Massachusetts House Passes Strong Energy Policy
Environment Massachusetts
Congratulates Leaders on Steps to a New Energy Future
BOSTON
– The House today voted to pass Speaker DiMasi’s Green Communities bill - a bill that the Speaker has referred to as
the preeminent accomplishment of this legislative session. This re-drafted version of his original
energy bill has amassed broad support from environmental groups and industry groups
alike.
“We are excited to see a strong bill pass out of the House
before Thanksgiving,” said Diana Connett, Energy Associate with Environment
Massachusetts. “This bill deploys the
right tools to address our energy problems by boosting energy efficiency and
renewable energy.”
The bill calls for utilities to cut energy waste by
directing them to capture all energy efficiency that is less expensive than
buying that power from power plants – a practice known as “least cost
procurement.” It also cuts energy waste
by updating building codes to reflect international efficiency standards, known
as IECC. The bill boosts renewable
energy in Massachusetts first by it extending the Renewable Energy Standard,
which says that by 2020 14% of electricity in the Commonwealth must come from
new renewable sources like wind, solar, and clean biomass power, and second, by
launching a pilot program to encourage renewable energy development through
offering long term contracts for their clean electricity.
“This bill has the potential to launch Massachusetts into the forefront of the
energy debate and to serve as a standard for other states and the federal
government,” added Connett. “And we look
forward to working with legislative leadership and the governor to address a
couple sections of the bill that raise concern.”
While generally supportive and enthusiastic, one of the
sections that environmental groups have expressed concern about is the
Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard, which would offer incentives for some fossil-fuel
based technologies. They have also expressed
apprehension about the section concerning funding for the Massachusetts
Renewable Energy Trust (MRET), which would take the funding for MRET away from
the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative.
Connett concluded, “This energy bill is a visionary response
to our energy problems and takes major steps to put us on track to a new energy
future. We are hopeful that this bill
will be passed quickly so that the legislature can tackle global warming legislation
this session.”
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