Page 8 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – Friday, February 14, 2020 DiDomenico and Senate colleagues approve next-gen climate policy O n January 30, Senator Sal DiDomenico and his colleagues in the Massachusetts State Senate passed three bills that boldly tackle the contributing factors of climate change, chart one of the most aggressive courses of action against global warming in the country and pave the way for a clean energy future for all of Massachusetts’s residents. An Act setting next generation climate policy and two companion bills – one dealing with electrifying MBTA fl eets and another updating energy effi ciency standards for appliances – passed overwhelmingly (36-2, 35-2, 35-2) and with bipartisan support. “We know that time is running out to take bold action on climate change, and this ambitious package is a direct response to the incredible advocacy we have heard from our constituents, especially young activists,” said DiDomenico. “Combating the climate crisis is an ongoing process, but I am proud of the steps we have taken to reduce emissions and create a more sustainable future for generations to come. We as a Commonwealth owe a big thank you to Senator Michael Barrett, Senate President Karen Spilka and Senate Ways & Means Chair Michael Rodrigues for their dedication to this issue and critical work on this comprehensive climate package.” Key provisions of the climate policy package include the following: • Setting a statewide greenhouse gas limit for the year 2050 of “net zero” emissions. To achieve this, An Act setting next-generation climate policy requires the state to hit nearterm limits in 2025, 2030 and every fi ve years thereafter; to set sub-limits for transportation, buildings, solid waste, natural gas distribution and other major sectors; and to make implementation plans that are “clear, comprehensive, and specifi c.” • Establishing the Massachusetts Climate Policy Commission; the commission would be a new, independent public watchdog to oversee the government’s handling of the unfolding crisis of climate change. Commissioners would be charged with off ering a nonpartisan, science-based view of the problem as it plays out in Massachusetts with its attendant natural, economic and demographic impacts and risks. • Refl ecting the price of carbon; the Administration would be free to choose among various market-based forms of pricing carbon. Any carbon-pricing mechanism must be implemented to minimize the impact on low-income households, disadvantaged communities, and vulnerable manufacturing sectors. • Jumpstarting eff orts to supply low-cost solar electricity to low-income communities. To reverse the failure of state programs to incentivize solar energy projects in low-income neighborhoods, as well as spur job creation, the bill requires the Department of Energy Resources (DOER) to set aside future solar allocations for such neighborhoods. • Letting cities and towns adopt a “net zero” stretch energy code and the state to support communities that choose on their own to move away from fossil fuels as the source of heating for new buildings. • Nudging natural gas utilities to adapt – authorizes utilities to test technology and pipelines that generate and transport “renewable thermal energy,” an emissions-free way to heat buildings that draws on the relative warmth of temperatures below ground. • Strengthening executive branch oversight of Mass Save – directs the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) to set emissions-reduction goals, in advance, for each three-year plan the utilities formulate for Mass Save. The bill requires the Department of Public Utilities (DPU), at the conclusion of each threeyear plan, to certify how much POLICY | SEE PAGE 9
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