Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
With just a couple of weeks left in this year’s legislative session, a conference committee is working to reconcile the differences between omnibus energy bills passed last month by the House and Senate.
The House bill (H. 4385) would require utility companies to solicit and purchase 1,200 megawatts of hydropower and 1,200 megawatts of offshore wind power through long-term contracts, subject to approval by the Department of Public Utilities.
The Senate bill (S. 2400) would require procurement of long-term contracts for at least 2,000 megawatts of offshore wind energy by 2027. The bill would require distribution companies to procure 12,450,000 megawatt-hours of clean energy generation from hydropower and other clean energy sources.
The Senate bill would double the annual rate of increase for the state’s Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard, or the minimum amount of energy that must come from renewable sources. The legislation would increase the rate of increase from an additional 1 percent annually to an additional 2 percent.
The Senate bill would also establish a home energy audit system through the Department of Energy Resources. An energy audit would be required to be made available when a home is listed for sale.
Gov. Charlie Baker had filed legislation that would require utilities to solicit contracts for clean energy generation and would allow for 2,400 megawatts of hydropower. The governor advocated for the bill as part of the administration’s efforts to diversify the state’s energy portfolio.
An amendment to the House bill, filed by Rep. Stephen Kulik of Worthington, was adopted regarding Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing, which enables property owners to make improvements to their property that promote energy efficiency. The financing is recorded on and repaid through property tax bills as betterment assessments. Financing for PACE is through a private company and municipal participation is voluntary.
The House bill would also aim to clarify the process for gas leak repairs during roadwork projects and would require that gas companies report on the volume of lost or unaccounted for gas in the Commonwealth. Both the House and Senate bills would have the Department of Public Utilities investigate the environmental impacts of Grade 3 gas leaks and establish a plan to repair leaks and promulgate regulations regarding repairs.