Environmentalists
praise bill but express reservations about public money to subsidies coal plants
Boston,
MA – Today the Massachusetts House of Representatives gave final approval to An
Act Relative to Green Communities, the latest iteration of Speaker DiMasi’s
original energy bill. This bill prioritizes energy efficiency and renewable
energy as solutions to Massachusetts’
energy woes and has received broad support from environmental and industry
groups alike. The bill now heads to Governor Patrick’s desk; where he is
expected to sign it within the next seven days.
“The Massachusetts state legislature has made history by passing new energy
policy that will make Massachusetts a national leader in energy conservation
and will help our state promote clean energy and efficiency” said Ben Wright,
global warming advocate with Environment Massachusetts.
The bill requires that Massachusetts
produce 15% or our energy needs from clean, renewable sources, like wind and
solar power.
Additionally it curtails energy waste in several ways. It requires utility
companies to procure new energy resources from the cheapest available sources,
a boon for energy efficiency.
“Wasting less energy and using clean, homegrown sources of power reduces global
warming pollution and cuts energy bills,” added Wright. “This bill puts forth a
comprehensive set of solutions to our energy problems.”
The bill also provides numerous incentives for clean, renewable energy. It
promotes local generation of renewable energy, like solar panels and wind
turbines, by making them more cost-effective for individuals, communities, and
municipalities. It creates a framework for utilities to offer long term
contracts to renewable energy developers, and it offers resources to help
communities plan and implement energy saving or renewable energy projects.
From here, the bill will go to the desk of Governor Patrick, where he is
expected to sign it into law.
