Bhaamati Borkhetaria is a reporter at CommonWealth Beacon. Originally from New Jersey, she moved to Boston for a software engineering job at Amazon Web Services. Passionate about writing, news, politics, and public policy, she made a career shift into journalism.
Bhaamati first became interested in journalism while completing her degree in English Literature and Computer Science from Princeton University. There, she was a staff writer at two student publications.
She wrote opinion columns for The Daily Princetonian and feature stories for Business Today. She also spent a summer at Forbes India where she wrote web stories and magazine articles based on interviews with corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and celebrities.
Legislators consider 8 bills to increase cap on cannabis dispensary ownership
Nearly 60 industry leaders and business owners signed a letter arguing against making the change
‘We have time to reverse this. We have time to step up’
Former EPA administrator Gina McCarthy on what the Trump administration’s rollback of climate policies means for Massachusetts (and other states)
Mass. inspector general calls on cannabis regulators to conduct an audit over $550,000 in uncollected fees
A letter to agency heads details ‘egregious operational breakdown’ and ‘poor business practices and oversight’
Mass. agriculture commissioner urges federal government to release funds and rehire USDA staff
As the spring growing season grows closer, frozen funds are pushing farmers ‘further to the edge of risk’
Massachusetts-based company launches program to fund community solar projects
Solstice is charging a premium on renewable energy credits to companies like Microsoft to create a fund for solar projects in underserved communities
Cannabis commission punts on long-term decision to keep cannabis delivery exclusive to social equity businesses
The exclusivity period is extended for one year while the commission gathers more data
After heating bills spike, Healey announces $50 credit for electric customers
The administration is also working to establish guidelines for a discount rate for low- and moderate-income customers
EPA move to undermine greenhouse gas regulation will hurt US competitiveness, says former Mass. energy official
Barbara Kates-Garnick says states like Mass., with strong standards, can create rules on their own, but a patchwork approach will make it difficult to combat climate change and hurt green industries
The $500 million cut to Mass Save budget is ‘short-sighted,’ climate activists say
Funding mechanism for the energy efficiency program has come under fire as gas bills skyrocketed during an unusually cold winter
Massachusetts cannabis industry struggles with diversity in senior leadership despite equity mandates
“If our stated goal was to ensure that the folks who were affected were supposed to get first access to this industry, then yeah, we could do better”
Spring in Massachusetts has warmed by approximately two and a half degrees Fahrenheit over the past 55 years
Warmer temperatures mean earlier fire seasons and a greater risk of drought in the state
Trump administration seeks review of California emissions waivers adopted by Massachusetts
If Congress revokes the stricter emissions standards for cars and trucks, Massachusetts’ climate goals would be threatened, according to experts
Regulators take aim at ‘wild west’ of cannabis host community agreements
Municipalities want to squeeze as much money as possible from cannabis companies, but many are running afoul of a 2022 law that caps fees at three percent
Three federal grants targeting diesel fuel emissions are now unavailable to Massachusetts
Funding freeze continues despite federal judge’s temporary restraining order
Eight Massachusetts communities crack down on youth tobacco use
Meanwhile, lawmakers file a bill to prohibit the sale of tobacco to anyone born after a certain date
Republican and Democratic lawmakers push for a statewide water conservation strategy
Advocates say there is more urgency as climate change intensifies droughts and wildfires throughout the state
National Grid pulls plug on a geothermal pilot program in Lowell
The company cited higher-than-anticipated costs
Replacing fossil fuel-fired ‘peaker plants’ can help Massachusetts meet climate goals, according to new report
Report details case studies where replacement of fossil fuel infrastructure is underway
Winthrop rejects MBTA Communities zoning plan
The move puts the town at risk of losing state grants
Cannabis Control Commission unveils new rules for social consumption
Implementation will depend on the embattled agency’s ability to hire a new executive director
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