Page 10 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2024 MASS. | FROM Page 3 “This week the Massachusetts Legislature passed a major climate bill that takes big steps toward reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. This will speed up the approval process for clean energy projects, expands electric vehicle charging, supports new green technologies, and helps protect residents from rising energy costs—paving the way for a cleaner, more sustainable future for everyone in the Commonwealth,” said State Representative Jeff rey Rosario Turco (D- Winthrop). “This legislation is a signifi - cant step forward as Massachusetts continues working toward our net-zero goals,” said State Representative Jessica Ann Giannino (D-Revere). “It addresses pressing energy and climate challenges by modernizing the state’s energy grid and expanding clean energy generation. I’m proud to support this comprehensive bill and grateful for Speaker Mariano’s leadership in advancing it.” Together, the policies transform the future of energy generation, distribution, and consumption in Massachusetts. Major components of the legislation include Expediting siting and permitting. The bill consolidates reviews of clean energy siting and permitting, which will speed the pace of planning, constructing, and bringing clean energy infrastructure online to support clean energy technologies such as solar, wind, and storage to create an electrified future and reduce emissions. Large projects that require state, regional, and local permits will be consolidated into a single permit that requires action within 15 months. Small projects with multiple local permits will also be consolidated into a single permit and require action within 12 months. Each process is modeled on the work of a commission established by the Healey-Driscoll Administration that received extensive feedback from a diverse group of stakeholders. Expedited permitting is paired with enhanced community review via new offices created by the bill, including the Offi ce of Environmental Justice and Equity, the Offi ce of Public Participation at the Energy Facilities Siting Board, and the Division of Siting and Permitting at the Department of Energy Resources. Each offi ce will be charged with engaging with and providing resources to communities and applicants to ensure a thorough, equitable and community-centered review. To help protect residents from bearing the cost of building new infrastructure, when possible, the state will require the Energy Facilities Siting Board to first consider maximizing the efficiency of current infrastructure through the use of innovative technologies such as advanced transmission technologies or grid-enhancing technologies before approving new construction. An online clean energy infrastructure dashboard will also be created to promote transparency and public accountability in real time. Protecting residents from high costs. By pairing lower rates for low- and middle-income consumers with costsaving infrastructure changes, the legislation protects Massachusetts residents from paying more for electricity. The bill incentivizes gas companies to pursue the expansion of climate- and cost-friendly networked heat pump systems and geothermal heating, modeled on successful pilots already underway in Framingham and Lowell. It does this by directing the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) to consider greenhouse gas impacts when it weighs a petition by a gas company to expand its territory, reigning in a mandate that historically off ered preferential treatment to natural gas infrastructure over other methods of heating. The legislation also saves residents money by considering climate-friendly alternatives to leak-prone pipes instead of automatically replacing them with new natural gas pipes. To ensure gas workers are protected as reforms to gas distribution system are undertaken, the bill establishes a special legislative commission to study the impacts of the energy transition and decarbonization on the current fossil fuel workforce. The bill further directs utility providers to off er lower rates to eligible low-income and moderate-income utility consumers. Building out electric vehicle infrastructure. Expanding electric vehicle (EV) use and making it easier to charge a vehicle is crucial to reducing emissions, so this legislation expands the availability of charging stations. Along with making pole-mounted charger installation easier on streets and in parking lots, the bill centralizes statewide coordination of charger installation via the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Coordinating Council (EVICC). The EVICC will also be responsible for identifying sites for a statewide network of fast charging hubs along Massachusetts highways and major roadways, as well as forecasting EV charging demand and determining its impact on the electric distribution grid over the next ten years. It further removes EV charger installation restrictions for residents who own parcels within condominiums, homeowner associations, and historic districts, and authorizes condo boards to install EV chargers on community parcels. The legislation extends the MOR-EV program through 2027, giving residents more opportunities to qualify for a $3,500 to $6,000 rebate for the purchase of qualifying new or used electric vehicles. It also makes it easier for cities and towns to procure electric school vehicles—including electric school buses—and EV charging equipment for municipalities. The bill also seeks to dispel misinformation about electric vehicle and electric battery storage safety risks by requiring state guidance on the public health, safety, and environmental impacts of these technologies. Fusion Energy and Battery Storage. The legislation makes Massachusetts the fi rst state in the nation to add fusion energy to the list of Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (RPS) Class I renewable energy generating sources, positioning the Commonwealth to be in a strategically benefi cial position as fusion energy becomes commercially viable. Additionally, it sets a 5,000 MW energy storage procurement to back up intermittent clean energy resources such as solar and wind. It also authorizes DOER to coordinate with other New England states to consider competitive solicitations for long-term clean energy generation, including existing nuclear generation, for the benefit of the Commonwealth and the region. Offshore Wind. To support the growing off shore wind industry that will provide clean power and new jobs, the legislation allows future off shore wind contracts to be set for
11 Publizr Home