Page 16 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2021 Baker establishes fi rst ever Commission on Clean Heat B uilding on the Baker-Polito Administration’s national leadership on climate change and its commitment to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, on September 20 Governor Charlie Baker signed an Executive Order which establishes a Commission on Clean Heat to advise the Administration on strategies and policies to achieve deep emissions reductions from the use of heating fuels in the Commonwealth. The Commission, the fi rst-of-its-kind in the United States, will establish a framework for a long-term decline in emissions from heating fuels – consistent with the fi ndings from the “Massachusetts 2050 Decarbonization Roadmap” – and help the Commonwealth meet the ambitious emissions reduction targets signed into law by Baker in March 2021. The Executive Order was signed as the Administration celebrates Climate Week in Massachusetts. “Recognizing the urgent challenge presented by climate change and the need to reduce emissions, our Administration is convening this fi rstof-its-kind commission to help the Commonwealth meet our emissions reduction goals,” said Baker. “By soliciting the expertise of leaders with a variety of perspectives, including the aff ordable housing community, we can ensure that the strategies and policies we pursue to reduce emissions from heating fuels will be innovative, aff ordable, and equitable.” “Massachusetts has ambitious climate goals, and we will need to pursue innovative solutions to reduce emissions from our heating fuels, keep costs low, and deliver lasting benefi ts to our communities,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “The Commission on Clean Heat will refl ect a diversity of expertise that will be crucial in developing the forward-thinking policies we need to achieve our nation-leading emissions reduction targets.” The Commission will be chaired by Energy and Environmental Aff airs (EEA) Secretary Kathleen Theoharides, or a designee appointed by the EEA secretary, and shall include up to 22 additional members recommended by the EEA secretary and appointed by the governor. The Commission will refl ect a diversity of perspectives and backgrounds from outside stakeholders, including representatives from the fi elds of affordable housing, energy effi - cient building design and construction, healthcare, heating system design and technology, real estate and heating fuel distribution. Once appointed, the Commission will meet regularly, advise the governor on a framework for long-term greenhouse gas emission reductions from heating fuels and provide policy recommendations to help the Commonwealth meet the requirements of the Global Warming Solutions Act. In March, Baker signed nation-leading climate legislation that commits the Commonwealth to reducing emissions below 1990 levels by 50 percent by 2030, 75 percent by 2040 and to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. “By working directly with stakeholders and soliciting a variety of perspectives, Massachusetts will be in a stronger position to develop innovative policies and solutions to cost-eff ectively reduce emissions from heating homes and buildings,” said Secretary Theoharides. “The Executive Order signed by Governor Baker once again puts Massachusetts on the leading edge of climate action in the U.S. by taking a deliberate, collaborative and thoughtful approach to decarbonizing our buildings sector.” “Transitioning our buildings sector to a clean, resilient, and aff ordable future will require an unprecedented level of ambition, planning, and ultimately energy effi ciency and clean energy deployment. Massachusetts has led the nation in bold and innovative energy policy and today’s Executive Order signed by Governor Baker embarks our state in another chapter of our climate leadership with a singular focus on clean building policies,” said Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Patrick Woodcock. “In order to achieve our long-term climate goals, we will need to make signifi cant investments to lower emissions from our buildings sector through energy effi ciency and clean energy and this new Commission starts the process with collaboration, deliberation, and analysis that will set that foundation.” Aligned with the “Massachusetts 2050 Decarbonization Roadmap,” the Commission will develop policy recommendations to accelerate the deployment of energy effi ciency programs and clean heating systems in new and existing buildings and transition existing distribution systems to clean energy. The Commission’s focus will include fi nancing mechanisms, incentives and other regulatory options, including a framework for a cap on greenhouse gas emissions from heating fuels. As it develops its recommendations, the Commission will consider the various benefi ts of any policy proposal as well as aff ordability, equity and how it works within specifi c regional circumstances. The Commission will provide Baker with a set of policy recommendations by November 30, 2022, that will sustainably reduce the use of heating fuels and minimize emissions from the building sector while ensuring costs and opportunities arising from such reductions are distributed equitably. “As we continue to tackle the dual challenges of economic recovery and the housing crisis, I am pleased that we will have a Commission comprised of leaders with varied perspectives to deliberate on this important topic,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Michael Kennealy. “We look forward to the conversations and strategies that will come out of this collaborative eff ort.” The Executive Order also establishes an Interagency Building Decarbonization Task Force to support the work of the Commission. This Task Force will consist of subject matter experts from across the BAKER | SEE PAGE 21
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