Statement of Diana Connett of Environment Massachusetts on Proposed Amendments to State Energy Bill
The Senate is poised for success today.
We
appreciate the leadership of Senate President Murray and Senate Committee
Chairs Morrissey, and Panagiotakos, who have put forth a bold update to our
state’s energy policy. We are expectant
that the final Senate energy bill, to be voted on today, will be among the
strongest new energy policies in the country.
The
Senate energy bill, An Act to Generate Renewable Energy and Efficiency Now,
is the latest iteration of the bill passed by the House in November. The Senate version has in many ways improved
upon the commitments to cutting energy waste and promoting clean, homegrown
energy that are the hallmarks of the House energy bill. But with 125 amendments proposed to the bill,
there is clearly still room for improvement.
One crucial amendment would create
an oil efficiency program in Massachusetts. We already have an effective efficiency
program for electricity, and the bill authorizes one for gas. And with home heating oil prices
sky-rocketing and the effects on global warming increasingly destructive, a
program to cut oil waste is essential.
We hope the Senate will include this important amendment today.
Other amendments to watch include a
host that could undermine hard-won energy efficiency and renewable energy gains
already authorized in the bill. Notably,
amendments that would undermine smarter buildings and clean energy generation
should not be adopted by the Senate.
We are excited to see the outcome of
the Senate debate today and look forward to working with the legislature and
administration to finalize this visionary energy bill. Passing legislation like this will put Massachusetts back into
the vanguard of states that are driving the nation toward a cleaner energy
future.
