Somerville Mayor To Take Over Environmental Council When Terms Ends

Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone has a new job lined up for when his term ends in January.

He'll take over as president of the Northeast Clean Energy Council, ending speculation that the Democrat might enter the race for governor.

But Curtatone's new gig will keep him active in politics. The council lobbies for stronger environmental laws and regulations.

Curtatone said in a statement that his goal with the council will be to tackle the climate crisis while strengthening the economy and creating a positive social impact.

“I’m a systems thinker and a regionalist," Curtatone said. "We’ve built coalitions to work together across those issues, bringing a broad swath of people together to effect real, sustainable change. Well, everything intersects with climate tech and clean energy. This is the future of our economy, healthcare, education, transportation. It touches every aspect of how we live, work, play and raise a family."

When his term ends, Curtatone will have been mayor of Somerville for 18 years, making him the city's longest serving chief executive.

“On behalf of the Board, we are honored to have the extraordinary leadership of Joe Curtatone taking NECEC into the critical 2020’s decade of climate action,” said Daniel Goldman, board chairman at NECEC, in a statement. “Joe’s unparalleled track record of progress in Somerville provides NECEC with the experience and ability to integrate energy equity and environmental justice into the organization’s broad clean energy and climate objectives across the region.”

With reporting from WBUR's Walter Wuthmann and Laney Ruckstuhl