applaudwomen.com Blog

I’ve recently begun looking for information to blog about and found some very interesting and informative articles that relate to women anywhere. I’m sure they have been helpful to local women here in NH and MA. But the last couple of days I was really hoping to find something that directly relates to the women here that I want to reach and especially if it’s celebratory in nature. So imagine my excitement when I found a blog by a Tennessee woman making the following positive comments about the recent Boston.com article about the progressive strides made by our newly, female majority run legislative body in NH.

TENNESSEE GUERILLA WOMEN
Friday, May 01, 2009
The Matriarchy Of New Hampshire

The first female dominated legislature in the country is making some kickass progressive changes.

Forget moving to Canada, let’s just head for New Hampshire! Renee Loth at the Boston Globe has the glowing details:

First, the New Hampshire House of Representatives voted to raise the state’s gasoline tax by 15 cents over three years. Then the House approved a bill allowing the use of medical marijuana, by a vote of 234-138. Next, it voted to repeal the state’s capital punishment statute. The House wrapped up March with a vote to legalize same-sex marriage, and the Senate followed suit yesterday.
What could be causing this unprecedented turn in Granite State politics? Here’s one idea: women.
Since January, the New Hampshire Senate has been making history as the first majority female legislative body in the country: Thirteen of its 24 members are women. Overall, the New Hampshire Legislature is 37.7 percent female, just a fraction behind Vermont (37.8 percent) and Colorado (38 percent). But New Hampshire also has women in leadership: a woman House speaker, a woman Senate president, and a woman majority whip. The congressional delegation is 50 percent female, including one of only 17 women in the US Senate. It’s as if there was a bloodless coup of the state’s political establishment in November, and women were the avatars of change.
What’s the matter with New Hampshire? Nothing. They’ve just seen the future up there.
For the full article from Boston.com link to http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/04/30/the_matriarchy_up_north/
We at Applaud Women applaud you!! For more articles written by NH & MA writers and professionals and resource information go to our website at www.applaudwomen.com.

The following was released today by the EPA Office of Public Affairs
Release date: 04/24/2009
Contact Information: EPA Office of Public Affairs, (617) 918-1010
(Boston, Mass. – April 24, 2009) – In a move that stands to create jobs, boost local economies, reduce diesel emissions and protect human health and the environment for the people in New Hampshire, EPA has awarded $1.73 million to the N.H. Dept. of Environmental Services (NH DES). The funding can be used to support clean diesel projects and loan programs to address the nation’s existing fleet of over 11 million diesel engines.
“This is part of the nationwide clean energy transition that is clearing the air and creating millions of jobs across America,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “Communities using innovative measures to cut harmful diesel emissions are cutting costs, creating jobs, and keeping people healthy.”
“This Recovery Act funding will provide a great boost to Clean Air investments in New Hampshire,” said Ira Leighton, acting regional administrator for EPA’s New England office. “This money will help the state to bolster its economy, protect public health and create green jobs that improve air quality.”
The funds provided by the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) of 2009 will go to the state’s air resources program. This program will retrofit, replace, upgrade and repower a variety of public and privately owned fleets, including school buses, transit buses, medium and heavy duty trucks, marine engines, locomotives, construction equipment and cargo handling equipment operating throughout the state.
In addition to helping to create and retain jobs, the clean diesel projects would reduce premature deaths, asthma attacks and other respiratory ailments, lost work days, and many other health impacts every year.
Under ARRA’s State clean diesel funding program, $88.2 million is divided equally through a noncompetitive allocation process, meaning that all 50 states and the District of Columbia will receive $1.73 million.
States, local governments, non-profits and tribal agencies can also compete for a portion of $206 million under ARRA’s National clean diesel funding program.
President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 on February 17, 2009 and has directed that the Recovery Act be implemented with unprecedented transparency and accountability. To that end, the American people can see how every dollar is being invested at Recovery.gov.
For information about local resources and articles for women in New Hampshire and Massachusetts visit our website at http://applaudwomen.com