Governor-elect Healey names Hoffer as country’s first-ever Climate Chief
Governor-elect Maura Healey announced Monday that Melissa Hoffer will serve as Massachusett’s first-ever Climate Chief, a new cabinet position that will help drive climate policy in all levels of decision-making in the Bay State. It is the first time a state has established such a position at the cabinet level.
According to a statement from Healey’s office, the position was established to ensure that the climate crisis is always at the forefront of Massachusett’s decision-making.
Hoffman is currently serving as the Principal Deputy General Counsel at the Environmental Protection Agency and was previously the Chief of the Energy and Environment Bureau at the Massachusetts’ Attorney General’s office.
“Melissa Hoffer is unstoppable. I’m thrilled to welcome her back to Massachusetts as our first-ever Climate Chief,” said Healey in a statement. “The creation of this position sends a clear message that Massachusetts is a global leader in the fight against climate change and that it will be central to all of the work we do across the administration. We’re going to partner with our workforce each step of the way to deliver critical investments in cleaner energy, transportation, infrastructure and housing.”
Hoffer will report directly to the governor as a cabinet member and will play an important role in putting helping the Headley administration meet ambitious climate goals, such as achieving 100 percent clean electricity supply by 2030 and electrifying public transportation with clean power by 2040.
“I’m honored and thrilled to be asked by Governor-elect Healey and Lieutenant Governor-elect Driscoll to serve as Massachusetts’ first Climate Chief,” said Hoffer. “The climate crisis is one of the biggest challenges we face, but it also presents an unprecedented opportunity for us to build a better, healthier, more equitable future. Climate change is not just an environmental issue – it’s a public health issue, an energy security issue, an issue inextricably linked with emergency preparedness, land use, agriculture, workforce development, clean tech innovation, transportation, housing, education and more. With this new office, we’re establishing a governance structure that reflects that reality and ensures our actions are aligned with the science.”
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