Waltham Delegation Helps Pass Landmark Climate Legislation

(BOSTON) – Representatives Tom Stanley and Lawn and Senator Barrett helped pass nation-leading climate legislation, known as the Next Generation Climate Roadmap bill, which overhauls the state’s climate laws, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, advances the clean energy industry, and prioritizes and protects environmental justice communities. The Senate and House approved this important legislation which is now heading to the Governor’s desk.

“The measures in this legislation will put us on a path to lowering harmful carbon emissions, add strength to our growing green economy and improve the lives of those living in underserved communities,” said Rep. Stanley. “Now is the time to be proactive in how we approach our climate crisis and to protect our environment for future generations.”

"This historic legislation will set our state on a path towards reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 by establishing robust interim limits and providing key sectors of our economy with clear guidelines and goal posts for their decarbonization," said Rep. Lawn. “The provisions of this bill represent a leap forward in our efforts to reduce harmful carbon emissions.”

The passage of the climate bill comes after a joint commitment from Senate President Karen E. Spilka and House Speaker Ronald Mariano to quickly refile the legislation following a gubernatorial veto last session. This session Governor Baker offered amendments to the bill, which have been considered by the Legislature. Senator Barrett’s leadership on climate policy as Chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy was instrumental in developing the legislature’s response to said amendments. Last week, the House and Senate rejected efforts to slow the rate of progress toward net-zero emissions by 2050, while accepting a number of more technical amendments that improve the bill.

The final legislation:

• Sets a statewide net-zero limit on greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and mandates emissions limits every five years, as well as sublimits for transportation, buildings, and other sectors of the economy.
• Codifies environmental justice provisions into Massachusetts law, defining environmental justice populations and providing new tools and protections for affected neighborhoods.
• Establishes a municipal opt-in specialized stretch energy code which includes a definition of “net-zero building” and net-zero building performance standards.
• Requires an additional 2,400 megawatts of offshore wind, increasing the total authorization to 5,600 megawatts in the Commonwealth.
• Directs the Department of Public Utilities (DPU), the regulator of the state's electric and natural gas utilities, to balance priorities going forward: system safety, system security, reliability, affordability, equity, and, significantly, reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
• Sets appliance energy efficiency standards for a variety of common appliances including plumbing, faucets, computers, and commercial appliances.
• Adopts several measures aimed at improving gas pipeline safety, including increased fines for safety violations, provisions related to training and certifying utility contractors, and setting interim targets for companies to reduce leak rates.
• Requires utilities to include an explicit value for greenhouse gas reductions when they calculate the cost-effectiveness of an offering of MassSave.
• Increases the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) by 3 per cent each year from 2025–2029, resulting in 40 per cent renewable energy by 2030.
• A national first, this legislation factors the "carbon sequestration" capacity of Massachusetts' natural and working lands directly into our emissions reduction plans.
• Prioritizes equitable access to the state’s solar programs by low-income communities.
• Sets benchmarks for the adoption of clean energy technologies including electric vehicles, charging stations, solar technology, energy storage, heat pumps and anaerobic digestors.
• Establishes $12 million in annual funding for the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center to create a pathway to the clean energy industry for environmental justice populations, minority-owned and women-owned businesses, and fossil fuel workers.
• Provides solar incentives for businesses by exempting them from the net metering cap to allow them to install solar systems on their premises to help them offset their electricity use and save money.
• Creates a first-time greenhouse gas emissions standard for municipal lighting plants that requires them to purchase 50 percent non-emitting electricity by 2030, 75 percent by 2040 and “net zero” by 2050.

Rep. Thomas Stanley represents the 9th Middlesex District of Massachusetts, which includes Lincoln, Waltham (Wards 1, 2, 3, Ward 4: Precinct 1, Ward 5: Precinct 2, Ward 6: Precinct 1, and Ward 7: Precinct 1). He is also a Waltham City Councilor.