Representative Jones Serving On Climate Bill Conference Committee

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) is now serving on a six-member legislative conference committee that is reviewing two major climate change bills approved by the House and the Senate in an attempt to develop a final compromise proposal that can be sent to Governor Charlie Baker.

Senate Bill 2500, An Act setting next-generation climate policy, was engrossed by the Senate on January 30, while House Bill 4933, An Act creating a 2050 road map to a clean and thriving Commonwealth, was passed by the House on July 31. Both bills set a goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions in Massachusetts by 2050, but differ in their approach.

Under current law, Massachusetts is already working to reduce its carbon emissions to 80% of 1990 levels by 2050. Both the Senate and House bills would accelerate this schedule, with the Senate establishing interim targets the state must meet every five years and the House setting these interim targets at 10-year intervals.

The Senate bill also calls for the phased-in implementation of carbon pricing, beginning in 2022 for the state’s transportation sector, followed by commercial properties in 2025 and residential properties by 2030. The House bill does not include carbon pricing, but requires Municipal Light Plants to establish a greenhouse gas emissions standard, expands the procurement of offshore wind, creates a commission to study the establishment of a long-term grid modernization plan, and calls for increasing access to energy efficiency grants and programs for small businesses.

“The challenges posed by climate change are significant, and require decisive action by the state to ensure that we are prepared to meet these challenges head on,” said Representative Jones. “Both the House and the Senate have developed comprehensive plans to expand renewable energy options and reduce the Commonwealth’s reliance on fossil fuels. Now it is time for us to roll up our sleeves and try to find the common ground both branches can agree on for moving forward and reaching our mutual goal of net-zero carbon emissions.”

Joining Representative Jones on the conference committee are State Representatives Thomas Golden (D-Lowell) and Patricia Haddad (D-Somerset) and State Senators Michael Barrett (D-Lexington), Cynthia Stone Creem (D-Newton) and Patrick O’Connor (R-Weymouth).