As the new home of MASSPIRG's environmental work, Environment Massachusetts can be contacted regarding this news release.
BOSTON—At
a meeting today in the State House, the Legislature’s Joint Committee
on Telecommunication, Utilities, and Energy recommended passage of a
bill that would make common household and commercial appliances in
Massachusetts more energy-efficient, cutting utility bills for
customers throughout the state. The committee’s action marks a crucial
step toward passage of the bill into law. Environmental and consumer
advocates hailed the committee’s action and praised committee members
for their work on the bill.
“This
bill is good for consumers, good for business, and good for the
environment,” said Frank Gorke, Energy Advocate for the Massachusetts
Public Interest Research Group, or MASSPIRG. “Senator Michael Morrissey
of Quincy and Representative Brian Dempsey of Haverhill, the committee
chairmen, and Representative Matt Patrick of Falmouth and Senator
Robert O’Leary of the Cape and Islands, the bill’s original sponsors,
deserve thanks for their foresight and leadership in advancing this
important energy- and money-saving measure.”
The
bill, filed and championed by Representative Matt Patrick of Falmouth
and Senator Robert O’Leary of the Cape and Islands, would make common
appliances like traffic signals, commercial washing machines, home
furnaces and boilers, and about a dozen other products more energy
efficient, cutting energy bills in the commonwealth by almost $1.6
billion between now and 2030. The bill would also reduce the threat of
brownouts and blackouts by lowering demand on the electricity grid, and
has support from two of the region’s biggest utilities, Massachusetts
Electric and KeySpan.
"Heating
costs hit record highs last winter, and the time is ripe to reduce home
heating bills," said Charlie Harak, an attorney for the National
Consumer Law Center who represents low-income energy users. "This bill
is very good for low-income utility customers, especially because of
the efficiency standard for home furnaces and boilers. The bill will
produce significant savings for people who already spend a huge portion
of their incomes on heating their homes."
Currently
there are federal efficiency standards for a number of products on the
market, like refrigerators and residential air conditioners. But the
federal program has not kept pace with technology, so several states
are taking the lead and passing bills that would set state appliance
efficiency standards to guarantee residents will save money on their
electricity bills. The bill is expected to be sent to either the House
or Senate for further review.
"With
every day that passes we see more evidence of the need for states to
act to help their residents and businesses cope with higher and higher
energy prices," said Susan Coakley, executive director of
Lexington-based Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP), which
is coordinating the effort to promote new appliance efficiency
standards in 10 Northeast states. "Today, thanks to the leadership of
Rep. Patrick, Sen. O'Leary, Rep. Dempsey and Sen. Morrissey,
Massachusetts moved closer to joining Maryland, New Jersey, New York,
Connecticut and Rhode Island in taking our energy future into our own
hands."
