buildings account for [a third]( of that 2.3%. That's why Wu wants to take more sweeping action, even if some [worry it could temper needed housing production](. - Go deeper: You can listen to Wu's full interview on Radio Boston — including her defense of the plan to move the John D. O'Bryant school to West Roxbury — [right here](. - Decision time: That budget deal we mentioned Monday? The House and Senate both swiftly passed the $56 billion package and it hit Gov. Maura Healey's desk yesterday afternoon. The 10-day countdown now begins for Healey to sign the spending bill (and potentially veto parts of it). - One item we didn't talk about yesterday: If signed, the budget would reinstate [a pandemic-era policy]( that banned landlords from evicting tenants if they are seeking state financial aid to pay rent. The original program [expired at the end of March](. - New month; new MBTA closure: Tonight marks the beginning of [another series of evening and weekend diversions]( on the Red Line's Braintree branch, which will continue through the end of August. (There'll also be corresponding diversions on the commuter rail.) - On weeknights: Shuttle buses will sub in for a section of the Braintree branch every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday starting at 8:45 p.m. (This week and next week, it's between [between North Quincy and JFK/UMass]( then it's between Quincy Center and Braintree on Aug. 15-17, Aug. 22-24 and Aug. 29-31.) - On weekends: Shuttle buses will replace train service for the entire branch — from Braintree to JFK/UMass. Those diversions will begin at 8:45 p.m. each Friday and run through Sunday. - The NAACP is wrapping up its five-day convention weekend in Boston tonight with [an event featuring Hillary Clinton](. Rep. Ayanna Pressley also delivered the keynote address at the convention's "Black Met Gala" last night. You can [listen to her full speech here](. - P.S.— Speaking of the T, MBTA General Manager Phil Eng is making his first appearance on Radio Boston today. Tune in at 11 a.m. and send us your T-related queries through [the Radio Boston text club](. Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [The $1.8 million effort to preserve one of the White Mountains most famous trails]( An ambitious five-year project is underway to overhaul every foot of the Franconia Ridge trail, preserving and protecting it from the pressures of heavy use and extreme weather. [Read more.]( [The $1.8 million effort to preserve one of the White Mountains most famous trails]( An ambitious five-year project is underway to overhaul every foot of the Franconia Ridge trail, preserving and protecting it from the pressures of heavy use and extreme weather. [Read more.]( [Mass. opens second intake center and shelter for unhoused, migrant families]( The Healey administration announced it has opened a second 'Family Welcome Center' in Quincy, more than a month after they established its initial center in Allston. [Read more.]( [Mass. opens second intake center and shelter for unhoused, migrant families]( The Healey administration announced it has opened a second 'Family Welcome Center' in Quincy, more than a month after they established its initial center in Allston. [Read more.]( [After yearlong fight, a near-total abortion ban is going into effect in Indiana]( Indiana's law will bar abortions except in cases of lethal fetal anomaly, rape or incest, or when the woman's life or health are seriously jeopardized. The fallout will be felt across the Midwest. [Read more.]( [After yearlong fight, a near-total abortion ban is going into effect in Indiana]( Indiana's law will bar abortions except in cases of lethal fetal anomaly, rape or incest, or when the woman's life or health are seriously jeopardized. The fallout will be felt across the Midwest. [Read more.]( [Haitians, weary of gang violence, protest the kidnapping of New Hampshire nurse and her daughter]( Hundreds of Haitians have marched through the capital, Port-au-Prince, in protest at the reported abduction of a New Hampshire nurse and her daughter. [Read more.]( [Haitians, weary of gang violence, protest the kidnapping of New Hampshire nurse and her daughter]( Hundreds of Haitians have marched through the capital, Port-au-Prince, in protest at the reported abduction of a New Hampshire nurse and her daughter. [Read more.]( [Police believe Appalachian Trail hiker death is 2nd caused by severe flooding in Vermont]( Police recovered the body of experienced New York hiker on Friday two weeks after he was last seen at a shelter near a brook that saw elevated water levels when heavy rains battered Vermont in early July. [Read more.]( [Police believe Appalachian Trail hiker death is 2nd caused by severe flooding in Vermont]( Police recovered the body of experienced New York hiker on Friday two weeks after he was last seen at a shelter near a brook that saw elevated water levels when heavy rains battered Vermont in early July. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - We have [a chance to view the first or two August supermoons tonight]( the so-called sturgeon supermoon. But set a reminder for Aug. 30. That's when an even more rare blue supermoon will be viewable — and your next chance to see that occurrence won't be until 2023. - Move over Folk Fest: With performances from musicians like Melvis Santa, The Soul Rebels and James Brandon Lewis, this weekend's Newport Jazz Festival will be one for the books. WBUR contributor Noah Schaffer [highlights 10 of this year's exciting new acts](. - Paul Reubens — the actor, writer and creator behind the comic character Pee-wee Herman — has died of cancer at the age of 70. Here's [a look back at Reubens' life and his long-running attempt]( to convince the public Pee-wee was a real person, not a character. - Not your typical lifeguard rescue: A small plane crashed into the water just off New Hampshire's popular Hampton Beach on Sunday and a Fitchburg resident [caught the entire incident on video](. (Fortunately, the pilot was not hurt and helped ashore by lifeguards.)  What We're Reading 📚 This section is supported by [Beacon Hill Books]( a new independent bookstore. - Senator Duckworth took her daughters to see ‘Barbie.’ Because she’s in a wheelchair, she had to wait outside. ([The 19th News]( - Here are the 25 members of Congress who drive electric cars ([Politico]( - Tell Me Why It Hurts ([New York Magazine](  Tell Me Something Good [A 50-year triumph that brought puffins back to New England (WCVB)]( It’s a success story that’s five decades in the making. And now, techniques pioneered to help grow the Maine colony of puffins are now being used around the globe to aid other seabirds. [Read more.]( [A 50-year triumph that brought puffins back to New England (WCVB)]( It’s a success story that’s five decades in the making. And now, techniques pioneered to help grow the Maine colony of puffins are now being used around the globe to aid other seabirds. [Read more.]( Listen: The Common brings you [the story behind the curation of the City of Boston's official summer mixtape](. Play: [WBUR's daily mini crossword.]( Can you keep your streak going? Before you go: ["DO NOT BOOK — the host is a nightmare."]( Correction: Yesterday's newsletter mistakenly referred to the size of state budget bill. It is $56 billion, not $56 million. 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up [here](. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📧 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. [Check out all of our newsletter offerings.]( Support the news   Want to change how you receive these emails? Stop getting this newsletter by [updating your preferences.](  I don't want to hear from WBUR anymore. Unsubscribe from all WBUR editorial newsletters [here](.  Interested in learning more about corporate sponsorship? [Click here.]( Copyright © 2023 WBUR-FM, All rights reserved.